New-York tribune., 1900-07-06
THE FIGHT IN COMMITTEE.
Continued from first pnge.

have voted against the plank.
Mr. Croker cast for the 16 to plank the votes
of all the delegates from the counties of New
York. Kings, Erie, Albany. Rensselaer,, Catta-
raugas, Chautauqua and Monroe. He thus COM
mitted the Democrats of the State of New
York to the support of the following plank;
We reiterate the demand of that platform
(of 1890 for American financial system
made by the American people for themselves
which shall restore and maintain b1metalnc
price level; and as part of such system, tne
immediate restoration of the free and unhm-
tied coinage of silver and gold at the present
legal ratio Of 16 to l. without waiting for the
consent Of any other nation.
The New York Democrats must vote as
unit There were. accordingly, seventy-two
votes committed by Mr.. Croker to the support
of the 16 to 1 plank In 1896 the New-York
delegation at the Democratic National Con-
venton fought this plank. and left the Con-
vention hall rather than take any further part
in it's proceedings. Now in 1900 Mr.. Croker
throws the votes of the delegates of the State
of New-York in support Of the same plank
Mr.. Hill when he heard of Mr.. Croker's act,
said: Mr. Croker seems to be doing his best
to throw away the vote of New-York State"
a well known Democrat said: Croker must
know that public sentiment in Kings County
| is so much opposed to the 16 to 1 idea that the
Democratic party will be In a minority in
| county this fall of %, 900 votes"
CONTEST WAGED ALL NIGHT
The contest in the Committee on Resolutions
on the silver plank lasted all night at the Kan
sas City Club. 1t began at l p m. yesterday
! and did not terminate until a. m. to-day
Augustus Van Wyck offered a plank which
merely reafirmed the Chicago platform of 1896.
| and bore no direct reference to the coinage of
! silver at the ratio Of is to L majority of those
| opposed TO the 16 to l plank advocated merely
! reaffrming the Chicago platform. r. L. Met
| calf of Nebraska who was supposed to rep
resent Mr.. Bryan's views on silver submitted
| the silver plank which was adopted. Mr.. Van
| Wyck also submitted plank against trusts but
| he seemed most interested in his coinage plank
| declaring that on it the Democrats could carry
! the State of New-York
The surprise of the meeting came when Sen
| ator Money, of Mississippi made a speech in
! favor of striking a specific free silver plank out
Of the proposed platform. Ex-Governor Stone,
! of Missouri indicated that he had been whipped
into line for the silver plank although he was
! opposed it, by saying that it would be cowardice
not to adopt it. Senator Jones pleaded with
| two fellow members of the committee not to
| ject the plank since 1t had Mr.. Bryans support
He intimated that Mr.. Bryan would not accept
! the nomination if the 16 to l declaration was
omitted
VAN WYCK'S ARGUMENT
Augustus Van Wyck spoke again. I'VE do not
want the words 16 to l in the platform" he
declared, and that was the text of his speech.
| He argued that to adopt the platform suggested
| by Mr.. Metcalf would simply result in losing
| New-York and other States to the Democracy
while with a platform fashioned after the one
| he had suggested there was a good chance of
! carrying New-York, and, by carrying it, elect
| ing Mr. Bryan President.
| Mr.. DAILY, of NewJersey, spoke on much the
same lines as Judge Van Wyck. He referred to
| the fact that New-Jersey had always been a
| Democratic State, had Delaware and Mary
! land until the platform Of 1896 was adopted
! A conservative platform adopted argued Mr.
| Daily. and New-Jersey would again be found in
| the Democratic ranks but failure to do so would
result in danger of a repetition Of 1898 not only
| in NewJersey, but in Maryland and Delaware
| as we'll.
| GEORGE FRED SUPPORTS BRYAN'S PLANK
| George Fred Williams, Of Massachusetts, then
took the floor in support of the platform submit
ted by Mr. Metcalf. He declared it was neces-
sary to Teterate the free silver plank in specific
terms, as was done in that platform, or else the
| country at large would regard the action of the
| Convention as a backward step from the position
| taken four years ago. If" declared Mr. Will
| Jams. I'VE do anything Of that sort we acknowl-
| edge that in 1896 were either fools or knaves
| and that is thing we cannot afford to do If
| we nominate Mr.. Bryan, must nominate him
| on platform which represents the principles in
which he believes, and not ask him to run on one
| which he does not believe in"
| Carter H. Harrison followed with opposition to
the silver plank. Among other things Mr. Har-
rison said
| The Illinois Democrats have come here 10 protest
against the platform which has been offered us
| by a united and harmonious Convention have
| been instructed to tell the members of the com
mittee that the adoption rejection of the 16 to
plank means the difference between Democra tic
1ba
condition Of affairs in State is simply this
| huhdIeu thoqsand reside IN chicago, who op-
posed to Mcktneyism, opposed to trusts opposed
| voters compose perhaps one-third of the votine
| population of our State. While, however. they
| the issues which have arisen they are opposed
to too radical and pronounced stand on the Silver
question. Again, there are a large number of
Democrats in State who left US four years ago
| on account of this same plank. They are anxious
| nave them. Inc only question is: Shall block
| their return, and drive away from these other
| fore their faces and attempting forcibly cram
| down their throats a proposition to which they
| backward step in this matter A platform we re-
Gently adopted in illinois is perfectly satisfactory
reathrmed there IN spirit and manner, in whole and
in part, the Chicago platform OF 1896. That is all
| ii is necessary for US to do here in this Conven-
ton. What we object to is not the reafirmation
Of that platform in its entirety but the speciaI
emphasis made on the part of it which is most oo-
Jecuonable to the voters OF whom I have spoken.
The same condition OF affairs WHICH prevails in
Of these States were carried by Democrats in 1892
We can carry them again if we do not drive away
our ranks Give US platform like the recent
one adopted in Illinois and these States will be
found in the Democratic column.
TEXAS FOR CONSERVATISM
Mayor Harrison was followed by Mr. Ball, of
Texas, who made the strongest anti-l6 To