The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1900-07-05
WANTS RATIO PLANK
Bryan Insists That Platform Dec
laration Be Unequivocal.

Kansas City, Mo-. July 3.-An inter
esting story got afioat Monday concern
ing a letter said 20 have been sent to Mr.,
Bryan by democratic leaders here. This
letter. according to general report, out
lined the situation and suggested that
Mr. BRYAN ought to make concessions re-
gardng the platform so that those who
wanted a modification would be concil-
lated. 1t was stated that the concession
asked made victory possible, while with
out il the campaign would be a hard one.
Many leaders were mentioned as having
acquiesced in or signed the letter to
Bryan. Hon. James Kerr, one of the
delegates from Pennsylvania, who set
out for Lincoln Sunday night, accom-
panied by ex-Congressman Muuchler
and another Pennsylvania delegate, is
said to have carried the letter TO Lin
coin. It was reported that this letter
was signed by or approved by Senator
Jones, ex-Gov, Stone, j. G. johnson,
James Guffey and d. j. Campau, all
members OF the executive committee.
Most of these gentlemen said they had
not signed such letter, but there was
an intimation from a reliable quarter
that some such movement was on foot.
and that the views of some of these gen
tlemen were laid before Mr., Bryan in a
way to indicate that they believed it
affirm the Chicago platform, and
not insist upon the specific dec
iaration for sixteen to one. The i'm
preston prevails that the leaders are not
likely TO meet with much encouragement
In such movement, especially in view
OF the action of the Nebraska delegation,
which declared explicitly Monday for the
old ratio.
Says bryan Won't Yield.
Cato Sells, chairman of the Iowa dele
cation. who spent three hours closeted
with Mr. Bryan Sunday, said when told
of the movement to have Mr. Bryan
agree to the elimination of a specific
plank In the platform calling for the
free coinage of silver at the ratio of six
teen TO one: II talked over the whole
situation with Mr. Bryan, and have not
the slightest hesitancy in saying that the
gentlemen who have gone to Lincoln
with the idea of getting Mr.. Bryan II
hedge on the proposition of sixteen to
one will do nothing but go up the hill
and come down again. l know exactly
what am saying when l tell you thai
there is not the slightest chance in the
world to get Mr.. Bryan TO accept any
evasion or abridgement of the sixteen to
one proposition. He will run on plat
form containing that plank, or he will
not run at all. / am positive that there
will be no fight against the sixteen to one
plank which win compel Mr.. Bryan to
change his attitude. There is nothing in
the world that will have the power to do
mat ms Is dDSOluleIN Ceftdlu anu All
those gentlemen who try anything to the
contrary are simply wasting their time
and effort"
Won't Run without 1t.
Judge A. S. Tibbetts. of Lincoln, chair
man of the Nebraska delegation, said
that it could be accepted as positive that
Mr.. Bryan would not be a candidate I'M
less the platform contained a specific
declaration in favor of silver at sixteen
"a do 81 nd he will
not do it." said Judge Tfbbetts. He has
always held the position in favor of six
teen to one, and his views have been
understood all the time. The different
state delegations have been instructed
for him with that understanding, and
now, at the last minute, he cannot stul-
tify himself by accepting a candidacy
based upon any other platform. How
ever there viii be no question of thai
Kind calling for solution The gentlemen
who have gone to Lincoln will find him
sdamant, and he VIII not be moved from
his position under any circumstances"
The HIII-BryRn Conference.
Ex-senator Hill returned from Lincoln
Monday, and It may be said that his re-
turn did not cause as great a sensation
as did his departure The mysterious
silence which he maintained and which
he explained by saying: Mr. Bryan and
myself agreed that nothing should be
said regarding the conference between
u.s. did not serve to whet the political
appetite very much. OF course, It was
not expected that Mr.. Hill would talk
OF the conference, but there was a be-
lief that he would say something of in
terest relating to the platform and the
prospects of a modification, but he was
decidedly noncoamital. When asked
q direct question as to his fight against
a sixteen to one declaration, he said
the convention would not meet for two
days. 1t might not act upon the plat
form for three days, therefore there was
no reason to now discuss the questions
as to what II was to contain. Mr.. Hill
talked with many men, and quite long
time with some OF them, but to no one
did he outline his intended position or
give any intimation as to the position
Mr. Bryan had taken while discussing
the coming convention. To some Wis
itors Mr.. Hill said his conference with
Mr.. Bryan was very satisfactory, but in
what particular he did not disclose.
When the matter of his connection with
the vice presidency was mentioned he
dismissed II in a manner indicating that
there was not the least possibility of his
being selected.