Arizona republican., 1920-10-25

would declare for the gold standard | and the silver hosts would enroll un- der the banner of Populism. The Re- publicans felt certain that they could win on the prosperity issue, and by denouncing the Cleveland administra- ton for it's issue of $262,Ooo'oOo of bonds in time of profound peace" But they didn't want to split their own forces by taking sides in the money fight.
 MT. Mckinley and Speaker Thomas B. Reed were the leading candidates for the Republican nomination for president MT. Mckinley had the good fortune to have Mark Hanna for his political captain. Hanna organized the states and took even New Eng land away from Reed long before the convention met. MT. Hanna was afraid of the money question and MT. Mckinley was committed by his record to "bimetallism." So the Ohio leaders attempted to "straddle" the issue once more. The Ohio state plat form contained a delphic utterance on the money question which said nothing. But when the national convention
 met at St. Louis. MT. Hanna found
 that the question was one which was
 too big to be straddled. Senator | Thomas c. Platt of New York forced
 Hanna to accept gold standard plat
 form. It was later modified by pro-
 nouncement in favor of international
 bimetallism, which permitted Repub- | licans who had been shouting for sil-
 yer to come down gracefully. Senator
 Platt may not be regarded as great statesman. but in 1896 and 1900 he did things that left marks on the history
 of the country.
 Westerners Bolted
 When the g6d plank was adopted, 34
 western Republican delegates, headed
 by Senator Teller of Colorado. Senator
 Cannon of Utah, and Senator Dubois
 of Idaho, walked out of the convention
 and into the Democratic party. All over the country there were Republi- cans who loudly proclaimed the fact
 that they had bolted the nomination oi
 Mckinley. A national silver Repub- lican convention was called. MT Hanna, chosen chairman of the na- , tional committee, knew that he had 2 great job ahead of him and he set tt work.
 Chicago The Cleveland wing of thu } party controlled the national commit 7 kee, but the recommendations of tha l body were swept aside on the first vot , and it was clear that the silver mel controlled the convention. A resolu
 tion commenting the then presen Democratic convention was voted dowl z with vengeful hoots. No man was eve , hated more than the Democratic ma f tional convention of 1896 hated Grove 2 Cleveland. the Democratic president o ! the United States.
 f Leading free silver advocates lilx s Richard P. Bland of Missouri an
 John R. Mclean of Ohio were contest : ing for the nomination. The story c f their defeat is a most familiar bit c V political history. William Jenning . Bryan, who had reported the St. Loui a convention which nominated Mcl<in . ley, for a Nebraska newspaper, cam f to Chicago at the head of a contestin n delegation. He was given seat. The = came the great debate on the platfdrn if the eastegp Democrats fighting har d against the majority. In that debat s Mir. Bryan, then only 36 years old, slil
 of figure and full of mane. leaped ini e world wide fame in a moment. IT s famous "crown of thorns and cross ' gold" speech, whether the figure ws If borrowed from Representative MS ,e Call of Massachusetts or not, sent tn; " convention wild. Bryan was non le mated.
 -- Triunph of the Boy Orator al A little later the Populists and Il
 silver Republicans also nominate
 the Boy Orator of the Platte" TT le Cleveland Democrats called a convei to tion at Indianapolis and organized Il l. National Democracy" General Jof ,e Nj. Palmer of Illinois. soldier of u Id Union. was nominated for presider le with General simon Boliver Buckn l. of Kentucky, a soldrer of the Confel l. erascy. for vice president. They poll es hut few votes the majority of the 70