Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-09-04


declares for gold standard, tariff for rcve
nue. only, liberal shipping laws, currency
reform. civil! service and economy in pub
lie expenditures. The spirit that animated
the convention was contained in this dec.
lnration of the PLATFORM:
The Democratic party has survived
many defeats, but it could not survive q
victory won in behalf of the doctrine and
policy proclaimed i'm its name at Chicago"
And so, in the Language Of Hammond. of
Louisiana, this convention placed in the
hands OF other nominees their banner, and
babe them fling It forth ''skyward and sea.
ward, high and wide"
Platform Report Was Delayed.
The real work of the convention was
soon transacted when it was reached
but the delay in reporting the platform
gave opportunity for a series of elo-
quent and stirring speeches. The at
tendance was larger than Wednesday
and the enthusiasm was great. Colonel
W. c. .BreckinridGe, the famous
Blue Grass orator; Dewitt c. Warner,
of New York: H. a. Hammond. of
Georgia: +. W. Lehman. OF Missouri;
w. d. Bynum. of Indiana, and Control
Ter of the Currency Eckels were in
turn called to the stand and stirred the
enthusiasm to n high pitch. When the
platform was at last brought in, short
ly before , o'clock, it was read amid an
almost continuous storm of applause,
and was adopted unanimously without
n word of debate. When the nomina-
tons for president We're called for, it
was apparent that Palmer would be
nominated over his protest. as the OPP
position to Bragg had concentrated
upon him. These two names We're the
only ones presented to the convention.
Cleveland and Watterson Eliminated.
1t was known that a message from Pres.
idcnt Cleveland had re .ched the conyen-
ton that he could not entertain for mo.
ment the suggestion of his own nomina-
ton, and his decision was at once accepted
| as final. Before the states were called for
nominations Henry Watterson was taken
| out of the lists by Carroll, of Louisville,
who conveyed to the convention q message
from the Kentucky editor in his retreat
in the mountains of Switzerland Wat
tcrson, Carroll said, four days after the
Chicago convention had cablcl that other
| candidates must be named OF the Dcmoc.
| racy was lost. Later he said he did not
want inc NDnor, Duu tnlu II no one else
corld be found to take command he would
| not ask Others to go where he would not
| lead. Now that Others were ready to nc.
ccpt he preferred 10 do battle in the ranks.
Palmer Gets Nearly All the Votes
Some of the nominating speeches were
| eloquent and full of fire. kilbourn, of
| Michigan. placed Senator Palmer in nom.
| ination. and there was n series of second.
| ing spr echcs. Burr W. Jones, of Wiscon.
| sin. nominated General Bragg. tine hero
| of fifty battles and the commander of the
| Iron brigade" Illinois waited until all
| the other states had been called Then
Judge Moran, of Chicago. took the stage
and said they had recognized from the
| first that Senator Palmer was the man to
| lead the fight He was. he "a d, a plat.
form in himself All his life he had
| fought fiatisrn. greenbackism free silver
and other vagaries. But he had scaled
their lips. After seeing the temper of the
| convention. however, Illinois was com
| ccilcd to Join hands with her sister states
| in urging his nomination. Ths roll call
| Immediately developed the overwhelming
| majority in favor of Palmer. but il pro-
cectled To- the end, Palmer receiving 757is
votes and Bragg l241..