Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-06-22

Thurston of Nebraska, Named for Tenn
porary Chairman-The Virginia Contest.

Thurston of Nebraska, Named for Tenn
porary Chairman-The Virginia Contest.
CHICAGO, June 19-When Chairman
Jones of the national republican
committee ascended the platform of
the great auditorium hall at noon
he looked upon scene unparalleled in the
history of public gatherings in this coun-
try. Every face can be seen without eff
fort, and the audience of not less than 10,-
900 appears to be almost countless null
titude. The stage stretches from side to
side of the hall and accommodates, in ad
dition to the president s platform, several
hundred newspaper representatives The
decorations appear rather bewitching at
first; the walls, ceiling and every post,
pillar and panel is covered with flags,
bunting and streamers in varied designs
and colors, and the Boston club has plant
ed magnificent banner five feet long just
behind the stage and it proudly floats bear
ing in letters of gold upon field of blue,
the sentiments which appear to be upper
most in the minds of the delegates. The
banner is inscribed Home Market club of
Boston. American wages for American
workingmen, American markets for
American people, protection for American
homes" This banner is marked by the
delegates as they come into the galleries
and balconies. 1t is cheered time after
time. The doors were not opened until
all the interior arrangements were com
pleted, and the crowd was kept waiting
until two large bouquets OF cut flowers
and floral shield were nailed upon
the charmans desk. 1t bears in Greek
letters this inscription flames A. Gar
field was nominated from this desk in
1850, and James G. Blaine from the desk
in 1884"
Tba convention was callad to ordar at
1888 by Chairman Jones. Chairman Jones
introduced Rev. Frank w. Gonsaultus,
who in his prayer made feeling reference
to General Sheridan, which was greeted
with burst of applause which evidently
Jared upon the preachers sense of pro
priety, as evidenced by the grave express
sion which stole over his features. Then
the call for the convention was read by
Secretary Fessenden, and the reference es
to the tariff, to protection of American la
Dor, to the accumulation of the surplus,
the demand for a free and honest ballot
and a fair count, and the question of the
admission of the Territories were all loud
ly cheered, especially that relating to the
tariff.
Chairman Jones's Address.
When the reading was concluded
Chairman Jones read his address. He
proposed success for the republican
party and said that thanks to President
Cleveland and his southern allies, hey
had thrown off their disguise and declar-
ed themselves as the advocates of free
trade. The more he read the weaker
grew his voice until the convention got
into hum of conversation and the effort
of the chairman was little better than a
dumb show addressed to the incense
breathing bouquets. He was understood
to allude to the record of Great Britain on
protection and free trade, and to trace the
growth of the tariff reform movement and
of the tariff conspiratOrs, from the days of
Jackson on through the time of Buchan-
am. Then he referred to the achievements
OF the republican party. The country still
had the benefit of the laws passed by the