Wadsworth semi-weekly dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1900-07-13
THE FIRST GUN.
Congress Newlands Speaks at Elko
Issues of this Campaign


stating that he was one of the delegates
elected by the Democratic State Com
mittee to the Kansas City convention,
which he characterized as the grandest
political convention ever held and that
no event in the history of the Demo-
catic party had engaged SO much at
tention. The Nevada delegation sell
ected him as its representative on the
COMMITTEES on resolutions, and he took
an important part in framing the plat
form. The committee sat for twenty
four hours. Imperialism, militar;sm,
trusts and the money question were
the great issues before the COMMITTEES.
There was no material difference on
the silver question. Delegates from
the South were in favor Of a mere re-
affirmation of the Chicago platform
while others favored a specific deciara-
ton in Iavor Of free coinage at the
ratio of l6 to /. He inclined to the
view that a special declaration was not
necessary and would ALLEVIATE the Ger
man vote Of the middle West who
were opposed to McKinley's imperial
ism but were afraid OF l6 to /. On
this question Mr.. Bryan felt intensely
and insisted that there should be a
reiteration OF the demand for the free
coinage of silver at the ratio Of Is to | ;.
independent Of the action Of any other
government If no specific declaration
were made the enemy would charge
the party with evading the question and
the friends of silver would consider it
a weakness. He adopted Mr.. Bryan's
views and fought for the resolution re-
iterating the demand Of the Chicago
platform, which was finally adopted.
The platform as adopted might not
control as many votes as it would If
there had been dodg.ng on the silver
question, but great moral victory had
been won. The votes of some tmid
men might be lost, but the votes Of in
dependent men, who admire honesty
and courage in candidate, would be
won. Bryan's stand on the silver
question was sure guarantee to the
people, that if elected President. prom
ises made by him would be carried out.
Mr.. Newlands stated that he suggest
ed the plank in the platform in regard
to water store for the reclamation Of
the arid lands. He declared it much
better for the people to spend $50, ,ooo,-
900 in developing the arid lands Of the
United States than to spend $l50,OoO,-
900 and sacrificing thousands Of lives
to build up an empire 1000 miles
away from our shores.
The platform when adopted by the
committee was read in the convention
by Senator Tillman Of South Carolina,
whom Mr.. Newlands declared, to be
one of the bravest. purest and most
unselfish patriots in the country. The
reading Of the platform produced an
outburst of enthusiasm never before
equaled in the history Of political con-
ventions. The reception Of the plat
form by the Philadelphia convention
was an iceberg to that accorded the
Democratic platform at Kansas City.
He had watched the expression Of the
people during the reading Of the plat
form and found that they were most
interested in those questions relating
to the welfare and perpetuity of the
institutions Of the country The planks
relating to Imperialism and militarsm
were most warmly greeted by the peo-
pie.
Mr.. Newlands next took up the
Cuban war which was entered upon as