The Springfield herald., 1904-07-15
PARKER SPEAKS
DECLARES FOR GOLD STANDARD

Offers to Resign II His Views Do Not
Suit the Convention.-6y Vote Of
TIA to 1e1 He Is Asked to Remain
on the Ticket.
St. Louis, July 1O.-The Democratic
national convention nominated Judge
Parker of New York for President just
before o'clock yesterday morning and
adjourned until afternoon. intending
then to nominate his running mate
and adjourn sine die
Before 1t reassembled rumors were
circulated and were verified later that
Judge Parker had declared himself an
advocate of the gold standard and Of
fered to decline II the convention OBJ
jected to his attitude.
The leaders kept the matter as secret
as possible and 1t was not generally
made known until the afternoon ses-
sion had heard the nominations for vice
president and ordered ballot, when
an adjournment was suddenly taken
until evening, after a partial explana-
tion of the Parker matter had been
made
At the evening session Judge Parker's
message was discussed with great bit
terness by Bryan, Tillman, Williams.
Daniel and others. and reply was
made to his message, after which the
convention nominated H. G. Davis OF
West Virginia for vice president and
adjourned sine die.
Following is the message OF Judge
Parker which alarmed the party leaders
and caused long delay in finishing the
conventions work:
Hon William F. Sheehan, Hotel
jefferson, St Louis-I regard the gold
standard as firmly and irrevocably es-
tablished and shall act accordingly II
the action of the convention of to-day
shall be ratified by the people. AS the
platform is silSnt on the subject, my
view should be made known to the
convention, and If it proves to be un-
satisfactory to the majority, request
you to decline the nomination for me
at once, SO that another may be nomi-
mated before adjournment.
"ALTON B. PARKER"
The convention replied to Judge Par
ker as follows, and proceeded with It's
work:
The platform adopted by this con-
vention is silent on the question OF the
monetary standard because it Is not
regarded by us as a possible issue In
sues were mentioned in the platform
Therefore there is nothing in the views
expressed by you in the telegram Just
received which would preclude man
entertaining them from accepting
nomination on said platform"
The reply was proposed by John
Sharp Williams and after fierce dis
cussion was adopted by vote OF ia to
191.
During the discussion Mr.. Bryan Of
fered the following amendment to Mr..
Williams proposed telegram:
But as you will, if elected, be called
upon to act upon certain phases of the
money question. we would like to know
whether you favor reducing the volume
of silver dollars. whether you favor an
asset currency and branch national
banks, whether you prefer national
bank currency to United States notes"
Afterward Mr.. Bryan said: 81 am
going to withdraw this amendment;
our delegation will vote for the candi-
date for vice president that New York
wants. We are not going to do one
thing to mar the harmony of the con-
vention."
A roar of applause followed the an
nouncement.
"If the gold standard is right" said
Mr. Bryan, why run from itY If it
should not be in the platform it should
not be in this telegram"
Mr.. Bryan proposed that gold plank
should be presented to the convention
and voted upon. The crowd applauded
vigorously.
Senator Daniel, who was chairman OF
the resolutions committee, followed Mr..
Bryan. He said no one was more
earnest bimetallist than himself. and
went on: 1.-The gold standard has been
established by law" While he bowed
to the will of the American people he
would not now here admit that the
Democratic policy had been wrong.
Senator Tillman said: General Grant
once said that the Democrats could al
ways be depended upon, when Republi-
cans faced defeat, to commit some
blunder that would make it possible for
the representatives to remain in pow
er.
Tonight when first read that tele-
gram, swore by Almighty God that
for one would not endure the insult as
l then took 1t to be"
Afterward Mr.. Tillman apologized for
his impulsiveness and said:
Judge Parker's act Mr.. Williams
thinks. was injudicious, and 1 think 1t
entirely unnecessary. And while MIR.
Williams says it is over-sensitiveness,
I am inclined to take this view.
thought at first that it might be an at
tempt by one man to dictate to con-
vention, similar to that of four years
ago."