"The main difficulty encountered by those
who insisted upon the immediate organization
of the silver forces within the Democratic
party was the fear expressed by many Democrats
that the effort might disturb the party har-
mony. We were unexpectedly aided by a letter
written by President Cleveland to Hon. Henry
S. Robbins, of Chicago, declining an invitation
to visit that city in the interest of 'sound
money' as the gold standard was euphoniously
called. This letter was a call to all the ad-
vocates of the gold standard, regardless of
party, to unite for the defeat of free coinage,
and it convinced many doubting ones that the
president and his associates did not expect to
support the Democratic ticket unless they con-
trolled the convention." 3.

The administration Democrats began their campaign in the South with a speech by Secretary Carlisle before a non-partisan gathering in May, in Memphis, Tenn. It was followed by several similar speeches in Kentucky where a state contest was in progress. The following evening Mr. Bryan replied to Mr. Carlisle, using a part of the latter's famous speech of 1878 to answer his arguments of the previous evening.

In June, Mr. Bryan attended a non-partisan gathering held at Memphis, Tennessee. He served upon the Resolutions Committee and made the acquaintance of many of the great leaders in the

contest.

However, soon after the ad journment of this conference, Sen. Harris, of Tennessee, Sen. James K. Jones, of Arkansas, and Sen.

3. First Battle, p. 158.

David Turpie, of Indiana, with others, sent a letter to the prominent silver Democrats of the nation, stating among other things,

"that a thorough organization of the

Democrats of the several states who favor
the free and unlimited coinage of both gold
and silver on terms of equality, at 16 to
1, is a necessary and proper means of con-
trolling the action of the National Democratic
Convention of 1896, upon this vitally impor-
tant question,

and calling upon them to meet at Washington, D.C., on the 14th

of August, 1895 to perfect an organization.

This conference

This

was held and some thirty-seven states were represented.

convention appointed an Executive Committee

"to select and appoint a full National
Committee, one member from each State and
Territory, and extend the organization

among Democrats throughout the Union, where-
ever deemed wise and expedient."

The great similarity between this plan and the one devised for the capture of Nebraska indicates the origin of the one adopted by this conference.

ner:

4

Mr. Dunn refers to this organization in the following man

"The several reverses of the silver men in Congress, which were due to the influence of President Cleveland, caused them to look forward to 1896 with a view of capturing the presidency or at least of preventing the Cleveland wing of the party from controlling the Convention. During 1895 an extensive silver organization was perfected, consisting of members from both Houses of Congress and ramifying in every direction throughout the country. Senators Harris of Tennessee, Cockrell of Missouri, Daniel of Virginia, and Jones of Arkansas were the leaders of the movement, though most of the work fell upon Jones, who earned the reputation as an organ

4. First Battle, p. 162.

izer which gave him prominence when the
silver demo crats achieved their aim." 5

How Silver Democrats Captured the
Seventeenth National Convention of the
Democratic Party

"In pursuance to a call issued by the
Bimetallic Democratic National Committee,
the leading silver Democrats met at the
Sherman House in Chicago on June 30th, for
the purpose of deciding upon the course to
be pursued in the National Convention. All
were agreed that it was both wise and neces-
sary for the silver Democrats to secure the
temporary organization, and control the con-
vention at every step. It was generally
understood that the National Committee,
having a majority against silver, would re-
commend as temporary chairman some one hostile
to bimetallism, and at the conference it was
decided to urge the minority of the committee
to move to substitute the name of a silver
Democrat for the name suggested by the major-
ity of the committee. When the convention
was called to order, this plan was carried
out." 6.

Preliminary Struggles

Temporary Chairman

The National Committee met on Monday, July 6th, at 1:00 o'clock, the gold element having a majority of four. The gold delegation from Nebraska ras seated with a vote of 27 to 23. The contest in Michigan was also decided in favor of the gold

5. A. W. Dunn, From Harrison to Harding, (2 Vols. New York,

1919) I, p. 149.

6. First Battle, p. 188.