The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-07-05
Two Reports Are Certain-Majority Re-
port Still in Doubt on the Money Plat
form-Both Sides Make Claims.
Exciting PoraCted Struggle Over the Platform
sidered Almost Sure to Be Continued on the
Floor of the Convention.

principles to the Tor! 5 Of the Democratic
party and desert our real fricnds?''
Texan Urges Moderation.
Mr.. Ball of Texas made force'ul argu
| ment in favor OF geatiirrnation without re
| citing the ratio. He said:
We contend that a reafirma ton in es
| sence and substance OF the Sc platform
| could not he looked upon as backdown oil
/ retreat. The platform WAS shaped then by
! Mr.. i:ryan. and was the Judgment OF the
! overwhelming majority OF the delegates
, adopting il. 1t would be folly to select from
that platform for special emphasis the only
| principle which cannot De crystalIiZed into
| law during the next four years, when press
| Ing and important ISSUES now are occupying
| the public mind.
| The real friends OF silver will not mis-
| understand the position of the Democracy
| upon such a platform. nor Will any votes be
| lost that could he counted upon for the
| party. The Chicago platform OF as reaf-
| rrmec. with strong plauks against militar-
! ism. Imperialism and trusts will appeal 10
| the intelligence and patriotism OF the coun-
| Try, and 40 good purpose could possibly be
Sut'Scrvea by declaration for d platform
/ which smphat.cally declares for free coin
2ge at the ratio OF Is 70 |. and then putting
| Il again in another plank of the new plat
/ form. merely for the purpose Of making
some swallow the same declaration
twice n the same platform"
Governor Thomas OF Colorado made an
imIassioned appeal for a specific silver
plank.
Mr.. DAILY of New Jersey made a plea for
conservatism and for concessions to the
moderate wing of the party. He said that he
had cheerfully supported the platform and
ticket OF four years ago. and had stumped
the country for Mr.. Bryan. but he felt con-
WINGED that the time had come when the
money question was no longer paramount,
and he iulplored the committee and the con-
vention to put IL somewhat in the back
ground and make the fight OF 1910 upon
other issues In reality. he said. deciara
ton on the ratio was immaterial and the
silver men should be satisfied with reaf
firrlation OF the principles of Sc.
At the conclusion OF Mr.. Days speech the
committee concluded to take recess until
O'clock, in order 10 allow its members to
get their dinners. II had become evident to
all present that IL would be- impossible 10
conclude the preparation of the resolutions
in time for presentation 20 the convention
upon reassembling at $50.
Evening Session.
When the Committee on Resolutions as
sembied at $50 tonight Chairman Jones
was Of the opinion that the fight over the
platform would be carried into the con-
yention. as two reports would be presented.
The first speaker was II. Irving Handy of
Delaware, who took a position In favor of
the reiteration OF the platform, instead of
reaffrmation.
IF you reaffirn the platform" said Mr.
Handy, you will have TO include in IL the
attack upon the Supreme Court. and the
Chicago riots, which caused that declara-
b tion. are thing OF the past. If you reaf-
firm the platform, you still declare for sill
yer What other Interpretation can you
place upon IL?
IF you think TO make the convention 81
lent upon the question of silver, you cam
not silence that great voice in Nebraska
In tones 20 be heard from ocean to ocean
VIII the man you are going 10 nominate
declare that the Democratic party is for
the free and unlimited coinage of silver at
a ratio of ls to !, without the consent OF
any other nation on earth. Instead of tax
ing silver out of tho platform. you will
serve TO emphasize the interest on 1t.
IN his letter OF acceptance, Mr. Bryan
will interpret the platform. Do you think
he will make the silver issue subordinate to
others Of the Chicago platform which you
propose to reafiirm. No never. and all over
this land will he proclaim that silver is
still the dominant issue"
Mr.. Handy was listened 70 with close at
tention. and his speech was applaGded by
the 16-to-I advocates
Carter Harrison Talks.
Great interes: was manifested In the
speech of Carter Harrison of Chicago Ie
went over many of the arguments that
have been made since the issue was made
and declared that the proper action Of
tcAANSAbpH "oS " lineage
platform.
Give us the platform we have adop,ed
in Illinois, and will win back some os
the voters that have been lost TO the Demo-
cratic party since 1892. Many OF them are
in Chicago. Offer them a chance TO vote
for the Democratic party.
I'VE must have recruits or we cen,o.
win. and we must win In Indiana Illinois
and Wisconsin, States which are ready to
leave the Republicans on other issues II
we depend upon the States carried by Rry-
an In 1896 We are beaten. Standing firmly
and hatly upon the Chicago platform OF
1896 we give sufficient Endorsement for
silver. and this is all that is asked We
believe we can win on that platform if re-
affirmed by this convention.
Balls Arguments.
Representative Ball OF Texas sa;f he !
came from State which gave BRYAN .si
Oc0 majority on the Chicago platform in
isso and was ready to repeat the operation
this year.
-Four years ago. he said the Middle
West and the South took strong grounds |
on the situation and made a platform for |
the mining States of the West and vet !
those States had not sufficien, votes to save |
the election with tine loss Of those OF the |
Middle West and the East
What Is the USE" he asked. "of making !
an issue Tor the purpose of getting |
whipped? IL the States of the Middle Yves, !
and those of the East think they could get |
the Democratic party electoral votes on /
the Chicago platform reatirned. why NOT !
give II 10 them? q.
SILVER Is not an issue in this camDs,zn
every man here knows that there can be ,
no silver legislation during the next presi-
DENTAL term. because the complexion CT tho I
Senate cannot be changed in that .frne. w,
must secure o.ea,Gt9 votes this wear thar
we did not have in 1896 to win We rY,ust 4
get those votes on the issues Of trusts. IN. |
periaiism and militarism. Why shou,d va .
die West 10 accept reiteratiOn? /; is - Of
fort to make them take something they ao !
not want. although they are wi!Iin. 70 ac-
cept a reafirraation of the Chicago plat
form"
, F. W. McGettric.l of Vermont said he was
a Gold Democrat He did not follow Is to |
l in 1895. and did not want TO follow IL now
but rs 1t was a question of either a specibc
declaration OF Is To 1 or a reaffirmation Of
the Chicago platform he favored the for
iiier plan, which seemed to be one of prin-
cipe.
representative Francis G. Newlauds of
Nevada declared In favor of a specific der
laration of IS TO !. The Democratic marry
by its declaration of 1896. he said. had in
sisted upon the cumulative theory II
money. and the Republican party upon
the quality Of money. The DemccratI,
principle had been proven right. as
the increased production of gold was re-
sponsible for the prosperity which had come
upon the country. While II was tru. Thar
money was not to be the prime issue CT tina
IT, 80