The Plymouth Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1878-1901, 1901-08-29
HOT TIMES IN IOWA'S
DEMOCRAT TIC STATE
CONVENTION
Kansas Gitu Declaration Stands in
Everu Particular but Democrat
iG UtlerdnCes Relating to War OF
the Rebellion Ruled Out bu
Close Vote.

Dies MONIES. Ia, Aug. 22.-
The silver wing OF the democrat
ic party captured the state con-
vention, which yesterday nomi-
mated a full ticket and secured
the adoption of resolutions reaf-
firming the Kansas City platform,
but only after a protracted fight
in which the heated scenes of all
past contests within the party
were far eclipsed.
The test of strength came on
the adoption of the resolutions
committee, the silver men secur-
ing the substitution of the minor
ty report by vote OF 65o 80 to
55o %. The contest IN the COM
mittee on resolutions was exceed
ed in warmth and noisy demon
strations by the fight on the floor
of the convention only because
the last named body outnumber
ed the first.
Had the action of the district
caucuses governed, the resolu-
tons committee would have been
composed of six gold and five
free silver men, those members
being regarded as gold men
whose districts were not in favor
of mentioning silver, either d.
rectly or Indirectly, in the plat
form. Some members disregard
ed the instructions of their eau
cuses, however, and three re-
ports were prepared.
The majority report declared
for an equitable distribution of
the burden of taxation, demand
ed the repeal of the mulct law,
the passage of local option law,
and the abolition of the offices of
state printer and binder, emitting
all mention of silver or past
platforms. either state or nation
al.
A minority report was present
ed identical with the majority
report except that the preamble
contained a fat reaffirmatlon of
the Kansas City platform.
The majority report had been
received with considerable APP
plause, but the demonstration
with which the minority report
was greeted showed plainly that
the silver men were in control.
Speaking for the minority re-
port, Mr. Butler said that if the
national platform of 1900 were
not reaffirmed every democrat in
the state would be released from
party pledges and many doubt
less would become free lauces
during the campaign. The de-
mocracy of Iowa would be par
ty without a fixed principle.
Here cries arose from the two
factions each calling upon its
favorite orators to speak for its
report, and the chair had great
difficulty Ill stopping the confu-
sion, so that the report could be
read.
This report declared state is
sues to be paramount, without
repudiating any past declarations
of the democratic party MAX
ing no reference whatever to any
national issue. 1t was introduc-
ed as substitute for the substi-
tute for the majority report, and
was ruled out on a point of order
raised by Walt Butler.
While this report had no stand
ing before the convention, be-
cause of parliamentary rules, it
had been adopted by the resolu-
lions committee by a vote of 6 to
5. and would have been made the
majority report had not one
member decided at the last mo
ment to change his vote.
The argument used against the
third report was that, by its
wording. it indorsed the utter
ances of the party during the |
civil war period. when the war
was declared to be a failure, sand
on other occasions when SINCLAIR
mistakes were made. /
When the chair ruled the re-
port out of order the conventien,
which had been fast working it.
self into a frenzy, became a mob
and was past all management bv