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PRICE FIVE GENT&
VOL. XLIV. NO. 13,593.
PORTLAND, OREGON, MONDAY, JULY 4, 1904.
WvOWW jHHi
THE SEA
Over 700 Emigrants Go
Down With the Norge.
REEF TEARS A GREAT HOLE
Heavy
Weather Takes Vessel
Out of Course.
NLY 27 KNOWN SURVIVORS
Scandinavian-American Liner Was
on the Way to New York WJth
About 800 Danes and
Norwegians Aboard.
LONDON, July 3. Over 700 Danish and
Norwegian emigrants bound for New
York are believed to have been drowned
Jn the North Atlantic June 28. Out of
nearly 800 souls on board the Danish
steamer Norge, which left Copenhagen
June 22, only 27 are known to be alive,
and for the rest no hope Is held out.
When last seen the Norge was sinking
where she struck on the Isle of Rockall,
whose isolated peak raises itself from a
Ueadly Atlantic reef 290 miles off the west
coast of Scotland.
Early on the morning of last Tuesday
the Norge, which was out of her course In
heavy weather, ran on the Rockall reef,
which in the distance looks like a ship
sunder full sail. The Norge -was quickly
tacked off, but the heavy soas poured in
through a rent in her bows.
The emigrants, who were then awaiting
breakfast below, ran on deck. The hatch
ways were scarcely built for these hun
dreds of souls and became clogged.
Boats Smashed on Ship's Sides.
The Norge quickly began to go down by
the head. Eight boats were lowered, and
into these the women and children were
hurriedly put. Six of these boats smashed
against the side of the Norge, and their
helpless inmates wore caught up by the
heavy seas.
Three boatloads got safely away from
theSsldc of , the- stoking .ship, and many of
the emigrant who were left on board,
seizing Mfe "belts, threw themselves into
the sea and wore drowned.
Captain Gundel, so pay the survivors,
stood on the bridge of the doomed ves
sel until it could be seen no more.
Caught In Death Swirl.
The Norge foundered suddenly, and
some COO terrified emigrants were thrown
into the water or drawn down with the
sinking ship. Those who could swim
tried to reach the boats, but these were
already too full, and their occupants beat
off the drowning wretches with oars.
The boats kept together for some hours.
Practically all of their occupants were
passengers and were not used to handling
such craft. The boat occupied by the sur
vivors and which landed at Grimsby was
a lifeboat The fate of the other two
boats is .unknown.
The lifeboat made faster progress and
Jell in with the steam trawler Salvia.
The rescue of those on the lifeboat took
place on the morning of June 29, the sur
vivors consisting of 20 men, one of them
i seaman, six women and a girl.
Fight for Place In Boats.
One of the survivors said that when he
.got on deck the Norge was half sub
merged and was rapidly getting lower
in the water. Half mad with fright, the
survivors all struggled for places In the
boats. They fought their way to the big
lifeboat and an officer stowed in the six
women and the girl and then told the
-men to get in.
The officer then took charge and got
the boat away from the side of the Norge.
Seeing that the boat was already over
loaded the officer with great heroism
jumped into the water and tried to board
another boat which was not so fulls He
failed and was drowned.
In the sea by this time, was a. mass of
etruggling men, women and children,
grasping and choking .from the effects of
the water. The boat rowed clear of this
seething Inferno and Just as she drew
away the Norge went downl Peter Nel
son, one of the survivors, described as a
young American, said:
Picked Up by a Trawler.
"For some hours we rowed in cbmpany
with the other boats, but the strong
tide drifted, us away from the -others, and
nothing has been seen of them since. The
Salvia picked us up and wo were well
-cared for on board the trawler. All of us
lost our entire belongings. "We had no
time in that fierce fight for life to think of
anything but the getting of seat in the
boats."
. The only hope, except for those known
to have escaped, is that some of the emi
grants might have been washed upon the
barren rock. Their chance of being res
cued even then is practically nil, for ves
sels sailing the North Atlantic give Hock
all as wide a berth as possible.
Lucky Chance of Sylvia.
