The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-06-11
SECRETS OF THE 1900 CONVENTION
MeLaurin Tells How Daniel Fought Pree
silver.


silver.
senator McLaurin. ol South Carolina,
tells some interesting inside history oi
the Democratic National Convention OF
1900.
He writes to q constituent who de-
mands 10 know how his policy differs
from that OF the Republicans and. after
describing the fundamental differences
betwcel, the twoparties. comes down TO
the history of the Tree silver movement
OF this be- says
Acting under their platform the Re
publican party passed certain legislation
which settled the financial question in
accordance with their wishes Thcrccame
about season Of prosperity. not caused
by this legislation. but by mumerous
other matters with which politics had
nothing to do This period oiprosperity
carried with il great business tranar
tions. These tranacriuns were conduct
ed under the financial legislation already
mentioned. Some Of the strongest ad-
vocates Of the free coinage Of silver IN
both parties took "a conservative view ot
the situation. and held that it had re-
quired over twenty years and twopanlcs
To change from the former system to the
present one. and that a change came
back again would require equal time and
cause a. great disturbance 90 our bust
ness interests They believe that al
though the question had been settled
wrong. business had been adopted to
the present condition that any change
of radical character would cause
widespread disturbance. Showing that
the fundamental principles which have
always divided the Republican and Demo
ocratic parties were unchanged. those
Democrats who were convinced that the
unlimited coinage OF silver az ratio Of
lGt would prove disastrous never
theless remaiudcd in their party. and in
several States the delegations sent to
Kansas City were composed of Demo
Gratis, who. to a man, opposed the free
silver plank.
THE CONVENTION or 1900.
1T was understood that William j.
Bryan should once more lead the party.
It was also understood that those op-
posed to the rs TO plank were opposed
to his leadership They had no requests
to make OF the Kansas City convention
concerning candidates. They went there
determined as lar as possible to have
their party which abandoned lis past
principles and stultified itself in 1896 by
an unholy alliance with the Popuist and
Socialists, placed back uponits old moor
ings and adopt a straight-out Democrat
ic platform. They were willing that the
Populists should have the candidate if
they were allowed 10 preserve the prin-
ciples of the grand old party
What did these men find when they
reached Kansas City? They found
Western delegations in which not a sin
ple man had been q Democrat in 1892.
These men demanded reiteration OF
the Is TO plank Of the Chicago plat
form. The proposition was made to
they wanted which were not socialistic
or anarchistic, and all the Democrats
asked was that their party be preserved
them that they could have both can
didates and they could have any plank
by maintaining its reputation as safe
and conservative organization.
SENATOR DANIELS WORK.
John W. Daniel Of Virginia, as thor
ough a believer in the free coinage Of sill
yer as any man in his party, and one o
the grandest characters in the United
States Senate, worked like beaver day
and night to try to convince these West
ern delegates that their policy was suici
dal. Governor Smith, OF Maryland. told
them that the Democrats could carry
MARYLAND without that plank, and could
not carry Maryland with it. Genera
st. Clair. of West Virginia worked unit
4 o'clock in the morning with that com
mittee. and then went TO his delegation
saving. Boys we are ruined. Ton
Taggert. of Indiana, himself a silver
man. worked like a beaver TO keep tha'
plank from being inserted, and serye'
notice upon his party that the Democrat
of his state were not in sympathy will
il and would not vote for the candidate
if nominated upon such a platform. Th
vote was taken and only five States vot
ed in favor of 1G to l.
WESTERN DELEGATES wEAKENED.
"The Western delegates weakened OF
the night of July 4th, and so apprise'
Mr.. Bryan by telephone message to hi
leader. Mr.. MetcaIi, OF Nebraska. He in
formed theconvention that he would no
accept the nomination if the reiteratio
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