Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-05-22
The Closing Session.

CINCINNATI, May 2l..-When the con-
ference was called to order to-day, Chair
man Petfer of the committee on arrange
ments pathetically showed that he had
received but $36 and expended 1866, in
providing for their wants. A collection
was Immediately taken. The committee
on credentials announced that any dele
gate representing several organizations
could cast only one vote. When the size
of the larger delegations was announced,
there was loud cheering, the figures be-
ing: Indiana 154, Kansas 407, Ohio 317.
The actual total number of delegates re-
ported was 1417. The report was unani-
mously adopted. A terrific uproar was
suddenly caused at this point by Grover
of Wisconsin. Mounting chair in the
very center of the hall and waving his
long arms like a windmill, he started a
harangue in opposition to organizing a
new party at once. Yells of "Sit down."
"Put him out" and similar shouts from
the floor and gallery had no effect. Will
kins of Kansas shrieked from the plat
form, ARREST him." and while the chair
man pounded wildly with his hammer,
the tall Wisconsin man was
finally hauled down by the
sergeant alarms and rammed into a
sitting posture. When order had been
restored, the report of the committee on
permanent organization WAS heard, Sen
ator PETER being announced as perman-
ent chairman. The report of the COM
mittee on order of business elected ap.
plause. When the program outlined
showed place for appointment of mem
bers of the national committee, opposi-
tion was manifested at once to the pro-
position to limit all speeches to five
minutes, but it carried. An attempt to
modify the report SO as to practically
make unit rule, it got the convention in
to a marvellous parliamentary tangle.
Harden, Of South Dakota, argued that
the enormous power given the compare
lively nearby states was grossly unfair
to such communities az California, which
had only two delegates present The
unit rule was overwhelmingly defeated
on the ground that every one that came
to the convention should have vote and
have it counted. It was necessary to ap-
ply tho previous question gag before
vote could be obtained on the report of
the committee on order of business.
Then the report went through like can
non ball. How the convention did
screech when the vote was announced.
"That means the third party right now,"
shouted the excited Kansans. I'VE are
going to have another national
committee, don't you see, and that is
what we have been after. We've won
the first victory anyhow, hooray, say,
hooray~
PANDEMoNIUM BROKE LOOSE
from the ceiling to the floor. While the
applause was still making the windows
rattle, Senator PETER managed to an
nounce the dinner recess. It was no &C.
cident that the new party enthusiasts
scored heavily in the adoption of the re-
port of the committee on rules. The
Massachusetts delegation, which con-
trolled the rules committee, fearing the
platform committee report would be ad-
verse to immediate action for the third
party, conceived the idea of providing in
the rules committee report for the
national committee, and Delegate Brown,
of the Bay state, in explaining the rules
to the convention, gave warning that the
adoption of the report meant the birth of
new party, his idea being that there
could be no executive committee with
out a third party. The report was never
theless adopted and the result is that,
while the committee was tugging away,
some Of its members, being the brainiest
opponents of third-partyism at this time,
pending action, should it be adverse, was
forestalled by the adoption of
the report OF the committee
on rules. When the convention
reasse1nbled, a letter from u. Z. Polk
was read, advising the conference to ls.s
sue an address and defer action on the.