The news of this disaster, which it is
feared in its death record is greater than
any previous tragedy of the Atlantic,
came with the arrival tonight of the Sal
via at her home port, the fishing town
of Grimsby. The Salvia had been on a
.fortnight's cruise around the Hebrides.
By a lucky chance she steamed further
west than is usual for Grimsby trawlers
and fell in with the survivors of the
2?orge, who for 24 hours had been tossed
about in a small boat on the rough waters
of. the North Atlantic The survivors were
taken aboard the Salvia and were landed
at Grimsby tonight. One of the survivors,
a 'man, said:
"We left Cbphenhagen June 22. There
Srere 700 emigrants. 'Norwegians, Swedes,
1 IN
Danes and Finns on board." The crew
numbered about SO.
"All went well until June 28. I lay In
my bunk waiting for breakfast. We heard
a little bump, then more bumps, and I
rushed on deck. I saw at once that some
thing serious had happened, and I made
a dash below to gather up my few belong
ings. "Scores were rushing on deck and the
hatchway was crowded with emigrants.
They were launching boats and rushing
Into them, but there was no panic Four
or five were in the boat into which we
got, and we cleared the ship. Luckily for
us. In our party was the only seaman
from tho Norge who escaped, and he was
able to navigate our little boat.
"We saw two other boats capsize owing
to the heavy weather and because no one
could navigate them.
Captain Goes Down With Vessel.
"We made straight away, and when w
last saw the Norge a large number of
emigrants were on the deck. Captain
Gundle stood on the bridge
"Dozens of passengers had jumped Into
the sea. They wore lifebelts, but were
drowned before our eyes. After 24 hours
the Salvia bore down and picked us up.
About 700 persons must have been
drowned."
According to the survivors the moment
the vessel struck tho engines were re
versed, and the Norge came back into the
deep water. The rent in her bows were
so large," however, that she began to fill
rapidly. The vessel's light boats were
swung over the sides rapidly and the
women and children were put Into- them
first. There was a heavy sea running
and in lowering the boats all but two of
them were smashed. -
The Lost Steamer.
The Norge sailed from Copenhagen June
22. She was last sighted off the Butt of
Lewis (the northernmost point of the
Hebrides Islands), June 27. Rockall, the
islet on which she struck. Is about 205
miles- west of the Hebrides. It is a dan
gerous reef, with a rock about 75 feet
above water.
The Norge, which had been In the Copenhagen-New
York service of the Scandinavian-American
Line for a number of
years, was an Iron vessel of 3333 tons
gross and 2121 tons net. Her principal di
mensions were: Length, 340 feet; breadth,
40 feet; depth, 25 feet. The Norge was
built at Glasgow by A. Stephen & Sons, In
1SS1, when she was christened Pieter de
Coninck. When she was purchased by
the United States Steamer Company, of
Copenhagen, she was renamed, the Norge.
The vessel was equipped with six water
tight bulkheads.
HRRY HOESE IS SATE.
Bark Escapes Ice Pack and Reaches
Bristol Bay.
ASTORIA, Or., July 3. (Special.) A let
ter was received today from Bristol Bay,
Alaska, Mating that the bark Harry
Mor&e, under charter to the Columbia
River Packers' Association, had arrived
safely at Nuehagak River. She was one
of the vessels which escaped the Ice by
going to the westward of the pack that
had banked up against the peninsula and
blocked the passage usually taken by
ships en route to Bristol Bay. There was
considerable anxiety here regarding the
safety of the Morse as ehe Is an old craft,
arid until today no word had been re
ceived of her since she sailed for the
North.
Special Train From Massachusetts.
BOSTON, July 3. Many of the Massa
chusetts delegation left today on a spe
cial train for St. Louis, Including Mayor
Patrick Collins, who Is mentioned as per
manent chairman. Five Hearst delegates
from Massachusetts went on a regular
train.
CONTENTS OF TODAY'S PAPER
Accidents.
Danish steamer Norge sinks In Atlantic -with
over 700 Danish and .Norwegian emi
grants. Page 1-
Chicago Limited on the Wabash wrecked at
Litchfield. 111.; a score killed and 40 In
jured. Page 1.
