The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-07-21

And. if need be. bravely dying
For the grand Red White and Blue
How the Silver Clause Carried the
Fight IN the Committee at Kansas
city.
The statement has been made that a
large majority Of the members Of the
late Democratic National Convention
were opposed 10 the l6 to plank in the
platform That is undoubtedly true
It was shown by the way the resolution
was received and In various other ways.
This being the case, why did lot the
conservatives on the Platform Com
mittee. who had a mpjority at first and
then lost by the desertion or detection
Of two or three men, why did they not
bring in minority report and carry
the fight to the floor Of the contention,
where the majority was with them
This question is being constantly asked
and it deserves to be answered.
The debate in the committee was ez-
ceediugly free and fall Upon the one
hand the diotation Of Mr Bryan was
fully avowed by bis friend and freely
denounced by those who thought be
was working an injury 10 the party.
He was not spared ia the discussion, the
Southern members being especially ou'
spoken. The members from the New
Eogland States and from Hawaii having
nothing TO do in the election wanted 10
do all they could to please the candi'
date for President. expecting favors af'
ter the election As soon as It was a.
oertained that Mr Bryan was insisting
on l6 70 1 all this tribe began shouting
for 1t, too.
On the other aide we're Judge Vsn
Wyck, Of New York; Mr. st Clair Of West
Virginia. Colonel Baugbman, Of Mary
land Senators Daniel. Virginia. and
Money. Of Mississippi, also the members
from Georgia and Texas. These men
were voted down by the delegates from
Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts,, Hawaii
and the Rocky Mountain and granger
States
As soon as the conservatives found
that they were left without a majority
they began talking about q minority
report That gave the extremists
genuine alarm and they began TO be-
seech and propose concessions. Thy
proposed that If the conservatives would
unite In the majority report that they
would put imperialism to the front ai
the paramount issue and relesate silver
to a minor place.
The reasons which induced the min
ority TO accept this condition wer'
these In the first place, Richard Gro
ker sent word to Judge Van Wyck no
to unite in any minority report ThiI
greatly weakened the conservative
cause. Then the organization Of tn
convention was all in the interest o
free silver and anything that BryaI
wanted. and there was no assurance o
fair play. The galleries were packed
with free.s.lyerites, and anyone VIII
opposed 16 to would have had to fac
a pandemonium of noise.
These reasons and the fear that
fight on the floor Of the convention
might sesult In serious division induce
the minority to accept the terms OF
fered and sign the report.
The further question arises, VIII
we're Mr. Bryan and HIS friends
determined upon this point? IL is be
lieved and freely declared that Ricbar
Croker was playing Tammany polite
and his position was determined rathe
by considerations Of New York cit
primary elections than Of nations
politics. II is also believed that MI
Bryan aud his friends were largely iu
fluenced by local considerations
1t was considered necessary to carr
Nebraska, and of course the Nebrask
delegation would be Influenced by that
for local offices are at stake and ais
Federal Senator. Mr.. Bryan
surrounded by men Of oil kinda an
from ell sections who tell him Ju
what he wants to hear With me
from the East like George Fred WI
liams shouting for free silver and Wit
the conviction what 1t is winnin
issue in the West, it is perhaps not uI
natural for the man on the prsiries
scream like the people Of Ephesus wh'
they thought their silver images we
IN he done away with. Baltimore So