The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-26

anxious to read this telegram, but the
privilege was denied him by Chair
man Allen, and the convention was
saved what would have been very
exciting and interesting scene. The
roll call Of states on the presidential
nomination was in progress, and had
progressed so far as to make It quite
certain, If nothing occurred to change
any >of the votes already cast, Mr..
Bryan would be the presidential nomi
nee of the convention. There had been
anxious inquiries during the entire day
for messages from Mr.. Bryan by many
of the middle Of -the-road men, and the
Texas delegation went so far as to
wire him for definition of his position.
It is considered probable by many
who were present, that if the dispatch
had been read, might have changed the
course of the nomination. Senator Allen
took the position that 1T would at least
create great confusion, and much ex-
citement, and that in view of all the
circumstances, it would not be wise to
have the message read He also exerted
his utmost endeavors to suppress any
reference to it in the proceedings, and
succeeded in doing so until the roll call
had been completed. The only mention
made of the matter was by Mr.. Ashby,
of Texas who, rising to a question of
personal privilege, asked If any tele-
gram was on the speakers table from
Mr.. Bryan, defining Mr.. Bryan's at
tidue. As4sn
There is none,'' replied Senator AL
len.
"Has there been none?" asked Mr..
Asbby.
The senator replied that there had
not been. Senator Allen, however. had
received a message from Gov. Stone,
which was carried to him by Mr.. Pat
@o,,- oe.1x3 3,1or @I,n% 10
given an opportunity to read the Bryan
message. This request Mr.. Allen re-
fused to grant to Mr.. Patterson. He
also afterwards refused it to Mr.. Stone.
The governor went upon the platform
and was informed in most direct terms
that he would not be recognized.
This refusal apparently had the
effect of displeasing both Mr.. Stone
and Mr.. Patterson. The latter ex-
pressed the opinion that the convention
was entitled to have Mr.. Bryan's at
titude explained fully, as the dispatch
would, he said, have explained, and he
was greatly disappointed that this
course was not pursued. The two gen
tlemen fingered in the rear end Of the
hall until the nomination of Mr.. Bryan
was announced, and they went directly
to a conference with Senator Jones.
All the parties to the transaction re-
message, or go into any details of its
purport. It Is known however, that it
consisted of number of replies from
Mr.. Bryan to inquiries made Of him
over the wires by Senator Jones, and
that 1t was a mere elaboration of his
short message of Friday night, direct
ing the withdrawal of his name be-
cause Of the refusal Of the Populist con-
vention to confer a nomination upon
Mr.. Sewall, as it was about to do upon
himself. One of the parties to the con-
ference, said the dispatch was In no
sense declination or refusal Of the
nomination, and that no intimation was
contained that Mr.. Bryan would not ac-
cept
Seator Allen stated after the ad-
Journment of the convention, that as
the dispatch was not addressed to him.
he had not even felt it incumbent to
read it himself, or read 1t to the con-
vention. Furthermore, he intimated
that he was not pleased with the ap-
parent wish Of the Democrats to con-
duct the affairs of the Populist con-
vention. Gen. Weaver said there was
nothing in the message which could
in any way have changed Mr.. Bryan's
relation to the Populist convention.