War in Par East.
Admiral Togo reports sinking a Russian
guardsblp and a destroyer at Port Arthur.
Page 2.
Moo Tien Pass is occupied by the Japanese
without a struggle. Page 2.
Great fall of rain makes Manchurian roads
impassable. Page 2.
. Political.
New YoTk men confident of the nomination
of Judge Parker for the Presidency.
Page 1.
Tammany sonds 1000 men to St. Louis to
aid in defeat of Judge Parker's Presiden
tial aspirations. Page 3.
Bryan -arrives at St. Louis and declares
against Judge Parker and gold plank.
Page 1.
New "Jersey delegation will not make ag
gressive campaign for Cleveland. Page 0.
"Foreign. v
Turks are preparing for great massacre of
Armenians at Van. Persia. Page 3.
Lebaudy, the French millionaire, became
Mohammedan for the title of Emperor.
Page 3.
Domestic.
John Brlsben Walker offers to arbitrate la
bor troubles In Colorado. Page 3.
Suicide of Lieutenant Garber at Honolulu.
Page 4.
Chicago .Federation of Labor wants great
labor convention held at Victor, Colo.
Page 3.
Pacific Coast.
Prospects for big wheat-yield in the Inland
Empire. Page 4:
Severe rain storm causes $20,000 damage In
Pendleton. Or., and destroys much wheat
in country. Page 4.
Three young people drowned at Yankton,
Or., while trying to save sister, who res
cues herself. Page 8.
Marine.
Steamship Tottenham, chartered for Port
land loading, has remarkable record la
trans-Pacinc trade. Page 12.
Oriental liner Arabia makes a fast run to
the sea. Pace 12.
Bports.
Pacific Coast League scores: San Francisco
7, Portland 3; Los Angeles 12. Tacoma 9;
Los Angeles 0. Tacoma 2; Oakland 13,
Seattle 7. Pace 5.
Portland and Vicinity.
Many features of Fourth of July celebration
today. Page 8.
Residents of North Albina and other sub
urbs protest because they have no free
dellvory. Page 8.
Norwegian Lutheran Church Is dedicated.
Page 8.
Theory and practice of septlc sewage ex
plained. Page 13.
Work begins on big addition to Good a
.marl tan Hasjjltal. PgfttlL- t ?
WRECK ON HI
Chicago Limited Runs
Into Freight Train.
SWITCH LEFT WIDE OPEN
Score of Passengers Killed;
40 Hurt and Burned.
TRAIN RUNNING AT HIGH SPEED
Three Coaches Pile Up on the Engine
and Take Fire-Accident Takes
Place In Yards at Litch
field, Illinois.
LITCHFIELD, 111., July 3. The Chi
cago Limited on the Wabash Rail
road, due in St Louis at 7 P. M., a
half hour late and running 50 miles an
hour, was wrecked tonight inside the
city limits. The engine ran into an
open switch and struck a freight train
on a siding. Tho engine and the first
three coaches were piled in a heap
across the track, caught fire and were
consumed.
It is belloved that 20 persons per
ished in these coaches and that 40
were Injured. Three of the Injured
have since died. The last car on tho
train, a special from Wisconsin, was
pushed back and saved.
Nearly all the.passengers were bound
for St. Louis, and many of them were
delegates to the Democratic National
Convention.
L R. Mills, one of the dead, was In
ternal Revenue Collector at Decatur,
111., and a prominent Republican. A
partial list of the killed follows:
The Dead.
ST. PIERRE BALD. Montreal, Can.
L. O. ESCHTADT, Chicago.
MRS. C. F. LUTHER. Milwaukee.
DAN H. DAVIS. Decatur. III.
JOSEPH BABDER, delegate from North
Dakota.
JAMES SANFOBD. engineer, Decatur, III.
SAMUEL SMITH, fireman, Decatur, 111.
MRS. PERKINS, Chicago.
L R. MIILS. Decatur. III.
H. IT. DUTJUCH; Toledo, O.
REV. N, M. MILLS, Brldgeton, N. J.
