The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-09-18


currency reform, civil service and econ
omy in public expenditures. The spirit
that animated the convention was con-
tanned in this declaration of the plat
form:
1.-The Democratic party has survived
many defeats, but it could not survive
a victory won in behalf of the doctrine
and policy proclaimed in its name at
Chicago"
Business Transacted Quickly.
The real work of the convention was
soon transacted when it was reached,
but the delay in reporting the platform
gave opportunity for a series of elo-
quent and stirring speeches. The at
tendance was larger than on the first
day and the enthusiasm was great.
Colonel W. @. P. Breckenridge, the
famous Blue Grass orator; De Witt @.
Warner of New York, H. A. Hammond
of Georgia, F. W. Lehman of Missouri,
W. D. Bynum of Indiana and Comp
troller Of the Currency Eckels of ILL
nois, were in turn called to the stand
and stirred the enthusiasm to high
pitch. When the platform was at last
brought in shortly before 2 o'clock,
after the convention had been in ses-
sion three hours, it was read amid an
almost continuous storm of applause
and was adopted unanimously without
q word of debate.
The Presidential Nomination.
When the nominations for president
were called for it was apparent that
Palmer would be nominated over his
protest, as the opposition to Bragg had
concentrated upon him. These two
names were the only ones presented to
the convention. 1t was known that
message from President Cleveland had
reached the convention that he could
not entertain for moment the sugges-
ton OF his own nomination, and his de-
clslon was at once accepted as final.
Before the states were called for nom.
nations, Henry Watterson was taken
out of the lists by Mr.. Carroll of Louis.
vile, who, from the platform, conveyed
TO the convention message from the
Kentucky editor in his retreat in the
mountains Of Switzerland. Mr.. Wat
serson, Mr.. Carroll said, four days after
the Chicago convention, had cabled that
Other Candidates Must Be Named
or the Democracy was lost Later he
said he did not want the honor, but
that if no one else could be found to
take command he would not ask others
to go where he would not lead. Now
that others were ready to accept he pre-
ferred to do battle in the ranks.
Kilbourn of Michigan placed Senator
Palmer i'll nomination and there was a
series of seconding speeches. Barr w.
Jones OF Wisconsin nominated General
Bragg, "the hero of 90 battles and the
commander of the Iron Brigade"
Illinois waited until all the other
states had been called. Then Judge
Moran OF Chicago took the stand and
said they had recognized from the first
that Senator Palmer was the man to
lead the fight. But he had sealed their
lips. After seeing the temper of the
convention, however, he said Illinois
was compelled to
Join Hands With Her Sister States
Ia urging his nomination. The roll
call Immediately developed the over
whelming majority in favor of Senator
Palmer, but it proceeded to the end,
Palmer receiving 1879 votes and Bragg
1241a. At Its conclusion the commander
OF the Iron Brigade mounted a chair,
and in brief but graceful speech
moved that the nomination be made
unanimous. and pledged that he and