The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-25

While Simpson was talking the Texas
delegation withdrew in a body and alb
sOlute quiet prevailed for the first time
during the day.
a WOMAN SECONDS BRYAN.
J. T. Miller of Tennessee occupied
Kentucky's time with a speech in
Bryan's behalf. Louisiana yielded to
Colorado and the rugged state sent to
Minerva Roberts The tall, slender
young lady, with face aglOw and great
dark eyes flashing, came forward to the
stage. AS she assembled the platform
her dark golden hair shone in the sun
light. She wore white shirt waist
and an attractive hat, and as she faced
the audience her radiant face brought
the convention to its feet
Her first sentence, delivered in a clear
musical and sympathetic voice, aroused
them to cheers. Her brief speech was
one of the most eloquent ever delivered
| in the convention. Mrs. Roberts spoke
as follows:
''HaiIing from a state lying beneath
the shadow of the rocky mountains
where men have had the courage and
the chfvalry to grant women the rights
they demand for themselves (AppIause)
I have been accorded the distinguished
honor by the southern state of Louisi-
ana to take their time. Gentlemen,
thank you in the name of the women
of the United States. CApplause)
For the first time in the history of a
political convention, a woman has had
the opportunity of raising her voice to
second the nomination of a man who
stands for the people who made
America what she is today, where the
parasites of oppression shall not live.
| oh, thank you By our city flows the
Platte river, from where the boy orator
of Nebraska halls, and we of Colorado
second his nomination. 1 know. that the
gentlemen whom you represent will
make a gallant fight, and will do what
you can to obtain the victory. On the
one side is arTayed Mckinley and on
al 1G n n mi q
of the road. tremendous cheers.)
our factories idle. our lands are I'M
worked and our people in poverty, and
you can do nothing at this convention
but accept this ticket in the interest of
of the people of this great nation in
the interest of the wives and mothers
and children that we must preserve
America as an Independent nation.
will take no more of your time. You
have already a surfeit of oratory; too
much of it, indeed. So I viii simply add
that I have the extreme honor of sec
onding the nomination of William Jen->
nings Bryan of Nebraska (Tremen-
dous cheers.)
When Mrs Roberts finished the con-
vention again arose and cheered and
she was besieged on all sides of the
platform with congratulations Gov
ernOr KOlb of Alabama stepped gal
lantIy forward as she came down the
steps and with the deferential chivalry
of the south escorted her to her seat
in the Colorado delegation, where she
was again besieged by delegates who
offered their congra tulations.
MIR. CALL TIRES THEM.
Mr. Call of New York spoke in the
time allotted to Maine. His tone was
from the beginning opposed to the pop
ular feeling in the convention and
against Bryan. He opposed what he
called the marriage of POpulism and
Democracy, when the general desire to
indOrse Mr.. Bryan was due to a desire
to promote the interest of silver, or to
get into the band wagon. You" he
said, who hold nothing nearer to your
hearts than the abolition of the banks,
are asked to support a party, one of
whose standard bearers is a bank pres
/ ident.'' This expression called out
/ loud dissent and some jeers, of which
| there was an increase when ne declared
| that free silver was the only POpulist
plank in the Democratic platform
Questions were asked as to whether
| Mr. Call was POpulist or a delegate.
Both were answered in the Affirmative.
| although it was stated by some one
| that he had been a member of the
! party for only two weeks. 1t had be-
| come evident, however, that the con-
vention was growing impatient with
| Mr.. Call and his sentiments. The feel
| ing was apparently strong today for
Bryan and intOlerant of expressions
| against him. There We're, however,
| encouraging handclappings when Mr..
| Cali asserted that it was not even
! known whether Mr. Bryan would stand
| upon the POpuliSt. platform He asked
/ that it should be definitely ascertained
| before action was taken where Mr..
| Bryan stood. Mr. McGrath broke in
| with the exclamation that Bryan was
| platform himself.
Mr.. Call closed by placing Colonel S.
| NJ. Norton of Illinois in nomination.
| He eulogfzed Mr.. Norton as a philan-
! thropist, a man of the people and
| pioneer in the cause of reform.
/ Maryland also seconded Bryan. e.
Gerry Brown of Massachusetts declared
| that the issue was plain. In the COM
/ s~,or r,esfc wa 81 hnT a
| William ]. Bryan and silver or Nc
| Kinley and hell and damnation."
| DONNELLY SECONDS BRYAN.
| When Minnesota was called !gnadus
| Donnelly took the rostrum amid much
| applause He said: Gentlemen of
| the ConventiOn:-On behalf of the
| state of Minnesota by unanimous re-
| quest I rise here to second the nOm1na-
| ton of VIM. J. Bryan. CApplauSe) 1t
| is we'll known my friends that 1 have
| been out with those who thought we
| could best serve the interest and the
| perpetuity of the Peoples Party by
! making our own Independent nOmina-
| ton But my friends there are tidal
| waves in the affa1rS OF men to which
| we must yield. The voice of the people
| is in the last analysis the voice of God
and the voice of the people demands
| the nomination of William J. Bry-
| an by this convention. (Applause)
| Z yield to that demand. There is
! some talk here that we must force Mr..
/ BRYAN to a distinct declinatiOn or ac-
| ceptance of our nomination. We can
readily see that it will place him in
! very enbarra sSing position to be
| forced to choose between Mr.. SeWall
| and Mr.. Watson. I think if we are go
| ing to nominate Mr.-Bryan and seek to
| elect him, that we ought to be gener-
| Gus to him. applause and cries of
| that's right.O We ought not to force
him into such an embarrassing diem
! ma CCheers and applause.) Neither
do I think that we ought to call upon
! him to indorse our platform. Great
| appIause) Our principles do not exist
| by the suferance of VIM. J Bryan or
| any other man on earth. (App1ause.)
| This is not q merging of the Ponies