R. A. DEITRICH, Chicago.
FLORENCE SMITH. Chicago.
MISS HAWKINS. Chicago.
HOWARD GROVES, train despataher.
UNKNOWN BOY, about IS years old.
The Injured.
B. H. Rose. Riverside. Cat, Internally; S.
A. Asqulvltch, Waterloo. la.. Internally;
William Archibald, Honeoye Falls, N. X.;
George Archibald; William Balls. Chicago, fa
tally; Mrs. Candiyou, Milwaukee, Internally;
Gleason S. Ellis. Marshfleld, 111.; Harry M.
Caasaway, St. Louis; James Flzzel, Taylor
ville, 111.; Joseph Greln; Alois Gehreg; Mrs.
Theresa Gehreg, internally; Mrs. Anna Ken
yon, Kingston. Ky.; Mrs. Gertrude Kltt, Chi
cago; Mary Kltt, aged 10, burned; Joseph
Kltt, 10 years old, burned; Joseph Kltt, aged
12, burned; J. A. Wllcoknut, Chicago; 8.
Livingston, collector on train; J. S. Ma
comber, Perry County, Kentucky; Miss Huldah
Nock, Arlington Heights, III.; Horn' Rink,
Cincinnati; James B. Roberta. Cattlln, Ind.;
Harry S. Rubens. Chicago; William J. Schr-
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der, Chicago; Frank Smith, Chicago; Mrs.
Frank Smith, Chicago; Mrs. Elizabeth. Weber,
Chicago, seriously; Charles Ward, Chicago,
serious; W. B. Thorp. Cheater, Pa.; MIm Fan
nie Tlpson, internally; Mrs. B. F. Tenney,
Ada, Minn., Internally; B. F. Tenney, Aaa,
Minn.; Mr. and Mrs. W. Bachelor, of Chicago,
escaped with slight Injuries.
Cars Pile Up on Engine.
"We were iir the chair car at "the
rear of the train and it did not leave
the track," said Mr. Bachelor. "When
tho accident occurred the- front cars
piled upon the engine, took fire and
burned. There were dead and Injtved
people all around, and it seemed to
us that there were 40 killed, though
probably the number Is not so great."
The train consisted of six cars, all
heavily loaded with passengers. The
three rear cars, a diner and two sleep
ers, were not derailed. The other cars
were piled up In an Indescribable
mass, and with the crushed freight
cars on the siding, took fire.
A rumor spread that one of the
freight cars was loaded with explos
ives, and. for the time this had the
effect of retarding the work of the
rescuers.
Survivor Directs Work of Rescue.
Dr. P. J. H. Farrell, of Chicago, one
of the passengers, directed the rescue
work, giving medical attention to tho
injured. Temporary - hospital hea'd
quarters were hastily established at
Litchfield and the injured were re
moved to it. A driving rain storm pre
vailed. The dead were removed as
speedily as possible to undertaking
rooms.
It is probable that the exact number
of dead will not be known for several
days, as the passengers assert that
bodies were cremated in the burning
debris.
A. E. Darlipg, of St Louis, one of the
passengers on board the observation
car, said:
"I saw two persons burned to death.
One was a man and tho other a young
girl. I do not know their' names.
Wreckage held them down until the
heat became unbearable and the men
who were trying to save them could
not remain another moment.
"There was another passenger, a
woman, whose feet were pinned down
by a heavy beam. It could not be
moved and she bogged that her feet
be cut off. Flames drove everybody
away before she could bo saved."
Nerve of Wounded Man.
F. Ward, of Chicago, showed partic
ular nerve. One of his legs had been
torn off. When ho was carried out of
the wreck ho said:
"Lay me down somewhere and go
back and save the women and chil
dren." The wounded were mostly taken to
private houses in tho vicinity of the
wreck, and later on thoso who were
able were removed to hospitals. The
survivors of the disaster went on to
St. Louis late, tonight.
Charles "Cbrneauk, station gent at
Litchfield said that the vtrsck iiist3ioitj
suit of malicious mischief. He said It is
plain that the switch was tampered with.
