The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-08

BRYAN VICTORY.
Secures Elimination of a Gold
Plank From the Platform.
After 1t Had Been Placed There
by the Subcommittee.
HIS TARIFF PLANK IN.
Long and Bitter Fight on Reso-
IutiOns Continues All Night.
HIS TARIFF PLANK IN.
Income Tax Plank ArOuscs &
PrOtracted Discussion.
Platform Adopted Unanimously
Without Money Plank.

ST. Louis, July S.-After a continu-
Gus session of 16 hours, the committee
on resolutions adopted the platform
and adjourned just before noon, in
structing its subcommittee to arrange
the draft for submission to the gen
eral committee at o'clock for re-
port to the convention two hours later.
The platform is a compromise ac
ceptabIe to all of the interests involved
and adopted unanimously by the COM
mittee. 1t may be said in a general
way to have been a concession to the
Bryan wing of the party without in
any way stu1tifying the declarations of
the conservatives. The absence of any
pronouncement upon the financial
question is most significant and dis
closes the utter impossibility of finding
any declaration upon this subject &c
ceptable to all.
The contest was one of the most in
teresting features of the convention.
The main fight was upon a proposed in
come tax plank providing for an
amendment to the constitution to meet
the adverse decision of the supreme
court upon the Wilson law. 1t was upon
this amendment and the gold plank two
conjunction that Mr.. Bryan made his
strong fight Mr. Williams of Mis-
siSsippi, first offered the income tax
amendment and it was Immediately an
tago<lized by former Senator HILL who
stated that with such a plank in the
platform New York could not be car
ried for the Democratic nominees. He
urged the adoption of a platform which
will enable the Democrats to win in
doubtful states and elect their candi-
dates. Mr.. Williams withdrew the
amendment saying that he, with many
other Democrats was seeking harmony
and an adjustment of aA difficulties
with a view of succeeding on a Demo-
cratic platform.
Mr.. Bryan then offered an income tax
amendment and made a speech in favor
of it. He asserted that while votes
might be lost among the very rich, the
Democratic party ought to consider the
great mass of the people who bear the
burdens of taxation and the expenses
of the government
Daniel Roasts Bryan.
Senator Daniel replied to Bryan
ana was very vigorous in his denunci-
alton of the course the Nebraska man
was pursuing. He said that he want
ed to win. and desired a platform
which would bring to the Democratic
party the voters who had left it when
pursuing a course which Mr.. Bryan
had shaped and advocated. He was
tired of being forever in the minority
and insisted that it would be absurd
for Democrats, facing victory, to take
any action which would mean defeat
10 lose New York meant defeat.
Senator Bailey and Senator Ti1lman,
while believing in an income tax, said
that in view of the statement of the
New York member of the committee
it would be unwise to insist upon the
income tax plank.
Senator Bailey then asked unani-
nous consent to have both the income
tax amendment and the gold standard
planks dropped, but to this Mr.. Hill
objected, and the was a prolonged
discussion, Mr.. Hill taking a leading
part in it.
Mr.. Hill began by saying that he
was in this campaign, not from per-
sonaI motives, but because of his loyal
enthusiasm for the Democratic party.
He hoped the party could cease its
discussion and agree upon a platform
in harmony with the views of the
party generally He was opposed TO
the insertion of an income tax plank
because ne saw no necessity for MAX
ing this new issue
3I believe" he said. ''it will hurt US.
it will weaken our platform. but if the
otherwise it should go in, but the
question of the gold standard is of far
more Importance.
Hill Fights for Gold.
Mr. Hill urged that if the gold
plank was omitted the party would
be placed in a false position. If the
party was in favor of the free and un-
limited coinage of silver that was an
other thing, but he said through no
fault of the party conditions had
changed and it had been proven that
the gold standard was the solution of
the question Although the Republi-
can platform declared in favor of
gold, he pointed out that the Demo-
Gratis in their platform could show
that the Republicans were not re-
Sponsible for the change in conditions
which made the gold standard desir-
able, but the Almighty himself.
Speaking directly to the southern
members of the committee. Mr.. Hill re-
called the time of reconstruction and
said he had always worked for Demo-
cratic principles along Democratic lines
that he had been the friend of the
south in that trying period, and since
that time Mr. Hill in the course of his
speech, talked eloquently of the per-
sonality of Judge Parker. He said
that in the course of a conversation
about ten days ago with the New York
question about the kind of platform the
Democrats should adopt:
81 am entirely willing to leave that
to the wisdom of the Democratic
party"
But4while Mr. Hill did not assume at
any time to speak for Judge Parker,
the committee interpreted the inference
favored the insertion of a gold plank
No Better Man.
Mr. Hill declared that the Democrats
could not possibly nominate a better
man than Judge Parker. He empha-
sized the fact that Judge Parker was
in no sense an active candidate for the
nomination ,and that he had not die