The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1880-07-22
70 1flolr AND fHe CONVENTION.

Those who went ss delegates from
Salina 10 the BelOit Convention last
week took the morning train on Tues
day. Arriving at Solomon City, .
single passenger car was found ready
to receive US and that was filled to
overlooking with tl,Oee who were go
ing .s delegates to Beloit, or to look
on, and with others who were ON
their way to Minneapolis 10 attend q
monster temperance celebration to oc-
cur there that day. Our party sought
refuge i'm the baggage car, where
trunks and valises were improvised
~ seats. We also found McGonigle,
well known in Salina, who occupied
the postal department As mail agent,
and who furnished the boys with ice
water and stories. As We passed
through "Dist riot No. II, " the thought
occurred to us that here was chance
for some enterprising Republican to
drive his stakes for the purpose Of go
ing into the Republican delegate busi-
ness. District No. II has not been
represented In our Republican County
Conventions for many long year, sim
ply for the reason that no Republicans
live there. A solid vote for the man
who wears cOrsets will be cast there
this fall.
At Minneapolis there was . large
crowd to welcome Gov. st. John. who
was upon our train. and he joined q
long procession Of carriages and wag-
ons, headed by very good band in
uniform, which marched while We
were ut the depot, Across the bridge.
and to q grove. where the Governor
was to speak. During the days when
Lindsay aud Minneapolis contended
for the august position of being the
capital city Of Ottawa county, We were
inclined to favor the latter. We
thought it beautifully and eligibly sit.
usted, peopled with good lot Of fel-
lows. We had faith in its prospects
and We were not mistaken; for Mime
apolis to-day Is one Of the hest towns
i'm this part of the State.
As We rolled up the valley We were
reminded Of the days when We were
with the party under the command Of
Ex-Governor Crawford, which was
securing that country in search Of the
Indian bands that had invaded the
settlements, destroying and killing
and stealing. That was in 1858. There
were no prosperous little villages dot.
ting the plain then. Glasgow and
Delphos had not been dreamed of.
Pleasant, large white farm houses, sur
rounded by well cultivated acres, and
orchards and barns were not then In
existence. "Dug-Outs" or log huts-
miles apart were the only habitations
to show that that fair valley had been
discovered by white men. 1t was al.
most a perfect wilderness. bearing In
its face the sign Of "a thousand miles
from nowhere"
There are three ''rattling" towns
west Of Topeka. They rank in the or
der named: Salina, Abilene, BelOit.
We had heard many good reports 81
BelOit, and were consequently prepar-
ed to find something more than Ordi-
nary. We were not mistaken. The
town il well located for drainage and
beautifyins, is substantially built aud
filed with intelligent. enterprising
people. 1t has population of about
l,sOO. The building stone Of that re-
gion is superb. They have the fine,
white magnetism limestone which,
used a. trimming for beautifully
striped sandstone found in abundance
near there, makes most magnificent
building.
Beloit was iuIl Of strangers. The
hotels were crowded. The convent ion
to come of the next ,isy-was the
absorbing subject. Although il seem.
ell more than likely then that John A.
Anderson would be nominated Oh the
first ballot. those opposed to him were
hard nj work, endeavOring to unite
upon some one OF the several good can.
didates. The friends of Maj. Morrill,
found that they could only muster
from, II to Is delegates, and he soOn
made up his mind not to allow hi.
name to be used. Uniting upon Judge
Wilson, Of Washington, the anti-An.
derson men found that they still lack.
I'll some Il votes Of gaining the nOn,i'
nation. The Anderson men were very
much alarmed at one time, and won.
dered what the 'divilish ants" were
doing. Judge Holt early advertised
that lac would not allow his name t.
he used and advised his supporters Il
declare for Anderson. Col. Phillips
had many friends in the Convention
and the opinion Of many WAS that II
he had entered the canvass six weeks
or two months ago, he would have
been nominated without much trouble
1t was soon found that the opposition
to AndersOn:co not he united, and
early "Wednesday morning it was an
nounccd that he would be nominated
with but few votes against him. Al
noon the BelOit hand commenced play.
ing near the hall where the COnven
ton WAS to assemble. The band Wort
gay uniforms, had silver instruments
and Is one Of the bf-t in the State. Al
the hour appointed for the Convention
the hall was packed with people. Il
was an intensely hot place-such :
one rs probably does not exist this side
Of the place to which many Of thos,
same delegates are fastening. The OF
vani, aeion ~ns sOnn efYs,cfNd and thu