The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-08-12
Special telegram to the Statesman.

convention was supposed to meet to
day at ~ O'Clock. Before that time the vicinity of
the Beach hotel was crowded, All the street cars
bore the legend 'To the convention;'' and they
were all jammed. There was bright sun shining.
The beach was white and glistening, and heavy
breeze came in from over the water and sung
through the many opened windows of the great rink
building whore the coming battle was to take place.
1t is only stones throw from the hotel and is
queer piece of architecture, but is large enough
and strong enough to hold the
bowling mob that filled it. Inside it is a
revelation 1t is about three hundred by one hun
dred feet and its walls and ceilings are strung and
beribboned from one end to the other, Across the
ceilings are streamers and fringes OF white, pale
blue and yellow. Pinned at intervals along the
walls are Japanese parasols, both neat and gaudy.
Loops of dark blue trail their slow lengths along,
and the predominant yellow is everywhere visible.
from cross wires are Chinese lanterns
in plenty. There are United states shields
tackled at intervals, and whenever someth I
bright could be nailed glued hung on it was
there. 1t was almost duplicate OF stage orna-
mentation in fash presentations of the Mikado.
The sea ing capacity of the building is calculated
at 800. II was full. Every inch of available
space on the main floor was taken up by the dele
gates -a-that is, with the exception of a small
strip near the walls where few ladies and sight
something. The press people and chairman
and secretary occupied an extensive
platform built across one end of the hall. Back of
them, on raised benches, was the Beach hotel band
The press Is fully represented. Every paper in
the state has somebody, and they all express very
general disgust at the utter lack of acoustic proper
ties of the convention building. 1t was almost ut
terry impossible to hear, the length OF the hall
being 50 great that early in the proceedings, the
presiding officer moved into the middle
BILE He Welded jetblack gaveel,
with great torce but not much effect. When the
Representatives of the people had filled the benches
IL was easy to see that there was war and storm IN
the air.
There had been so much caucusng; there are so
many candidates, and there had been so much
knitting and attempted knifng, that everybody was
wrought up to pitch of excitement that had to
come out in yells The enthusiasm was absolutely
tremendous and each individual man was yearning
tor somebody to step on the tail OF MS coat ana
feel no hesitancy in making the matter known.
1t became apparent early in the day that IL was
Rose against the house. The weaker candidates
last night combined, and to-day presented an un-
broken front.
Throughout the morning there was generally
desire to feel each others strength a2d test was
waited for anXiously.
AT 1890 p. m, Bryan Il. Barry, chairman of the
state executive committee, called the house to Or
der viii Lambert, of Austin, took his seat near
him, to attend to secretarys business Rev. q. W.
Briggs editor OF the Texas Christian Advocate, de-
liyered the following earnest prayer:
Almighty God, Thou art the Lord of Lords and
the King of Kings. Our little brief authority
is from Thee. Here, as elsewhere, must
we say: We have nothing that we have not re-
c.ived, and Thou art the foundation OF all honor
and of all authority. 1t is meet and right then,
that on the Threshold of the high work We nave TO
do, we should pause and humbly acknowledge Thy
sovereignty, and reverently seek Thy favor. The
Lord receive our !nited praises for the prosperity
of the commonwealth. The people, in the person
of their representatives have been permitted once
more to assemble to choose the men who, for
another term Of years, shall administer the
affairs OF state. May the LORD
inspire the sentiment of the body May the light
fall upon il from every part of the sky, make
every man be patriot, and may it be found when
the work is done that only patriots have been
gard our country God bless our native land
Avert every threatened disturbance of our pros
perity and qniet. May it be long before we are
ssd SHo s r" as over n US es may se we
live in peace with all nations. May this
prayer be the prayer of all before thee
ma it be reverently offered and graci0usly re-
Ceiyed, we ask in the name of Jesus, the Redeemer
of men and nations. Amen.
He was listened TO with deep attention, except
when some delegate on the rear benches, probably
under the I'M preston that the minister was max
ing speech, called "Louder! louder"
Mr.. Barry then made an address occupying some
fifteen minutes He congratulated the party on Its
victory in the last national election. Ihey
had fought hard fight, and
they had won it, hands down. Twenty-Five years
of exile had passed, and we saw the democratic
party in the place to which its devotion 10 the PEI,
entitle it. He endorsed the administration Oh
Grover Cleveland, president of the United States
He was the right man in the right place. He saw
his duty set before him, and went to IL WIN u5,
faltering feet. There were bad elements IN an
parties, but that which was bad in the democratic
told had been unable to swerve man VINO nad seI
his massive will toward the right. He counselled
moderation in the conventions deliberations
They We're there for purpose, and good pur-
pose The end they had in view, should pe
attained by conse vatye action. Let them go az IL
carefully, with earnest desire to do tnat Whlch
was best Tor the state and the party Let then
elect men most itted in character, experience anu
atainments TO the positions they were expected 10
NIL. lGreat applause. +.
Nominations for temporary chairman were In
order
K. NJ. Wynne, of Tarrant county, was put up and
received ready second.
rhos. r. Bonner, Of Smith, was selected TO OPP
pose him ,,
There was good deal of preliminary squabbllng'
and the voting, which was by counties;
began. As the name was reacneu
In every county, one man arose
and gave the vote of his delegation. 1t TOOK some
time and there was much confusion. Standing on
the table in the center of the throng, on WniSn
stiffness had now fallen, Clerk Lambert gave tne
vote: Bonner, 363; Wynne, 3O5
As the result fell from the reader 8 lips there was
deafsning yell, q clapping OF hands, stamping ol
feet and loud cries of Bonner! Bonner! ana
"Wynns Wynne!''
SWAIN MANS SPEECH
Mr.. Bonner having been declared elected, mount