New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-25
STORY OF THE DAY AND NIGHT.
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. ]

fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUNE.]
st. Louis, July 23.-The Populist National Con-
vention, at 12:3S o'clock this morning. nominated
ex-Congressman Thomas f. Watson. Of Georgia.
for Vce-President. rejecting Arthur Sewall,
Bryan's associate on the Chicago ticket The
result Of the first ballot was follows Watson.
j6l 80; Sewall. 256 3-5; Mimms. 127 5-1G; Burk-
lit. 1884; Skinner, 142A; Page. 50 5-16 Texas
and Tennessee then changed to Watson, giving
him 121 votes Necessary for choice, 800 Just
as Watson was declared nominated the electric
lights went out. leaving the hall in darkness.
while pandemonium reigned AS a procession
Of men carrying candle dips entered the hall.
the shouts and yells were increased.
The Convention was entirely beyond the con-
troll Of the chairman and the sergeant alarms.
Finally the lights were turned on again and an
adjournment taken until Il m.
ST. Louis, July 24-The scheme Of the Demo-
cratic campaign managers and their allies In the
Populist camp to secure unconditional in
dorsement of the Bryan-Sewall ticket put In
nomination at Chicago came to grief to-day In
the Popust National Convention. when the re-
lection of Sewa the ice-Presdenta cand-
date Of the Peoples party practically ac-
complished. in spite Of the protests and peadings
of the boy Orators personal and political rep
resentatives. After last nights test vote on the
permanent organization of the Convention it was
clear. even to the most radical Middle-of- the
Road enthusiast. that Mr. Bryan's nomination
for the Presidency could not be prevented. and
the whole energy OF the opposition leaders at
once turned to the task of defeating. If possible
the Endorsement Of the Tillman-Altgeld candidate
for the Vice-Presdency An appreclable fraction
Of the vote cast last night for Senator Allen for
the permanent craftsmanship known to be
hostile to the nomination of Sewall and eager to
preserve a semblance Of party autonomy by
choosing a straght-out Populist for the second
place the National ticket. The Middle of the
Road extremists and the compromising element
which has worked for a divided ticket and
fusion with the Democratic party on Presidential
and Vice Presidential electors. alarmed by the
easy triumph of the Bryan faction in the fight
for the Convention machinery. were driven to-
day to a demonstration of hostility to Sewall
which by a clever piece Of parliamentary STRAIT
egy effectively put him out Of the race for second
place.
CLEVER MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD STRATEGY.
Although 1t was apparent on a careful cal
culation. that a clear majority Of the delegates
opposed the acceptance of the Chicago ticket in
its entirety. great the fear of the anti
Bryan leaders that the boy Orators" nomina-
ton, II made first, would be turned to advan-
tage to stampede the Convention to Sewall. that
they craftily insisted that the usual order OF
business should be charged, and that the Vice
Presidential nomination should be made before
a vote was taken on the Endorsement nom
Endorsement OF another party's candidate for the
Presidency. When the report Of the Committee
on Rules submitted this morning an amend
ment was offered by the minority members
quiring the Vice Presidential candidate to be
chosen first and after a long and heated con-
test the Middle e-of- the-Road and fusion ticket
forces carried their point by a vote of 7S5 to 615
North Carolina under Senator Marion Buffers
leadership. egain exerted a decisive influence
on the result Last night the Tarheel states
man. feeling aggrieved that the anti-Bryan
forces had not concentrated on him for permanent
chairman against Mr. Bryan's personal rep
resentative, Mr.. Allen. maintained an attitude
Of neutrality, and divided the States ninety
five votes evenly between Allen and Campon.
To-day before 1t was evident how the fight for
and against Sewall would turn. Mr. Butler threw
North Carolina's vote on the side Of the Com
mittee on Rules. which wished TO make the
nominations in the customary order. but when
the totals for the other States had been cast
up and 1t was seen that a shift Of North Caro-
lina's strength to the anti-Bryan side would de-
feat the commit &c, the willy Senator did not
hesitate TO order the transfer Without North
Carolinas aid the proposition to reverse the
order Of the nominations would have been de-
feated by 600 votes for II to 10 against it. The
transfer made at the last moment, changed the
totals to 1S3 for and 615 against
Mr.. Buffers Heutenants the floor openly
announced that North Carolina would support
the Committee on Rules II satisfactory assur-
ances were given that after Bryan had been
nominated no opposition would be made to the
choice OF Southern Populist for the Vice Presi-
dency. None Of the Bryan leaders seemed to
care to father such promise, and the North
Carolinans had no course left to them but 20
force the fight on Sewall to finish before ac-
cepting Bryan the Conventions choice
NO MORE TALK OF BOLT.
The apparent defeat OF the Sewall indorse-
ment scheme brought out at once promising
,rop OF Vice-Presdential candidates, among
hem Nimms. Of Tennessee; ex-Lieutenant- Gov.
ernor Barnet GibDs OF Texas. and Senator But
er himself The reverse suffered by the Bryan
Sewall forces. and the general belief that the
Maine man rad no longer a chance for the Vice
nomination served also to set at
-est all talks ~ a bolt from the Convention on
he part OF the Southern delegates. Even ICY
.lonc" Davis. the irrepressible Middle of the
aoader from Texas. declared himself satisfied |
With the result Of to-days vote. and confessed |
hat the nomination Of Bryan on a divided ticket |
would not be seized upon by the Texans as
ground for boting.
Nearly Ave hours were consumed In the wran-
lie over the report Of the Committee on Rules
nd time and time again the Convention was In
Lob thA nnatr