The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-07-24
THE AFTERNOON SESSION.
A Hot Fight Over the Report of the
Credentials Committee.

St. Louis Mo-, July 23.-The dele
gates were promptly on hand for the
afternoon session.
Just before the hour of 3 o'clock a
delegate climbed laboriously up the
steps of the platform. He was plainly
very weary from the efforts of several
days hard campaigning. He straight
ened up with difficulty and brought his
umbrella handle down with crash on
the chairman's table: IF this is the
Populist convention" he shouted in
a husky, unsteady voice, "for Gods
sake don't get into the Democratic
band wagon"
The crowd laughed and the middle
of-the-roader let himself carefully
down the steps and disappeared in the
direction of the Texas delegation.
Perfect order was maintained while
the delegates were gathering in their
places and there were no demonstra-
tions as the leaders entered. At eX-
actly $3.50 Temporary Chairman Butler
raped the convention to order and
announced that the committee on Gre
dentials would submit a report. His an
nouncement was taken up and repeated
by sub-chairmen, in various parts of
the hall, delegates in remote portions
of the auditorium having complained
that they could not hear what was
going on,
Delegate Wardell, of California.
chairman of the credentials commit
tee, read the report. The portion of
the report relative to the delegation
where there were no contests was
agreed to and then the trouble began.
The Colorado contest was then taken
up and a motion made to adopt the re-
port of the committee recommending
the seating of what is known as the
Patterson delegation.
Mr.Patterson said that he was unwill-
ing to have a vote upon the question
until the minority could present n
report. He offered a motion that the
Colorado contest be postponed one
hour This was carried.
This" said a Texas man. "is mag
unanimous, but Tom Patterson can't
catch us with any such taffy. He is
not in the middle-of-t -the-road"
The Illinois case was taken up then.
The majority reported thai the two
delegations from Cook county be
seated and the vote divided. There
was much confusion while the States
we're being polled. The vote was
taken on the proposition to give the
seats to the Taylor delegates. 1t was
not test vote in any respect.
The result was announced Cos for
the majority report and GAO for the
minority. The anti-Bryan delegates
hailed the announcement as a victory
for the middle-of-t -the-road element
and they were very iubilant.
A Kansas delegate challenged the
correctness of the count. There was a
good deal of excitement Delegates
crowded up to the front of the plat
form and the assistant sergeant-at- |
arms could, with difficulty prevent |
them from climbing on to the Secreta- |
ry's desk. The greatest confusion pre- |
vailed. Lafe Pence, the former ex-Con- |
gressman from Colorado, who was at |
the head of the New York delegation. |
called for the report of the committee |
on permanent organization, and made |
some rather sharp comments about |
the time the convention had frittered +.
away.
Several delegates attempted to move
an adjournment until o'clock, But
Mr.. Pence refused to yield the floor
for such motion. But when r. A.
Cooke, of Virginia, chairman OF the
Continued on fourth page.) !