The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1904-07-10

the Chairman, that on this important
matter every man shall have a full and
fair hearing. I now introduce John
Sharp Williams Of Mississippi"
Mr.. Williams spoke as follows:
All of US were very much surprised
and excited this afternoon. to use no
stronger words. at what purported to
be copies of kilograms which had been
sent by our nominee to Mr.. Carmack
and others in this city. I want to tell
you that but one telegram has been
received.
No Telegram 70 Carmack.
J 'Mr. Carmack not only received no
telegram of the character that was
published, but never received a tele-
gram from Mr.. Parker in all Of his
life. And nobody received telegram
containing the language IN that infa-
nous volunteer production. loud
cheers and applause.) A telegram has
come from Mr.. Parker to Mr.. Sheehan
however. which shall read in a mo-
mont and 1t is SO important that you
should know what 1t is. that, after
have read IL, shall hand 1t to my
friend. the Governor of my State, Mr.
Vardaman and have him read 1t over
again. When you shall have heard II
you will note that there Is not in 1t
one word about requesting or demand
Ing or asking or suggesting that any
| thing should be placed in the Demo-
cratic platform, cloud applause.) You
will also note that II there Is any err
ror In II at all II is an error Of judg-
ment proceeding from a too sensitive
spirit of honor. (Applause.) A too
| sensitive idea not to be misunderstood
or placed in a false or double position.
shall now ask Governor Vardaman to
read the telegram to you. cloud cheers
and applause.)
Mr.. Williamss words were heard In
silence so deep. so intense that not
withstanding his weakened voice his
every word was audible in all parts of
the hall. He handed the message to
Governor vardaman who read the tele-
gram as follows:
The FamOus Telegram.
Hon. w. f.. Sheehan. Hotel Jefferson.
st. Louis. Mo-:
I regard the gold standard as firmly
| and irrevocably established and shall
act accordingly IL the action of the
convention today shall be ratified by
the people. AS the platform is silent
on the subject, my views should be
made known to the conventton and II
II Is proved to be unsatisfactory to the
majority ! request you ia decline Tire
| nomination for me at once so that
I dnOtHSf may DC uOmlHdtt2 0SfOEC HI
| journment. Alton B. Parker.
ringing cheer went around the
! hall. but 1t was brief, so anxious was
| the delegates to see what would follow.
Mr.. williams continued.
"Mr. Chairman. think you will bear
me out in what I say. This Is the first
| time In the history of the United States
| that a man already nominated for the
greatest Office on the surface Of this
earth has been so representative about
| matter of personal rectitude and
honor as to send a telegram to friend
| asking him to decline the nomination
| for him. II. as he seems to have been
informed. there is something in the
platform which is not in accord with
| his own opinion.
My friends we purpose1y made this
platform silent on the question Of the
monetary standard.
Design I'm the silence.
I'VE made It silent because we all
agreed that that was not an issue in
this convention (applause) and we all
agreed furthermore that nothing
should be placed in the platform which
was not a campaign issue and the con-
sequence was that in the Resolutions
Committee motions were made to table
and those motions were carried, every
| resolution on both sides which tended
to bring about as an issue in this cam
paign the question of the monetary
standard.
Now, my friends, Judge Parker ex-
pressed his opinion for fear somebody
might think that you did not know It,
There was not in all this vast assem-
bly, one single solitary man who did
not already know that Judge Parker
was a gold standard man. have been
one of the consistent and perhaps radi-
cal free silver men in the United States
and know that he was a gold stand
ard man: he never made any attempt
to conceal 1t from anybody. He had
supported our candidates and had said
that although he did not agree with
US upon this plank, he was still q
Democrat t(Applause).
Now, my friends, we made, so far
as the question of the monetary stand
ard was concerned in a campaign
which was so fraught against imperi-
alism. against executive usurpation.
we purposeiy made a platform, 80 far
as the monetary standard is concern
ed. upon which w. J. Bryan could have
stood. or Grover Cleveland could have
stood or anybody else who was with
US in the pending live campaign issues
could have stood" (Applause).
Mr.. Williams's declaration that Par
kers views were known to every man
in the convention was received with
faint applause.
Senator TiIlman's Difficulty.
He asked Senator Tillman to read
the message. but there was a short de-
lay, owing to the difficulty experienced
by the Senator in deciphering the hand
writing of Mr.. Williams.
The Senator asked for quiet. saying
that he had undergone an operation on
his throat, and that his voice had lost
that nightingale quality that 1t once
possessed" He then proceeded to read,
when Mr.. Williams interrupted hin
with the remark. Here Is a typewrit-
ten copy"
For which / thank Almighty God"
retorted the Senator. He then read
the following message to Judge Far
ker:
"The platform adopted by this con-
vention is silent on the question or
monetary standard because 1t is not
regarded by US as a possible Issue in
this campaign. and only campaign is
sues were mentioned in the platform.
Therefore, there is nothing In the
Views expressed by you In the telegram
tust received which would preclude
man entertaining them from accepting
nomination on said platform" CAP
plause).
AS Mr. Williams concluded the read
ing of the message, Representative
Richardson, Alabama. arose, he said ito
dispa ssionately discuss the message to
IA kztns aaN.