Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1892-05-31
admitted little light and at high noon
even only n subdued twilight prevailed.

admitted little light and at high noon
even only a subdued twilight prevailed.
The coors in the hall were draped over
the speakers table and big flag was
hung at the rear of the stage.
AS the noon hour approached brightly
attircd women. for whom two hundred
places had been reserved on either side of
the stage, came iluttering into their
places and the waving of feminine fans be-
gan. The delegates too came trooplng in
singly and in punches. Then came the
sound of band music. The parade was
nearing the convention hall. The doors
soon after swung wide open and the mu-
sicians marched in and opened the ranks
for delegations in line to file through
into the hall. The side galleries were
quickly packed with people and a roar
ing tramp upon the stairs indicated, be-
fore they could be seen, that the crowd
with plain admission tickets were find
ing their way to the gallery at the end OF
the hall.
At 1900 Charles S. Fairchiid, chair
man of the state committee, called the
convention to order. At 1912 MIR.
Faircll,ld finished his remarks and named
Hon. John d. Herman as temporary
chairman OF the convention. Herman
then took the chair and addressed the
convention. He said in part;
Kerlan's Speech.
This convention is halt on the
march to the national democratic con
vention at Chicago of an army of 20o,'
900 New York democrats, and of as
many more enlisted sympathizers. They
go to wage war against their distran
chisement in that convention by leaders
who have made unwisc and crafty ust
of party machinery for personal ends
and who have oyerridden time-honorec
customs and usages Of the democratic
| party.
I'VE claim our right to insist at Chi
cago that the call Tor and manipulation
of the February convention was al
abuse of trust and a violation of demo
cratic rights in this state; that its pro
ceedings then misrepresentcd large ele
ment of disfranchised democrats ant
now misrepresent an overwhelming sen
timent, which since then has grown t.
vast proportions throughout the state
II our strength did not lie in the will @
the people, the sun. would shine a
midnight before the loyal demo
cratic rank and file of this state woul
don the garb of contestants and give t
this cause its unprecedented growth an
its clearly-narked intensity of purpose
The people, neither disciplined, led no
organized, are in this movement. Tha
is its strength. They have risen i'll tn
might of their sovereign majesty to
weighty reasons to let it be known tina
they rule, that they have no MASTER
and that they want their rights as den
ocrats in every convention that unde
takes to represent them. When the pet
ple are in this mood it is generally four
that concession to them of the right
way is as prudent as though they we,
dynamite.
"Thc February convention was a mi
take from every standpoint; in some a
poets it was crime, indictable at CT
. cago. Such conventions, according
party usage, are held i'll April, late,
more usually in May; none in mode
times was ever held so early. No o.
before ATTEMPTED to put the party in
hole by such device as February co
vention. At that season OF the year ca
Gus material is scarce and generally CO
fined to the bad quality that does sor
/, ones bidding. When days are sho
nights long, roads drifted, and the 4
tional convention four months distal
the duty and political occupation of de
:. ocrats in this state as elsewhere is
watch and weigh the drift of events,
be students of every phase Of passi
political history, to seek conviction a
to draw inspiration from the air c
rents ofdemocratics sentiment that sw,
over the country.
- Until their views are thus matu
~ and they are ready to act in the full s