Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-28
PLAN FOR THE FRAY
Representative Democrats of lITi-
nois Confer in Chi
cago
WITH STATE CHAIRMAN HOPKINS
Outline of Platform for the Coming
Campaign-Who Were
Present.

|
conference of leading democrats
of Illinois was held at the office OF
John II. Hopkins, chairman of the
democratic central committee. in Chi
cago yesterday to talk over the con
ditions in the state and especially to
consider the platform which the par
~ should adopt in the next state. con
vention. Those who responded were
Ben T. Cable. and Elmore w. Hurst,
Rock Island; c. j. Boeschenstein. Ed
wardsville; j. Nick Perrin. Lebanon:
ID. j. Hogan, Geneva; c. w. Ferguson,
Rockford; Samuel Alschuler, Aurora;
NJ. 4. Moloney. Ottawa; w. b. Brin-
ton, Peru; John T.. Hopkins, Roger c.
Sullivan, William Loeffler, Thomas
Gahan, II. f. Spanglcr. George f.
Brennan, III. w. Seymour and John j.
Feely. Chicago. Congressman j. r.
Williams, Judge y. +. Worthington.
George Fithian, and other prominent
democratic leaders i'm the state were
invited. but for pressing business rea-
sons could not attend. Most of them
sent letters expressing themselves in
sympathy with the idea of forming
new plan of campaign for the democ-
racy in this state.
All Interests Represented
All the factions into which the par
~ was divided in 1896 were represent
ed. Speeches were made by Samuel
Alschuler, John p. Hopkins, Elmore
w. Hurst, j. Nick Perrin. w. b. Brin-
ton, III. w. Seymour and others. Mr..
Seymour was opposed To any recog-
milton of the Kansas City platform at
the next state convention. He did
not want even a perfunctionary in
dorsement of that document Mr.
Perrin said that he was convinced
that the country would not consent
TO the free silver proposition, and. that
democratic success demanded that
it be abandoned. Mr.. Hopkins pointed
out the two defeats of the party on
the platforms of Chicago and Kansas
City, and held that the democrats of
Illinois could not afford to weight
themselves with those platforms in
the coming state campaign. Mr.. Brin-
ton was decidedly opposed to what
he called the money thing" and he
wanted a change. Mr.. Hurst favored
a return to the old-time democratic
principles. The other speakers fol-
lowed the same general line of argu-
ment
1t was agreed that the live issues
for the democratic party in the state
this year and i'm the ma
tional campaign next year will be the
trusts, the tariff and the foreign pol
the democrats ought to take about
the Philippines was discussed at
length. 1t seemed to be agreed that
the democrats ought TO demand that
the FilipinoS should be offered a form
of government approXimating the
in the territories of the
union.
The general opinion was that much
attention should be paid to state
in the state platform, and it
was agreed that a civil service plank
much stronger than that adopted by
the republican convention should be
put into the democratic state plat
form.
\ committee composed of II. W.
Seymour. e. w. Hurst, Samuel Al
loney was designated to draft what
they regarded as suitable platform
in accordance with views presented
for consideration of the proper com
mittee of the state convention.
Equal Rights; No Privileges.
Equal rights to all and special
privileges to none" will be the motto
Of the democratic party in the forth
coming campaign and it covers the
party's position on both the Philip
pine and trust questions. The trusts,
the traiff and the Philippine question
will be the main points in the demo-
cratic state platform. according to
the reports from the conference.
State issues Will be brought into the
platform, and a special
feature of il will be a strong declara-
ton in favor of civil service in state
Payment to the state
IF interest on the public funds by the
state treasurer will be another prom
nent plank in the platform, so it is
minated.
Mr.. Cables Movements.
The Chicago Record-Herald of this |
llOIHilS says. Den l. NdblC. VI |
Rock Island, left for Washington last |
hight to attend the organization of |
he democratic national congression-
II committee there tomorrow. He |
will be elected chairman of the ex-
,cutive committee. MIR. Cable will re-
urn here about July /. after a hurri-
d trip to Europe, and open headquar-
ers for the campaign"
The New Congressional Committee.