The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-07-23
I0NATIUS DONNELLY,

polntment to those who imagined that the
galleries would swarm with people, drawn
thither with curiosity or sympathy with
the deliberations Of the convention. There
was no wildcat fighting, and the galleries,
which will hold IL, 900 people, were practi.
cally an empty waste. Not over 600 spec
tators, at liberal estimate, were in the
balconies. The floor, where the delegates
were gathered, was in some respects
crowded with as unique an assemblage as
was ever massed under ono roof. A sin
gle glance showed that they represented
the common people-a term in which they
glory-that they came from the farm, the
mine, the workshop and the factory.
They discarded conventionalities Fully
half of them sat in their shirt sleeves with
their coats slung over the backs of their
chairs Among them were many pictur-
esque personalities. Men who have been
known as agitators and reforlners for
years were there, but there was also many
whose ability and force Of character have
given them rank in high station. Asa
body they were men Of strong and earnest
convictions. Governor Llewelling Scna-
tor PETER and Jerry Simpson of Kansas,
Governor Holcomb of Nebraska, Ignatus
Donnelly of Minnesota, Cyclone" Davis
of Texas, Colonel Peak of Georgia. Gen
eral Coxey and Carl Browne of Ohio, late
of the Industrial Army; Tom Patterson
OF Colorado, Ex-Governor Buchanan of Ten
nesscc, General Weaver of Iowa and Gem
eral Field of Virginia, who were the Popu-
list candidates in 1892; Colonel Burkett of
Mississippi, Buffalo" Jones of Oklahoma,
Captain Reuben kolb, Congressman How.
ard and Colonel Bowman of Alabama and
many Others were prominent and con-
spicuous figures on the floor. On the plat
form were Chairman Taubeneck, Senator
Butler Of North Carolina, Senator Allen
of Nebraska, Mrs. Mary Ellen Lease of
Kansas, and other DISTINGUISHED guests,
The appearance of several women dele.
gates on the floor was novel feature in a
national political gathering,
The decorations Of the Republican con
vention still graced tho balconies and hid
the wooden rafters and pillars which up-
held the high roof All the Republican
portraits had been removed. Only the
bust Of General Grantremained. Just be-
fore the convention was called to order
portraits of Abraham Lincoln and Peter
Cooper were hung out over the platform
gallery.
The day session, which lasted about an
hour and half, developed nothing, except
that the noisy middle of the road" con-
tingent were afraid to put to the touch
their claims. Tuesday night after Sena-
tor Butler had been chosen temporary
chairman by the national committee and |
they had ascertained that he favored |
Bryan's nomination they at once decided
to depose him, as Senator Hill was deposed
by the Chicago convention. At the con-
clusion of an enthusiastic meeting they de-
termined to put forward as their candi.
date o. D. Jones, of Missouri, an old green
hacker, who has written several works on
finance. After nights meditation, how
ever, their leaders decided that it would
not BIO the part of wisdom to make the
fight against Butler
But they were somewhat compensated
for the loss Of the temporary chairman
ship in the speech of 1gnatius Donnelly,
who replied to Governor Stones address
Of welcome He made middle Of the
road" speech that stirred the radicals to
their depths. He appealed to them to
stand firm, 80 that all the dynamite in
Gods laboratory" could not tear the party
asunder and predicted that if the Peoples
party failed the cause of humanity would
90 down with it.
The speech of the dark browed Senator
Butler, Of North Carolina, as temporary