Birmingham state herald., 1896-07-14
The Ticket Strong and Will
 Prove a Winner.
NOMINATION OF SEWALL
Was Happy Solution of Mixed Problem, Says Colonel Clayton-The Party Has
 Spoken, Says Chairman Knox.

state at large, said:
 1T had hoped that the platform would be more conservative in its declaration on the financial question, and that more consideration would be shown to the del- egates from the east, especially from those states which in times past have always proven the mainstay of democ- racy. The convention had two oppor-' tunities to do this-one in accepting MT. Hill as temporary chairman and the oth- CT by refusing to unseat the sound mon ey delegation from Michigan-but re- jected them both.
 While am by no means convinced as to the wisdom of committing the demo- cratic party to the policy which declares
 for the free and unlimited coinage of
 silver at the ratio of 16 to 1, without
 regard to the action of other nations,
 as a party man I feel bound to bow to
 the will of a decided majority in the party to which l acknowledge ale glance.
 "Whatever may be our views on the financial question, the party has spoken, and it seems to me that it is the duty of every true party man to lend to the tick ct his loyal support. l am sure if the views of the sound money men had pre- vailed we would have expected, and I believe would have received, the support of the great bulk of the silver people, and since they have outnumbered us and carried the convention with them I do not see that on this account we are justified either in sulking in our tents or in refusing cordially to support the nom- inees.
 "The sound money delegates from Ala bama, five in number, did not follow the
 lead of New York and other eastern
 states in refusing to participate in the deliberations of the convention Upon the
 question of the adoption of the platform they voted against the majority report. and in favor of the minority report sub mltted by MT. Hill of New York; but when the convention had decided upon the platform they took an active part, especially in assisting In naming it's nominees; too active, perhaps, to suit the pleasure of some of the free silver delegates, who seemed to suppose it was
 their exclusive prerogative to exercise this function.
 "The sound money men of the delega-i ton voted as a unit, and with their vote supplemented by seven other supporters of MT. Bryan were enabled to give him a majority of the delegation, and thus under the unit rule secured for him the entire vote of the state.
 This was not according to the slate
 which Senator Jones of Arkansas seemed
 to be directing and which was supported
 py tiS OtncI utlcSdleS lfOIu AldDdUld,
 but was in line with the delegation from Georgia headed by Messrs. E. P. and
 Clark Howell, Pat Calhoun and others,
 who were regarded as among the most earnest and able advocates of silver in the convention.
 "The platform itself when adopted practically prescribed the qualifications necessary for the candidate who was to be placed at the head of the ticket.
 After the convention had decided to ig nore the wishes of the eastern delegates 1t seemed to us to be necessary, if we hoped to succeed, that our nominee for president should at least be a man who could at least rally to the support of the
 ticket all free coinage men, without re- gard to past political affiliations. This MT. Bryan is pre-eminently fitted to do He is the plumed knight of the silver cause and will arouse in its behalf more | aggressiveness and more enthusiasm | than any other candidate that could have been named.
 q do not think that the sound money men will to any extent withdraw from the party or refuse to support its nomi- nee. Such a course, to say the least, would be great political blunder. They would thereby lose their status in the party and all right to a voice in it's flu ture counsels. The free coinage men have set the pace of this campaign, and l they cheerfully assume all the responsi- bility which it entails. If they succeed, the country will have chance to test | the policy of free coinage. If they fail, the counsel of those who earnestly op- l posed free coinage will probably be more respected. We in the south can expect nothing from the republican party, and l 1t is therefore not a matter of choice, it
 is matter of supreme duty to maintain | the integrity and promote the success of l the only political organization which l proposes to preserve our civilization and 1 protect us in our social relations, as well
 as give us some voice in making the laws l that are to govern us."
 John w. Tomlinson, delegate Ninth l district
 "The ticket is a strong one and will win. I believe MT. Bryan the strongest man we could have nominated, and I worked to that end for some time before l the convention. When our delegation l decided to cast the first ballot for Boies l was invited to second his nomination, as heretofore stated in this paper but declined to do so. MT. Bryan is not only | a great orator, but great man in every
 respect. Without assuming to do so, he l leads with consummate tact and ability. l In the oaucuseS at Chicago his sugges- l tions always prevailed. Those who criti-
 else the convention for not indorsing | Cleveland have no adequate conception | of that assembly. It rose high above | personalities. Those earnest men were
 not there to abuse Cleveland at TilIman's s | suggestion or to pretend to praise him
 on Hills motion. They were not there | to condemn or indorse any man. Men
 were nothing, the great cause every
 thing. They felt that if MT. Cleveland | was right, history would vindicate him; l if not, no resolution of commenda- l tion, even by a. national convention of | democrats, could save him from the ex- l ecrations of the masses of victims of | the gold standard"
 | w. l.. Parks, Second district: l q am perfectly delighted with the | platform and ticket. I have been a l Bryan man from start to finish. I be- | lieve he will sweep the country in No l vember''
 s. J. Carpenter, Sixth districts: l T think if MT. Bryan can get the ears | of the people, and this I believe he will
 do, he will sweep the country. If he will
 canvass Indiana, Iowa and Illinois he
 can carry them beyond doubt, and they | would insure his election.''
 l T. P. Hudman, Third district: T think the platform is an admirable l one, just what it should have been. I l was 0 Bryan man personally and have
 been for two years. Of course think it