Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 July 1899 — MEET OF DEMOCRATS. [ARTICLE]

MEET OF DEMOCRATS.

NATIONAL COMMITTEE TRANSACTS BUSINESS IN CHICAGO. Mr. Bryan Pleads for Party Unity— Reaffirms Chicano Platform and Criticises Policy of 1 xpansion—Some Notable Words of Other SpeakersThe national Democratic committee met in Chicago Thursday and held a long executive session at the Sherman House. But for one or two differences the business of the preliminary meeting passed off smoothly and quietly. As stated, by ex-Gov. Stone when he first called the meeting to order, this gathering was not for the purpose of transacting much business, but was called for the purpose of “organizing for the approaching struggle of the ensuing year.” Hence no new business of importance was considered. The summarv of the business transacted may be told in the following short paragraph: The meeting created the office of vicechairman and elected William J. Stone to till it; took action tantamount to ousting I*. J. Devlin from the editorship of the press bureau; adopted new rules which add the ways and means committee to the list of standing committees; thanked the bimetallists for their offers of co-op-eration and agreed to call on them when their services are needed; received and placed on file bids for the national conyention from Milwaukee and Kansas City; provided for a press committee of five and directed the vice-chairman to name its members; authorized the chairman to divide the States into groups for campaign work; elected John I. Martin sergeant-at-arms for next national convention, and accepted an invitation from the sanitary trustees to visit the drainage canal. Chicago's name was not mentioned when the question of location of the convejition came’up. Buffalo. Milwaukee, Kansas City and Denver locked horns in a sharp tight for convention honors. All four cities were represented in the councils <jf the committee by large delegations, and there were offers of special trains and all sorts of inducements to capture the committeemen. All these suggestions and offers were placed on file.

Auditorium Meetinc. A mass meeting was held at the Auditorium in the evening, at which considerable enthusiasm was When William J. Bryan arose to speak the great theater resounded with cheers, and at every reference to the old Democratic principles of 1896 there was enthusiastic applause. Wlren the denunciation of the protracted war in the Philippine Islands was mentioned the audience shouted its approval. Ex-Gov. Altgeld did not occupy a position on the stage. He was seated in a front box with a number of friends. When his name was called there was great enthusiasm shown, and when he stepped to the front of the box to deliver his speech he was greeted with prolonged applause. Judge James P. Tarvin of Kentucky was the first speaker at the meeting. His address was mainly eulogistic of ex-Gov. Altgeld. He was followed by James F. Brown, who spoke in the same strain and referred to Altgeld as the “Henry George as Illinois.” Mr. Brown was chairman jf the famous New York "dollar dinner" committee. Senator Tillman’s speech, which followed, was delivered in his characteristic style. lie spoke mainly on the platform question, and said that he had “three prongs to his pitchfork—silver, anti-trust and anti-imperialism.” Following a speech on free silver by Congressman John F. Shafroth of Colorado, Alexander Troup, national committeeman, made a short speech, in which he assured the audience that New Engand Democrats were for Bryan. George F. Williams next spoke, and he was followed by ex-Gov. Altgeld. The trend of the remarks by John J. Lentz was antiimperialism, and Gen. E. B. Finley spoke on prosperity.