Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-25
That is, There Were Many
Streaks of Light,
BUT THE WHOLE WAS LOVELY.
Monster Meeting of the Men Who Toll, at St.
Louis.
POwderly, Weaver, Livingston, Polk,
Donnelly and Other Leaders of the
People Present-The Convention
VIII Get to Work To-Day.
Many In One.

extraordinary conglomeration representing
nearly dozen national organizations
of farmers, laborers, prohibitionists and
what not, which began their sessions In the
great music hall where four years
ago Grover Cleveland was put IN
nomination for the presidency. To-day's
pyrotechnics all whiried around the burn
ing question to be decided in the historic
building where the Democratic cohorts held
sway, whether brand new third
nominee would 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 hard-fsted, hard
headed, but enthusiastic. gestculating
delegates that crowded into Music hall
was not that they If united could
poll greater vote than either Democrats
or Republicans, but that the two ola par
ties. by the supreme effort of the dissatis-
fled element, could each be deprived of j
majority in the electoral college, and
then the third party would hold the
balance Of power and dictate the name
take possession ut the White House. Could
Prohibitionists be pacifed and dragged into
the fold with declaration III
favor Of Matchmaking the LIQUOR
traffic was one of the subjects
most eagerly discussed. Probably the
Stanford men would succeed in what was
said TO be their secret purpose, the forcing
of i nomination OF third presl-
Dental candidate before the Demo-
cratic or Republican national
conventions were held. J. c. Sharp and f.
II. Snow, Two prominent Kansas men were
understood to be quietly circulating among
the delegates. pulling every possible
string in this direction for Stanford. The
idea was that should the big Californian
be made the third party standard-bearer
he would stand chance of Endorsement by
other national bodies later on.
Before Benjamin Terrell OF Texas let fall
the gavel calling the convention TO order
tine big hall was lively with discus
SiOns of the national committee of the
Peoples party. SiXty-niue Of the biggest
guns Of that political army gathered on the
stage of Music hall under dazzling chande-
hers, electric lights, and immense
American flags. The main body of
the hall and galleries were filed
with groups of delegates and spectators,
who admiringly watched and listened to
such lights as Taubeneck of Illinois, Wash
burn of Massachusetts, Schilling of Wis
cousin and Iguatius DOnnelly.
A delegate from Oregon had the floor for
a time claiming the opening gun of the
national campaign would be fired by his
state and calling for help to carry Oregon
for the Peoples party.
The report of Secretary Schilling showed
less than $50 remained in the party eXche-
quer. and of $1,000 subscribed at the Gin
cinnati convention only one subscribed at
Cincinnati turned in a cent.
Chairman Taubeneck was authorized to
appoint Z committee of ten to canvass for
funds.
Suddenly in uproar and confusion an i'm
portant move was made. Before the
committeeman seemingly realized what
they were doing they recorded
themselves viva voce IS though it were
routine matter ordering the Peoples party
executive committee to make such ar
rangements as might be necessary for d
national nominating convention.
Then Fortune of Indiana stood up on a
chair and set forth how like a paradise the
HOOsier metropolis would be in whic b to
nominate presidential candidate.
\ halt was vociferously demanded by
Marion Cannon, state president of the Cali
fornia Farmers Alliance, who was the first
20 apparently appreciate the significance of
what was being done.
After a red-hOt wrangle, participated in
BY Davis of Texas. Rankin of Indiana. and
Washturn of Massachusetts, it was decided
before doing anything further to await the
action of the convention. If that body
failed to take action looking to the nomlna-
tion of q presidential candidate, the peO-
pies party would 90 ahead upon its own
hook iuStauter.
While Terrell was getting the convention
under way the talk among the delegates
was that President Leonard of the Missouri
State Alliance would be temporary chair
man and that the permanent craftsmanship
would lie between Polk and Powderly. The
Kansas delegation was the only one that
entered the hall IN body. There were 800
SUNFLowER DELEGATES,
headed by J. r 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 of arrangements, was placing the
various delegations in their proper places
in the nall, WIlletts made from the stage 4
rafting Fourth of July address, in which
lie said the convention had assembled for
new declaration OF independence The pre-
dicton brought down the house.
The first and only round of applause ac-
corded TO 4 single person was that given
President Polk of the Farmers Alliance
He WAS escorted to the stage by Taubeneck
OF Illinois, and the outbreak of cheering,
aided and abcttc3 by the brass band which
WIS with the delegates, made din simply
It was 2:25 p. IN. when Terrell
called the convention to order
without the fOrmaiity of an ad-
dress, and caused 4 smile by an
nOuncIn2 the congregation would rise while
proceedings were opened with prayer.
1 we've hNAALCh VI 4llOLG GAESAACS Gull
piled, while s. Il. BashSr of Alilledgeville,
Ill, invoked the aid of the Almighty on the
movement
Miss Alice Mitchell of the National
Womens Alliance sang Star Spangled
Banner in a way that reused the echoes,
and the audience and hundreds Of delegates
ana spectators is the galleries shouting the |
chorus with vim.
''Suwanee River was also sung and then
c. P. Walbridge, president of tie city |
council of st. Louis, welcomed the couyen-
ton TO St Louis in an eloquent address.
General Master Workman POwderly, |
who to this time had been quietly sitting |
among the Pennsylvania delegates was |
called TO the stage by Terrell. Pow |
derly was given an ovation as |
he mounted the platform, and given |
the seat of honor. Considerable surprise |
was ELECTED that Terrell went right on, rs q |
matter of course, acting as chairman of the |
convention as though there were no such |
thing as temporary or permanent organiza-
ton. Terrell, it is generally understood
does not favor an immediate third party
presidential nomination, and it began to look
as if lie had concluded 10 shape things a bit
that way while he held the reIns. This
impression deepeued when he proceeded TO
read 4 type written document urging the
convention TO confine its demands TO land
transportation, taxation and money leav-
ing moral reforms" until they had more
time.
This would leave the prohibition issue
IN in ha rO11 md o-Ts N .,,f4