Rev. N. M. Mills died after having been
removed to the hospital, being unable to
withstand an operation. Bernard Korp
ley, of Indianapolis, a passenger in the
front coach, said:
"When I camo to, 1 saw passengers,
among them several who were hurt, run
ning about In a field, as if distracted.
"It was a horrible sight. Many of them
were covered with blood from wounds on
their heads and faces. The flames spread
so rapidly that the three coaches were
badly burned before the fire could be ex
tinguished. Some persons were so badly
burned that the remains were not removed
to the undertaking establishments.
"Alongside the train on a sidetrack was
a boxcar filled with powder, consisting of
about GOO cans. All the passengers of the
wrecked train who were able to help and
many of the citizens of Litchfield removed
the powder from the car and carried it a
safe distance from the flames."
"WOULD I BETTER OPEN IT?"
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SURE OF PARKER
New. York Confident of
Judge's Nomination.
TALK NOW ABOUT HIS MATE
Platform Will Declare for
" Money of Constitution,"
HILL NOT INTERESTED NOW
Senator From Empire State Is Giving
His Entire Attention to. the
Candidacy of the Man
From His Section.
ST. LOUIS, July 3. New York, and of
course New York means Parker. Is so
confident tonight that their candidate Is
to be named that they are talking over
with leaders of delegations from other
states the question of a running mate,
and to all delegations that have a candi
date for the place and giving assurances
of their distinguished esteem.
Ex-Senator Hill, William F. Sheeh'an,
ex-Senator Murphy and State Senator Mc
Carren held a levee all afternoon and
tonight, while they have not yet seen all
the delegations promised for Parker, they
are In a state of confidence, so much so
indeed that they are not paying any at
tention to the arrival of the leaders of
the Tammany delegations. In fact, Sen
ator McCarren said this evening;
"We are looking for people who have
uninstructed votes to deliver.
"The Tammany votes will be cast by ex
Senator Murphy, who votes New York
State under the unit rule, and he will
cast them for Parker, who will be nomi
nated on the first ballot and surely on
the second."
Will Stand on Any Platform.
Two things were stated definitely at
Senator Hill's headquarters tonight, first,
that no platform has been drawn up for
Judge Parker., to stand on, and that even
a roush draft will not be forthcoming
until Wednesday, and, second, that Judge
Parker as a candidate will readily stand
upon any platform that a majority of the
convention agrees upon.
This last statement is significant be
cause It is thoroughly well known that
he would not stand on a radical platform.
It Is therefore evident that Parker sup
porters are already assured that the con
vention will not agree to even a sugges
tion of radicalism as suggested by Bryan
and Hearst' supporters, but indeed will
strongly tend In an entirely different di
rection, particularly on the financial and
tariff planks. A man close to Senator Hill
said tonight:
"The feeling Is that the Bryan element
have had their way twice., One year they
did as they pleased and the next time
they were catered to by having the old
platform Indorsed. They have had their
Innings and have failed. This time they
--T
must give way to the conservatives, and J
If they are good Democrats they will do it
gracefully.
West Against Free Silver.
"This is not a mere sentiment from
New Yorkers or from the Bast. Early
this afternoon State Senator Bamburg, of
Utah, came here and made the state
ment that while he had twice supported
Bryan and his principles and had In each
campaign given largely of his personal
wealth to try and elect him, he believed
he should be eliminated from this cam
paign, and that If necessary the party
should go to the extreme of absolute re
pudiation of his ideas. The Texas dele
gation also feels the same about It and
Is for a direct declaration In favor of
sound money.
And so some of the time of the Parker
adherents .this afternoon was given up to
the consideration of a financial plank in
the platform. There is some difference of
opinion as to whether the plank should
read "sound money" or simply refer to
the "money of the Constitution," while a
few think it would be proper to declare
for a sold standard. This latter thing
will nobe done, but It Is probable there
will be a declaration, "for the money
of the Constitution."
Hill Not Interested in Platform.
