The Portland daily press., 1900-07-04
AGAINST TOWNE.
Democratic Opposition Manifested In
Tripartlte Conference.

Kansas City, July 3.--A conference of
three political parties was held at the
Kansas City club today.
From tho Democratic party there wers
Jones of Arkansas, Tolman of South
Carolina, Croker of New York, johnson
of Kansas. From the Populists there
were EdlnoDston of Nebraska, Weaver
of Iowa, Pettigrew of South Dakota,
Allen of Nebraska and Heitfeld Of Idaho,
and the Silver Republicans there We're
Teller Of Colorado, Dubois of Idaho,
Newland of Nevada.
There were other representatives Of the
different parties present. The object of
the meeting was to form the basis Of an
agreement between the three allied par
ties as to Presidential candidate.
The conference settled as definitely as
it was possible for few representative
men to settle anything in advance that
the platform should contain positive
and specific declaration for free coinage
at Is to 1, but there was no equally posi-
tive development in the settlement Of
the Vice Presidential situation.
The meeting lasted from II o'clock until
las and was marked with great earnest
ness. The entire exchange of views was
upon the two questions of the financial
plank of the platform and the selection
of a man for second place on the ticket,
the latter question receiving the great
est share of attention because it offered
the most obstacles.
The Silver Republicans and Populists
were quite agreed in pressing the candi-
dacy of Mr. Towne tor the -Presiden-
cy and also in urging the necessity for
a positive declaration on ratio. Some
of the Democrats placed themselves in
the attitude of men whom it was neces-
sary to win over. All proved good listen
ers and some of them voluble takers.
On the question Of platform, Mr..
Croker of New York said that he was
also willing that the declaration for 10
to 1 should be made specific. Mr.. Croker
expressed the opinion that the New York
Democrats would vote for Bryan, regard
less of the platform declaration. Asked
if he considered that there was any
chance of carrying New York with any
platform, he replied that there was no
certainty; that the probabilities were in
the opposite direction, but that it was
impossible to say at this date what
effect the injection of the new issues of
the past few years would have upon the
result.
There was very spirited talk over
the Vice-Presidency in which all par
ticipated more or less Mr.. Clayton of
Alabama held ont strenuously for Dem
ocrat. "A man who had the Democratic
brand upon him. He said Mr.. BRYAN
himself represented sufficiently the
Popnlistic or northwestern ideas and
he thought no concessions should be
made in the Vice Presidential nomina-
tion Senator Pettigrew and others of
the non-Democratio conferees replied
tartly to this speech. Former Senator
Dubois asserted saroasticalIy, that the
Democrats were raking the earth to find
man with whom to beat Bryan.
IF that speech were made in Dakota -
said Mr.. Pettigrew, referring to MIR. Clay
toms remarks, sit would mean q. loss of
5000 votes to the ticket" He proceeded
to say that if the Populists had not un-
selishly united with thu Democrats in
loSo the latter would have been over
whelmed, and he added that if their aid
was not secured in 1900 there would be a
still greater disaster
Senator Tillman Of South Carolina.
also made spirited speech in Towne s
behalf, saying that he would add strength
to the ticket where votes were needed.
and that it was time to have done with
ohe nonsense that man had to be brand
ed before he could be accepted. He said
the Silver Republicans had left the feast
OF their own party when the table was
spread, and added that he believed the
Democrats owed them every considera-
ton.
MIR. Croker said he had no candidate
for the Yioe-Presiden9y, that he did not