Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-02-12
THAT GOTHAM KICK
Mass Meeting Of New Workers
Voices a Protest
AGAINST THAT EARLY CONVENTION


Resolutions Adopted That Tell What y
the Matter with the Promoters of the
Revolt - Fairchild and Others Make
Vigorous Speeches Opposing the Action
of the State Committee John VI.
Thurston Feels Badly Over Blaine.
Withdrawal-New York World Dem o.
cratic Winners.
NEW YORK, Feb. i2.-The mass meeting
of Democrats, called 70 protest against the
early state convention to name delegates
to the national convention, drew together
a crowd last night that filled the Cooper
Union to Overfiuwing Before s O'Clock
there was not an inch of space left on the
platform or in the hall 1t was an enthu-
siastic crowd, too, and every point made
by speakers against the state committees
action was greeted with hand-clapping and
shouts Of applause. Directly behind the
speakers rOstrum, lingering in the shadcw
of colum, was Wilson's Bissell, of Buffalo
taking quiet satisfaction in the enthus.-
asm of the meeting
Some Leaders in the Meeting
Others on the platform were +. Ellery
Anderson, NJ. Seligman, Joshua Nanween.
+. W. HinreichS. Herman Ridder. J. W.
Houston, c. 5. Fairchild, q. J. Sicard, |.
G. Miiburn. 5. II. Gould. j. H. Scott, c.
II. Tenny, Frederick Coudert, J. NJ. Sim
mons, Francis NJ. Scott, DR.. w f. Greg
ory, f. J. Cobb, Peter B. Olney, D. G.
Wiley, Jr, Jacob Kinseman, Michael Nc
Guin, c. j. Hohl, NJ. Callahan, e. II.
Featherstone, L. f. Lyons, Peter Rush,
George Simpson, ID. Gilfeather, w r.
Grace, Calvin Tomkins, q. Lcerha-ge.
Howard Bayne, O.. 5. Baehr, and .JoseBh
Larocque. Congressman Tracy had been
announced as one of the speakers, but busi.
ness detained him IN Washington.
The Gathering Begins Business.
Promptly at O'Clock Oswald Ottendor-
fer pounded with the gayel on the speak
er's desk and called the meeting to order,
and made brief speech nominating
Frederick r. Coudert to be chairman,
saying that the protest to be entered at
this meeting was not in the interest Of any
man or any clique. He hoped the Demo-
cratic state committee would retrace its
steps; If not, it would have to take the
responsibility for "the disastrous conse-
Quences of its unwise action" He then
nominated, as a man who was entitled to be
called a Democrat for better reasons than
using the phrase 81 am Democrat for
chairman of the meeting, Frederick Il.
Coudert.
Remarks Of Chairman Coudert.
Mr.. Coudert, as he rose, was greeted
with loud applause, which he gracefully
acknowledged. When quiet had been re-
stored he said "In the first place | would
say that every departure from usage and
custom requires an explanation on the
part of those who make the departure
Custom is the law. To violate the law is
a crime. The burden is upon those whose
conduct is questioned, and not upon those
who object. We therefore are in the right,
and may insist upon receiving a valid eX-
PLANTATION. With us custom is king. 1t
rules judges and courts, and parties and
commerce and we can scarcely be deemed
bold if we ask: Show your warrant to vio-
late this law. p"
The Resolutions SUNNI arized.
Stephen A. Walker then read the resolu-
tions. The pith of them is a protest
against calling the state convention to Sc
lect delegates to the national convention
so early as Feb. ~. The reasons urged
against the action was that so early state
convention leaves no time for the citizens
to canvass the situation properly and Sc
lect the right kind of men for delegates,
also that no body of men should be made
the custodions of the peoples will
any longer than possible, for
which reason delegates to tie
national conventional should be chosen at
a later da,e-as near the time of meeting
of that convention as possible, in fact, so
that they may come fresh from the people;
that generally this early convention is cal
culated to limit aud embarrass a genuine
expression of party feeling, and that such
an early date is unprecedented. The state
committee is called to account for its ac-
ton, a copy of these resolutions is directed
to be sent to the committee, and commit
tee of fifty is provided for to sprotest di-
rectly to the state committee against the
action complained of, and to take such
other action as shall make things salts
factory.
Western New York with Them.
The reading of the resolutions was
punctuated with applause and at the con
clusion OF the reading they were adopted
with a resounding aye" which was fol-
lowed by few scattering noes. John G.
Millburn, of Buffalo, took the stand, he
said: ~ have come here tonight to assure
you that the genuine Democracy of west
ern New York is with you in this move
ment.n He declared they were ready to
join in any measure adopted "to preserve
the right of the Democratic masses to rep
resentation at the national convention and
to prevent its usurpation by the cunning
politician who is himself a candidate He
arraigned Senator Hills administration
and said he failed to see anything deep or
courageous in the call for February con-
vention.
Ex-SECRETARYF FAlRCHlLD SPEAKS.
He Will stand by the Movement TO the
Last-Other Speeches.