Senator Hill himself is paying little or
no attention to the platform, at least at
present, and this statement was made
for him this afternoon by one of those
close to him:
"Senator Hill 13 not drawing up tho
platform, and, while he will represent the
state In the committee on resolutions, he
will not be Its chairman. Several men of
affairs, Including some of the United
States Senators and members of Congress,
are preparing individual planks and will
submit them at a conference on Tuesday
or Wednesday. But Senator Hill wants
It distinctly understood that he has no
platform prepared and that the only thing
he Is devoting his attention to is the
nomination of Judge Parker."
Some of the assurance of the Parker
managers on the success of their candi
date was based upon a statement made
to them by a close supporter of Senator
Gorman, who said that the Senator had
refused to allow his name to be used for
the purpose of effecting a consolidation of
Interests inimical to the candidacy of
Parker. It was stated that while Sen
ator Gorman'3 name would be presented.
It would be the purpose of keeping him
groomed so that In case of the failure or
the Parker boom he would be available.
Points in Parker's Favor.
Some of the things that the Parker ad
herents believe are greatly to the ad
vantage of their candidate are: First,
they control by a large majority the Na
tional Committee, which makes the tem
porary organization; second, that the tem
porary chairman of the convention, Will
iams, is for Parker, and third, Alabama,
giving way to New York, allows the
presentation of Parker's name to the con-
Y.erjtion.-ilrst
T-he- manner of presentation- of Parkerjs
1 name to the convention will, it is believed,
do much to help gain the votes of unin
structed delegates. On the rollcall of Ala
bama, which comes first, she will give
way to New York, not having any favor
ite son. Martin W. Littleton, of Brook
lyn, a celebrated orator of a type pe
culiarly, like William J. Bryan, and equal
ly as magnetic, will present Judge Park
er's name, while there will be seconding
speeches from several states. Every prep
aration for a splendid reception to New
York's favorite son has been made, and
the Impression is hoped to carry weight.
NOT ON FIRST BALLOT.
New Yorker Will Probably Be Named
on Second or Third.
ST. LOUIS, July 3. It looks llko
Parker. Nino out of every ten men
who have been closely watching the
situation think that Parker will be
nominated by the second or not later
than the third ballot. At the samo
time there is enouch uncertainty to
make the situation interesting.
The balloting is five days away, and
a great deal may happen In 120 hours.
With many unpledged and uninstruct
ed delegates, with delegations that
will consider their Instructions ful
filled after one or two ballots, coupled
with the fact that there is a strong
undercurrent against the leading can
didate, much might happen. If the
opposition to Judge Parker had the
elements of cohesion he could be de
feated, but the difficulty of mixing
milk and water is not yet successfully
solved.
If not Parker, then Gorman, or re
motely Cleveland.
Demonstration for Gorman.
This has been a Gorman day. All
the elements that could be used to aid
the Maryland Senator have been put
forth today. His friends have been in
evidence, and the strongest arguments
brought to bear to show that he ought
to be named.
The Congressional Influence has been
a factor, and Senators, and Representa
tives and Congressional employes, talk
ing and working for Gorman, has given
evidence of the popularity of the Mary
land Senator among those who know
him. Senator Gorman is not coming to
the convention and will not enter Into
a scramble for the nomination, nor will
he be a party to a movement to de
feat the nomination of Parker for the
benefit of some other man McClellan
or Cleveland, for instance.
Band Wagon Men in a Hurry.
There have developed two distinct
situations without regard to candi
dates. One is a desire to "mix it up"
and havo a convention which will ba
uncertain up to the last moment. The
other is a "band-wagon" contingent,
which want the matter settled as soon
as possible and to get close to the
driver.
Thus it happens that delegations
with favorite sons are among those
who would like to prolong the contest
and be among- .tho first to swing for
the winning man. Some uninstructed
delegations would be glad of the op
portunity to make the Presidential can
didate if they were sure they could
pick the winner. Naturally the "band
wagon" delegates are now counted for
Parker, but if, it were possible to show
(Concluded oa.Pase' 3.)
m in m
Says Parker Is Not the
One to Win Votes.
MAN WITHOUT A RECORD
Battle With Him as Candidate
Would End in Rout.
