Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-06-30


third nomination Of Grover Cleveland,
when properly written, will form one
of the most dramatic chapters in the
political history of America. y session
lasting from 5 i'll the afternoon until
almost next morning, in which there
were thousands of theatrical incidents
which will probably never be all de-
scribed, because in the race horse speed
of one event following another. eye nor
ear nor brain could grasp them all, i'm
pressed every spectator with thought
that lie was witnessing the magnili-
cence of a battle of giants. Nothing
was cut and dried. Nobody knew what
was coming. The Cleveland men had
no program except to stand to their
guns and vote before adjournment.
The opposition had no plans Of battle
except to fight to the last ditch and
surrender only when the shouting adj
versary leaped their intrenchments.
a gallant minority is always an inspir-
ing sight in a political conflict, and
such minority the New York demo-
Gratis had. 1t was such band us de-
serves VIM. Pitts magnificent descrip-
ton of the minority in parliment, "Her
Majesty's opposition"
At it's head stood w. Bourke Coch-
ran, a most peculiar looking man, Il
man with the head and shoulders Of a
Titan and the voice of thunderstorm.
Behind him the little dried up Tam
many lawyer, John Il. Fellows, whose
voice is as great as his figure is unpre-
possessing. At his side sat the silent
man, the Sachem Croker, the directing
mind of the anti-Cleveland forces.
These Men Who Controlled ~ Votes
an immense contingent when counted
in a mass for or against a candidate,
were ably backed up by such leaders
as the orator Fellows, the Virginian;
John w. Daniel, and others of lesser
note.
The session begins. The platform
committee is not ready and the band
plays it's repertoire from ''DiXie" down
to ''Boom-der-a," and begins again be-
fore Porter OF Michigan arises and says
"Mr. Chairman He makes the in
telligent remark four times before the
chair wakes up. When he is recognized
he says: II am informed that tie plat
form committee will be ready in fifteen
minutes" In twenty minutes it is
ready and Senator Villas reads the re-
port. The Cleveland men go wild over
the reference to their hero coupled
with the names of Madison and Jeffer-
son. Then comes the fight, the tariff
plank, and here the plan Of the ants.
was measured and revealed, when Mr..
Cochran got upon chair and thunder
ed New York's demand for the amend
ment land every one saw that Tammany
saw chance to weaken Cleveland by
smashing his tariff planh;they smashed
it, but Villas adroitly covered the ruins
by accepting the amendment and help
ing to put it through.
Seven Hours ofSpeeches.
Then came the speeches, seven hours
of them. New Jersey led off with an
eloquent appeal for Cleveland by Gov.
Albeit and New York put w. C. De
Witt and John B. Fellows in a breach
to talk for Hill. After their thunder
came the drizzling rain Of seconding
speeches, broken only by a fash of
lightning from Pennsylvania, when
HenZel seconded Cleveland with little
ticket in his hand labeled "64 votes for
Cleveland" The patience Of the audi
ence was exhausted. 1t drummed
Duncombe off the stage, hoWled theat-
rical Daniel and yawped like an I'M
mannerly mob when the dignifed little
chairman in a tea table tone applied
for order. 1t was high time to ballot,
but master was yet to lay his hand
on the situation.
Cockran's Defiance.
CoShA Oh. UllO GlSCI3 1aCou CilC UColl III
the galleries and subdued his growls.
For more than an hour he Numbered,
pleaded, threatened. The speech was
evidently out of order as the roll call
was complete. 1t was entirely out of
the spirit of the convention as it was a
fierce attack upon the man who held
two-thirds of the delegates in the hol-
low Of his hand land it was entirely out
of season since it was o'clock in the
morning and the case had been closed.
Yet it was the great success of the
convention and marked Cochran as the
master spirit of speech of the entire
democracy.
Then came the balloting and then it
was seen how utterly powerless even
this great speech had been. Before the