The Portland daily press., 1895-09-25
DOINGS OF THE FAITHFUL.
The Democracy Still Eneamped In
Syracuse.
A HIGHLY DELECTABLE EXCISE
PLANK.

Perry Belmont's Picturesque Speech
Everything Looks Rosy to the Unterri-
fed-Gen. Kings Candidacy Rather
Uniaue-There VIII Be Fun Tomor-
row.
Syracuse. N. Y, September 24.-The
Democats found a clear sky, cool at
mosphere and big crowd when they
turned out this morning. The situation
was about the same as last night Can
didates were just as numerous and just
as confident. State Democrats were
just as sure that they would be admitted
and Tamanyites were equally sure they
would not make room for them.
Everybody was satisfied that the excise
plank would be as broad as Brooklyn
bridge and as for the future of the party,
it never looked more rosy to Democratic
eyes.
The streets of Syracuse were filled with
people during the early hours and hotels
jammed. Tammany headq uarters' ban
ner swung across the street from the
Vanderbilt House and the lobbies Of the
principal hotels were plaearded with
signs announcing where each candidates
headquarters were located
Delegates and party leaders were
UP UNTIL MIDNIGHT
pulling wires and pushing the claims of
the many candidates.
Gen. Horatio King Of Kings county.
arrived this morning. He is about the
only candidate who has not opened head
quarters and set a boom bureau into
operation. He said he did not take much
stock in shouting and that his belief is,
if man is wanted BY his party, the
summons will come. He is of theEopin1on
that the lower end of the State should be
represented on the ticket and the central
and western part should not expect every
thing.
The strange thing about Gen. Kings
candidacy is that Kings county men
never heard of it seriously until they got
here, and the delegates from up the State
favored it because they thought Kings
county wanted it. The Kings county
that they had not made up their minds
this morning whether to support or
repudiate Gen. King.
The delegates from all over the State
seemed to be pretty we'll united in favor
of John B. Judson of Fulton county for
State treasurer and Daniel G. Griffin of
Jefferson county for attorney general.
At 12 81 Chairman Hinkley called the
convention to order. He stated that he
was directed by the State committee to
say the regular and Shepard delegates in
Kings county were to be placed on roll,
regulars to have two-thirds vote and
Shepardites one-third
Hon. Perry Belmont was elected tempo
rary chairman and addressed the conyen-
tion.
Mr.. Belmont began a long speech by
eulogizing Senator Hill for his un1inch-
ing devotion to party interests during the
last campaign. In view of the reyerses
of that campaign, the speaker argued
that the swift changes of party power in
this State should encourage the Demo-
Gratis not to be without hope. Much, he
thought, will depend on the way they ap-
preciate the lesson of the past.
He instanced the campaign OF 1879,
when General Dix defeated Francis Ker
nan by over So, 900 votes and the cam
paign of 1874, two years later, when Mr..
Tilden, the standard bearer of the Demo-
cracy, defeated General Dix by over SO. 900
votes.
Mr.. Belmont strongly advocated
REFORM OF THE EXCISE LAW.
As it now stands, said he, the voters Of
the city of New York cannot control the
management of the temperance question
in their own city, even as much as voters
in towns and villges can control it there
in. New York City cannot vote for the
kind of exc ise commissioners 1T prefers.
1t cannot decide what Licenses, if any,
it will grant, or excepting within narrow
limits the tax thereon. The absurdity
of such a law is manifest when, accord
ing to the construction seriously and
absolutely insisted upon in our great
cosmopolitan oity of New York, it cannot
give a license to Governor Morton or
Mayor Strong, to offer in their houses in
the city glass of wine on Sunday to any
one who may be dining with them. 1t
cannot protect either of them from con-
f1nement in the penitentiary, If convicted
of Offering the wine forbidden by the
State law. Nothing less than Gov.
Morton's pardon will save the culprlt.
According to the narrow-m1nded con-
struction contended for at Saratoga last
week, the statute makes it misdemeanor
for one who. on Sunday, offers, In his
own house, glass Of beer, wine or
whiskey to any one, and inflicts fine or
on Zone, who, in any sort
of club. sell op any day wine or spirits
to it's members without a license, and
makes it a misdemeanor to sell in a club
on Sunday with Or without license.
What Democrats seek, said Mr.. Bel
mont, is legislation based on facts, ex-
perience and common sense. They would