NEBRASKAN WARMLY GREETED
Crowd at St. Louis Hotel Presses For
ward to Shake Hand, but There
Is No Noisy Demonstration
by His Admirers.
ST. LOUIS, July 3. William Jennings'
Bryan arrived at the Jefferson Hotel
shortly before noon today.
The Instant he walked Into the lobby he
was surrounded by a crowd that pressed,
forward to shake his nand. There was
no cheering nor demonstration of any
kind beyond the pressure of the throng,
which finally became so dense that he
had difficulty in reaching his room. As
soon as he entered the door of his apart
ment the visitors were upon him and from
that time on he was given no rest. He de
clined to express an opinion regarding
the outcome of the convention.
"I see that It has been reported that I
am to be a member of the committee on
credentials. I would v like to be, but I
will not be. I am to be a member of the
committee on resolutions, and I could
hardly serve on them both." On the sub
ject of the platform Mr. Bryan was more
noncommital.
Opposed to a Gold Plank.
"I have heard talk," he said, "of a
gold plank in the platform. Of course, it
goes without saying that I am opposed to
such a thing and I will not stand for It."
"Does that mean that If a gold plank Is
Inserted In the platform you will leavo
the convention?"
fMx. Bryan laughed heartily as he jre?
plie:- ' do not think! thafc it-wlllt be
called to answer that question In the con
vention any more than I am compelled tQ
answer It now. Really I cannot discuss
such a question."
When asked if he had any particular
plank that he proposed to father before
the committee on resolutions, Mr. Bryan
declined to say, merely remarking:
"I cannot talk on that matter before
the meeting of the committee on reso
lutions." Noncommittal on a Compromise.
Neither would he say if he would ac
cept a financial plank compromising be
tween an affirmation of the Kansas City
and Chicago platforms and a gold plank.
Mr. Bryan said' he hoped to see a plat
form satisfactory to the Democrats who
had borne the burden of the fight in re
cent campaigns.
On the subject of Candidates he main
tains the attitude that he has maintained
all along, saying that he Is not urging
the nomination of any particular person
and will be satisfied with anyone whose
Dem'ocracy Is unquestioned and who can
be trusted to faithfully carry out Demo
cratic policies after election. Later In
'the day Mr. Bryan gave out the following
statement:
Arguments Against Parker.
"After conferences with a number of
delegates from various sections, I am
satisfied that the opposition to Mr. Par
ker Is sufficient to make his nomination
improbable. There has been no concen
tration on any candidate, but two argu
ments are having weight with the dele
gates. Among the radicals the feeling is
that the party must not be surrendered
into the hands of Wall street The influ
ences back of the Parker candidacy are
so Intimately associated with the trusts
and great corporations that the Demo
cratic party could not appeal to tha
masses.
"The party cannot afford to trust its
future to the men who are responsible
for the party's defeat in 1836 and 1900.
If Mr. Parker had a record of his own,
he might be Judged upon that record.
But as he has refused to speak, he must
be judged by the record of hh political
manager, ex-Senator Hill, and his finan
cial agent, August Belmont, and their
records. A man who is weak enough to
put his candidacy in their hands before
the convention would not be strong
enough to resist their influence after the
election, if he was by any possibility suc
cessful. Wants a Man Who Can Win.
"The second objection is the one that
carries weight with the conservative dele
gates, viz., that he cannot win. It is be
coming more and more apparent that he
would prove a weak candidate. This la
robbing him cf whatever strength he had
among the men whose first desire Is to
win. With such a candidate the battle
would begin with a footrace and end
with a rout These two arguments seem
quite certain to prove his undoing.
"The 'first fight seems to be over tha
Illinois contests. The Illinois case has
no parallel. The convention was run by
brute force. The contestants will pre
sent the indorsement of a majority of
delegates of the convention, who, having
been deprived of a vote in the State Con
vention, will appeal for Justice. Tho Na
tional Committee cannot indorse the Hop
kins methods without overthrowing tho
moist fundamental of Democratic doc
trines, viz., the right of the majority to
rale." ,
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