The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-02-25
THE PEOPLES PARTY.
WITH A WHoOP AND A YELL THE CON.
VENTION GETS TO WORK.
Ben Terrell as Temporary Chairman Tried
to Run Things to Suit Himself, Was
Soon euelcbed-speeches by Polk,
Powderly and Donnelly.

ST.. LOUIS, Mo-, Feb. 22.-Vhe Au
rora Borealis was outdone in 81
Louis today. For a brilliant uncer
tainty no political gathering has eve
surpassed the extraordinary cong lom
Grafton representing nearly dozel
national organizations of farmers, la
borers, prohibitionists, and what no
which began it's sessions in the grea
music hall today where four years
AFRO Grover Cleveland was put in nomi
nation for the presidency. Today't
pyrotechnics all whirled around the
burning question to be decided in the
historic building where the Demo
cratic cohorts once held sway
whether brand new third nomi-
nee be put up to run this
fall against Cleveland and Harrison,
or whoever else the Democrats and
Republicans may choose as leaders in
the coming national campaign. The
talk among the bands of hard listed,
hard headed but enthusiastic gesticu-
lating delegates that crowded into
Music hall was not that they, ii
united, could poll greater vote than
either the Democrats or Republicans,
bat that the two old parties, by Il
supreme effort of the dissatisfied ele.
ment, could each be deprived of q
majority in the electoral college, and
then third party would hold the bal
ance in power, and dictate the name
of the man who should, for four long
years, take possession at the white
house Could the Prohibltlonists be
pacihed and dragged into the fold
with declaration in favor of
Matchmaking the liquor traffic? was
one of the subjects most eagerly dis
cussed. Probably the liveliest topic
was whether The Leland stanford
men would succeed in what is said to
be their secret purpose of forcing the
nomination Of the third presidential
candidate before the Democratic or
Republican national conventions are
held. j. G. Sharp and f.. A. Snow,
two prominent Kansas men, were I'M
derstood to be quietly circulating
among the delegates, pulling every
possible string in this direction for the
Stanford idea was that should the big
Californian be made third party stand
ard bearer he would stand u chance
OF the endorsement of the other
natl nal bodies later on.
Before Benjamin Terrell of Texas
let fall the gavel calling the conven-
ton to order the big hall was lively
with the discussions of the national
committee of the Peoples party.
Sixty-nine of the biggest guns Of that
political army gathered on the stage
of the Music hall under the dazzling
chandeliers, electric lights and an inn
mense American flag. The main body
of the hall and galleries was filled
with groups of delegates and specta-
tors who admiringly watched and
listened to such sights as Taubeneck
of Illinois, Washburn of Massachu
sets, Schilling of Wisconsin and Ig-
Mathis Donnelly. A delegate from !
Oregon had the floor for a time, de-
7'7"ing the opening gun Of tho ma
tional campaign TO be fired by his
state and calling for help to carry Ore.
eon for the Peoples party.
The report of Secretary SETTLING
showed that less than $50 remained
in the party exchequer and of the
$1,000 subscribed at the Cincinnati con-
vention only one subscriber at Gin
cnnati turned in a cent. Chairman
Taubeneck was authorized to appoint
u committee OF Toto canvass for funds.
Suddenly in the uproar and confusion
an important move was made. Be
fore the committeeman seemingly re-
allied what they were d)ing, they re-
corded themselves viva voce as though |
it were routine matter, ordering the
Peoples party executive committee to
make such arrangements as might be
necessary for national nominating |
convention. Then Fortune of Indi-
ana, stood upon chair and set forTn /
how like paradise the Hoosier me
tropolls would DO in which TO n0mi- |
nate q presidential candidate.
A halt was vociferOusly de-
manded by Marion Cannon, state
president of the California Farmers |
Alliance, who was first to apparently |
appreciate the significance of what
was being done. After red hot
wrangle, participated in by Davis of
Texas, Rankin of Indiana and Wash |
burn of Massachusetts, it was decided
before doing anything further to await
the action of the convention. 1T that
body failed to take action looking to
the nomination of a presidential can
didate, the Peoples Party would go
ahead upon their own hook instanter.
While Terrell was getting the con-
vention under way the talk among
the delegates was that President
Leonard, of the Missouri State ALI
ance, would be temporary chairman,
and that the permanent chairmanship
would be between Polk and Powderly.
The Kansas delegation was the only
one that entered the hall in body.
There were 800 SunllOwer delegates,
headed by J. +. Willetts, president of
the state Alliance, and they were
greeted with wild shouts by the other
delegations.
While Snider of Kansas, chairman
of the committee on arrangements,
was placing the various delegations in
their proper places in the hall, Willets
made from the stagea rafting Fourth
of July address in which he said the
convention had assembled for new
Declaration of Independence. The
prediction brought down the house
IN, - Grot ond only round of aDDlause