Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1896-07-30
LOUIS CONVENTION
Described as II. p. Hall Saw
1t.

81. P. Hall of Minneapolis, an old
newspaper man, a keen writer and ob-
server and special contributor to the
Minneapolis Journal, gave IN recent
issue of the st. Paul Globe his impress
sions of the st. Louis convention.
Coming as this does it Is of more than
passing interest. He writes:
Notwithstanding my criticisms,
consider 1t q very remarkable conven-
ton, perhaps the most remarkable OF
the fourteen previous ones l have at
tended. There were no marching clubs,
no brass bands, no champagne or roys-
tering festivals, no increasing of bar
tenders or lengthenlng of bars or any of
the paraphern ALA Of the old party con-
venClon. l say this to their credit. Out.
side of the convention all was orderly
and decent. The only band was the one
furnished in the auditorium by the citi-
zens, and that only for three days though
the convention lasted four. The dele
gates who came were nearly all men of
moderate means, many absolutely poor.
and many were sent by contributions
taken up in their nelghbOrhoods because
they conld not afford to bear the burden
themselves. Very few stopped at first
class hotels, and for the most part
second, third, fourth class and boarding
houses we're used, but they were all very
much in earnest and for the most part
above the average intelligence while
many were men Of marked ability.
Hundreds came long distances in day
coaches because they did not have the
means to pay for sleeping cars, but they
were there discussing and conferring
with each other They must have
constituency or they could not come.
It was notable, too, IN looking over
that gathering, that there vas pre-
ponderance of gray heads. 1t was
apparently an illustration Of: "Old men
for counsel, young men for war"
You may ridicule them as crsnks
and in perhaps some cases with
Justice, but these are exceptions. It is
not justice to style them as anarchists,
though demagogic leaders may impose
1t is true, they are for the most part
plain, common people IN the lower walks
OF life, but their homes and families and
social relations are no less dear to them
than those who enjoy magnl6cence and
uuuluCouCes 4uo COuuAVAOu6 Wu1CA
bring this class together, mistaken per-
haps, but earnest and sincere, cannot be
a phantom of the Imagination. There is
something wrong somewhere. There is
something which needs remedy, and
instead of despairing and abusing these
men, the members of the old parties and
those in higher walks Of life who have
greater means, ability and experience
to accomplish results, though certainly
no more sincerity, would better devote
their energies to ascertainlDg and ap
plying the remedy. Grievances do not
spring from the ground like gourd in
the night and rally an army to proclaim
them. The politician who scorns, ig-
nores or cries down this element is lot
wise. A crisis has been reached where
it is possible FOR this convention to be a
determining factor in the coming elec-
ton, and success will at least command
respect. if nothing more.
II make no argument on existing pO
litical questions and conditions. but
believe it wise to regard the mutterings
of an impending storm, foreshadowed
by such gathering as the one have
just attended. In many respects these
people may be wrong; in some they must
be right, and besides they are men who
are sincere IN their convictions. They
have no deeire to wreck the country, but
are liable to be misled by false leaders.