Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-06-29
TANGLEFOOT'S FOES
a Californian Will Probably
Lead Prohibition.
BIDWELL SEEMS TO HAVE THE CALL

Illinois, However, Puts Peoria Man in
the field-Methods of Booming"
That Make the Old WheeI-Rorses
Shake Their Heads - Miss willard
Working for Union With the Omaha
Convention-St. John to WELD the
Garel emporarily-Indiana Republi-
cans.
CINCINNATI, O., June 29.-General John
Bidwell, of California, who was a repre-
sentative from that state away back in the
6Os, will be the standard bearer of the ma
tional Prohibition party in the coming
campaign. The boom for William Jen-
nlngs Demorest, of New York, whose can
sidacy has been actively promoted
throughout the country for months. ap-
pears to have expended and the Califor-
mans nomination is claimed by his
friends on the first ballot, if not by accla-
nation. For the second place Joshua
Levering, wealthy Baltimore coffee
merchant, and of local note as philan-
thropist, is in the lead, with Henry Clay
Bascom, of New York, and A A. Stevens
of Pennsylvania, following close behind.
Keeping Up with the Procession.
Yesterday was warm day among the
Prohibitionists, and the white-haired and
specialized delegates bemoaned the fact
that the degenerating influences of
modern political methods have crept in
among their followers, and that the good
old times when the delegates sang temper
ance hymns to camp-meeting tunes and
HiSc,lSSaA ha IL, -
without heat or passion or personal vitu-
peration have gone, perhaps to return no
more. The contest of the opposing fac
tions were inaugurated almost immedi-
ately upon the arrival of the New York
delegation yesterday morning. 1t had
been confidently expected by the scatter
ing Demorest following from other states
that this delegation would be solid for the
New Yorker, but much to their dismay
and chagrin it was very speedily developed
that he had but thirty out of the 10,
and that the majority were either for Bid
well or on the fence.
1t Was Small, but Very Spry.
If the minority was small, however, it
was active, and it brought in its train a
goodly sized contingent of young political
workers, who lost no time in going into
the thick of the fray. They decorated
themselves with badges, scattered litho-
graphs of their candidate right and left,
and then proceeded to visit the various
headquarters not SO much to sound his
praises, as 10 decry the opposition Not
even at Minneapolis in the heat of the
ante-convention campaign was as much
vituperation INDUCED in as was current
All kinds of charges, affecting not only
his general availability but his moral
character, were brought against the Cali
fornian, and some of them of a character
unlikely to find their way into type were
put upon paper and passed around
Bidweil Men on Their Dignity.
The Bidwell supporters, however, refused
to return the fight with the same missiles
They contented themselves with the dec
laration that the party did not want
man who sought the office, that the office
should seek the man. and that Demorest
In their opinion was lncapacitated in maly
ways from being considered as an availa-
bic nominee. Having said so much they
proceeded to devote themselves with en-
ergy and enthusiasm to missionary work
among the delegations, and as fast as
these arrived-New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
Texas, Illinois, Maryland and North Caro-
lima, following each in quick succession
they were met by committees who ex-
planned the situation and sounded the
praises of the California candidate
Bid Lively and Bid Well.
So successful were they in these tactics
that last night a majority of the delegates
and visitors were sporting Bidwell badges,
and even the most enthusiastic friends of
the New York candidate admitted that
unless there is change in the situation
his name must not be presented to the
The Illinois caucus yesterday
afternoon decided not to present candi-
date, and at the Pennsylvania caucus in
the evening straw vote showed that
nearly every delegate would go to Bidwell
on the first ballot.