Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-09-04
GREAT JOINT DEBATE
Climax OF the Democratic Con.
yention Came in Debate on
Resolutions.
Governor Boies Was the Most
Conspicuous Figure in the
Discussion.
Many Of the Old Wheel Horses
of Democracy Took
Part.
,ecial to Times Republican

l
Des Moines. Sept. 4.-The democrat
ic state convention which was held yes
terday was made on the plan of the old
fashioned romantic novel, with all that
was not until o'clock in the afternoon
that the convention really became in
teresting. 1t was then that the debate
commenced on the platform. The dem-
Ocratic party has some men VINO are
handy with words, and several of them
made use of their linguistic abilities in
the great joint debate which ended in
the democracy of Iowa adopting a plat
form with free silver left out entirely.
The resolutions committee had worked
all afternoon There had been efforts
at compromises. All were for compro-
missing, but each one for compromise
on his own platform. There was no
yielding on either side. /, At one time
there were only two holding out for un-
qualified Endorsement of the Kansas
city platform. But in the main the
committee was Z to straight thru.
When the platform was presented Hor-
ace Eoies appeared before democratic
convention for the first time since he
was candidate of the party for COVER
nor. His appearance Was the signal for
great applause. His reception was a
reminder of the days when the demo-
Gratis had some show of winning even
/ in Iowa. The governor read the plat
| form in a clear voice and lmpresslNely.,
He moved it's adoption. Then Brewster
of the Ottumwa Democrat presented
the reaffirmation plank substitute for
i the opening clause and moved it's adop-
I ton. The committee had agreed on a
/, division of time for debate. The decks
were cleared and the debate began. 1t
was the finest little debate that has
been heard in any democratic or other
| sta,e convention in Iowa for many
years. The sparks flew right and left.
Men became enraged and said things
they will be sorry for. There was threat
| of boiling and dire predictions of dlsaS-
ter and tumult. But thru it all there
WAS some real effort to get at fair
basfs tor poitical action and to take the
/ democratic parry in Iowa back to prin-
ciples which have at some time or 9th
! err commended themselves to the people.
+ The debate did not, perhaps. change
any votes, but it satisfied those who
spoke and those who heard. 1t was nee
essary to put the convention in the
right mood for finishing its business.
| The debate was opened by Col. Mac
key of Sigourney, who started back
with the war days, when he said the
democratic party was stencil IN the
nostrils of the people and they did not
dare name the ticket nominated in 1865
( a democratic ticket but called 1t SOL
diers' ticket. He did not want the prin-
ciples of the party of that day indorsed
again as proposed by the majority re-
port He also called attention to the
I fact that this time for the first time in
years the license plank reappears in the
platform. He wanted those who believe
in the principles of the party as enun-
ciated at the last convention to stand
by those principles or get out.
Governor Boies said he had tried to
avoid the controversy. He came here
under unpleasant circumstances. He
expressed his obligation to the demo-
crats of the state for what they had
done for him. Blu. for many years he
had stayed away because of the fac
would be accused of using the honors
which had been his for fractional pur-
poses. He believed 1T is time now for
every American citizen to speak out his
mind. He spoke of the efforts which
had been made to secure compromise
in the committee and declared the sill
yer men would yield nothing. He de-
clared 1t would be folly at this time to
<4:, ,,.f;o To, p1o Ia
did not want to repudiate any particu-
lar plank or platform. but he added.
ito US the free coinage of silver at the
exact ratio of 16 to l is as dead as any
issue that has ever been before the
American people" This is not saying
lit will not be a live issue again some
time. and il so he may be found advo-
eating bimetallism. But conditions
have changed and the party should rec
ognize the fact. If the Kansas City
platform is reaftirmed the party will be
in no better shape than it was last year
when it was defeated by 10000 majori-
ty.
j. j. Shea OF Council Bluffs, a rank
free silverite, made speech in which
he declared that repudiation Of the
KANSAS s0lly plGlIOFll meant lilStl <'vV,-
coo democrats could no longer stay with
the party in Iowa, and he threatened
open revolt He said free silver is just
as live an issue today as ever it was.
Rev. S. H. Rashor of Waterloo, who
had stumped the country for Bryan
twice, declared that conditions made
free silver an issue in 1896, but since
then it had been getting to be less and
less every year an issue. He had hoped
in 1900 the party leaders would aban-
don free silver but they did not do 1t,
and he went on the stump and advocat-
ed it again. The democratic party has
more than once before been silent on
matters that have been issues.
Walt Butler gave a rousing speech
for free silver and he believed the fight
at this would affect the welfare of the
state and nation for many years. He
was for reaffirmation.
George +. Rinehart, of Newton. also
spoke for free silver and declared that
he believed In honesty In politics.