The Van Buren press., 1896-08-01
NOMINATED BRYAN.
The Populist Convention Endorses Him
Despite His Protest Against Its
Treatment of SeWall.


| Populist party by vote of | ,042 to 321
The Democratic candidate was nomi
mated in the face of his own protest in
the shape of telegram directing the
withdrawal of his name sent to Senator
Jones after Sewall, his running mate,
had been ditched for the vice presiden-
tial nomination last night. and Thomas
Watson, of Georgia, had been named
for second place on the ticket 1t was
ais made in the teeth of an opposition SO
bitter that after the conventio adjourned
some of the radicals held a ''rump'
convention.
The last session of the convention,
which lasted firm 0 80 this morning I'M
til almost five o clock this Afternoon, was
marked by scenes of turbulence and
noisy excitement which several times
bordered on actual riot and almost
precipitated personal collisions. One
fist fight did occur. A Rhode Island
delegate was elected and West
Virginia delegate. inhamed by the
action of the convention, walked
suddenly out of the hall.
To add to the other features of the
day the convention was without music,
and the hall was Uttered and bestrewn
with the CRIME and dust of yesterday s
twelve hour sitting. 1t was not
expected that the convention would last
more than three days, and the contract
made with the local committee expired
| last night. The Populist Bryan
managers decided at the outset today to
disregard Mr. Bryan telegram of last
night. They started out to rush the
nomination through before any other
candidates could be put in the field, as
foot ball team, by means of a brilliant
| flying wedge sometimes forces goal.
But the interference was too much for
them and their line was broken. Gen.
Weaver, of Iowa, the Populist
candidate in 1892, placed Bryan in
nomination, and Gen. Field, of
Virginia, who was his running mate,
after brief speech, moved to make the
nomination unanimous.
Chairman Allen held the motion was
in order, and that until that motion
was decided the call of states for
nominations, which was the order of
the convention, could not proceed.
The ruling almost precipitated riot.
Some cheered some cursed, some
fought. and there would probably have
been serious trouble had not the Bryan
leaders wisely concluded to abandon
this programme. But in doing so they
opened the floodgates, and for six hours
the convention was deluged with
oratory.
Upon the suggestion of Senator
| Allen motion was carried in the
convention just before the ballot was
taken that may prove the key by which
the complications attending the desired
union of all the silver forces may be I'M
locked. 1t was a motion comforting
upon the National committee plenary
powers-all the powers, the motion
stated, of the convention itself. Some
of the radicals pricked up their ears
when the motion was put and there was
the rank and file of the convention did
not realize it's full Importance.
The Populist leaders had decided to
go ahead with Bryans nomination
irrespective of the wishes of the Demo
cratic managers. Rumors that such d
message was III the convention aroused
the Lone Star state delegates TO frenzy
and stump Ashby demanded tC
know If there was a message from
Bryan ON the secretary table. Chair
man Allen promptly responded that
there was some talk of fictitious
message somewhere he had not seen it.
Literally, of course, Mr.. Allen was
correct. He said afterwards in
explanation of his action that Bryan
was the overwhelming choice of the
convention, that the telegram, what
ever it was. was not addressed to the
convention or to Populist delegate
that it was purely Democratic
negotiation and nothing with which a
Populist convention had anything to do.
When the roll call was completed it was
found Bryan had 1042 out of the 140O
votes in the convention. Frank s..
Norton of Chicago. was the only other
candidate. Ignatius Donnelly, of
| Minnesota, and Gen. Coxey, OF
! industrial army fame, were nominated,
but their names were withdrawn.
Norton received 1921 votes, Eugene V,
Debs ten and Donnelly one. Norton
got the majority of the solid vote OF
Texas, Michigan, New York, Missouri
Rhode Island and Wisconsin, and a
respectable portion of the votes OF
Alabama, California, Kentucky, Hi
nois and Ohio.
The convention was hastily adjourned
after Bryan had been declared the
nominee, and the radicals in the Texas
Arkansas, California. Illinois an6
Maine delegations proceeded to organize
their 'rump' convention.
As to the future, all is problemetical
None of the wiseacres pretend to predic
with certainty what the result will be
Whether a fusion can be arranged o.
upon what basis is of course speculate(
upon Whether Mr.. Bryan will decline
the nomination is canvassed The
shrewdest of the political observers
and those who are most anxious for ;
union of the silver forces rely only OF
the withdrawal of one of the vict
presidential candidates. There is. n.
there has been for some days. talk o.
Sewall's voluntary withdrawal, but
after the stand Mr.. Bryan and Senator
Jones have taken it is not considered
probable. 1t is strongly intimateC
tonight that Watson may be induced tC
+ withdraw in the interest of such union.
1t should be said, however, that il j:
intimated by those who wish it most
BY comforting upon the Nationa
Populist committee plenary powers
those who are so earnestly striving fol
an actual consolidation Of the strength
of the silver forces created the
machinery by which any sort of term,
can be arranged. But what will happier
the future alone can disclose.