The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-07-24

MS selectiOn victory for the
Bryan Men and the Vote of 75s TO
5G4 in His Favor Looked Upon as
a Fair Test of the Strength of the
Boy Orators FoIIOwing-The Mid
die of the Road Men Accept Their
Defeat Gracefully.
st. Louis, Mo, July 23.-It was not untn
late in the evening that any substantial
progress was made by the peoples party
convention. All the morning and after
noon were frittered away in disputes over
contested seats and similar trivial mat
ters
The business of the convention was fur
ther much hampered by the lack Of ia
miliarity with parliamentary law, with
which both the temporary presiding ON
GERS seemed equally afflicted.
1t was nearly o'clock when a decisive
test of strength between the Bryan and
anti-Bryan forces was brought about. II
came upon the report of the COMMITTEES
| on permanent organization. The Bryan
men named Senator Allen of Nebraska
for permanent chairman. The middle-of-
the-road and anti-Bryan men united upon
James E. Campion Of Maine said to be
one of the ablest parliamentarian in the
body. On call of states the Bryan men
carried the day by a decisive vote of 75s
to 5e4
The middle Of the road men yielded
gracefully and Cyclone" Davis, the most
active opponent of Mr.. Bryan, introduced
Senator Allen to the convention. The per
manent chairman soon restored order to
the proceedings and pushed them along,
previously making a characteristic speech
of an hour or more in Duration.
The committee on rules reported in favor
of limiting the nominating speeches to-
morrow to ten minuta for proposers and
five minutes for seconders.
After some little opposition a commit
tee of conference was authorized to meet
a similar committee appointed by the sill
yer partys convention, and at 1906 o'clock
the popuhsts adjourned till tomorrow.
when they may possibly succeed in adopt
ing a platform, nominating a ticket and
adjourning.
The silver convention did little but lis
ten to oratory and music and wait for the
action Of the populists.
The conference committees of the two
conventions will meet at an early hour
tomorrow morning. The silver conven-
ton committee was organized by the se-
lection of G. w. Baker of California as
chairman and two or three sessions have
been held, a which the subject matter
committed to IL was discussed. At mid
night the indications were favorable Cor
the committee to 1nd very little, If any,
thing to do, when it meets-that its work
will have been largely anticipated by the
developments of tonight Constant in
roads have been made upon the anti-Bryan
forces in the populist party, and after
it was learned that the North Carolina
delegation, under the lead of Senator But
Ter, temporary chairman Of the conven-
tion, had practically decided not to fur
ther oppose the nomination of the demo-
cratic candidate for President, and not TO
bolt the convention in case the majority
also placed Mr.. Sewall in nomination for
the vice presidency the way was easy for
the apostles of the Bryan movement to
secure the support of other southern dele
cations for their programme. The last
to come into line was Texas. At mid
night Cyclone Davis said the
probabilities were that the nom
ination of Bryan would be made
without serious opposition in the conven-
tion. He still held to the hope, however
that a southern populist would be nomi-
mated for Vice President, but in this he
was almost alone among the leaders of the
south Mr.. Davis gave as one reason for
the defeat of the middle of the road men
the fact that their candidate for permanent
chairman of the convention was a man al
most wholly unknown and against such
an opponent as Senator Allen was foreor-
dained to defeat.
The Texas delegation was in session lln-
til long after midnight discussing various
propositions relating to their action in the
convention, but no conclusion was reach
ed Several gentlemen expressed the opin-
ion to a reporter for the Southern Asso-
ciated Press that they were beaten and
it was useless to continue the fight longer
1t was suggested in the hotels thfs evening
that the convention might confne itself
to the nomination of Mr.. Bryan for pres
ident, leaving the position of Vice Presi
dent on the ticket vacant. But it is barely
possible that such a course will be adonf
ed and the nomination of Bryan ana
Sewall appears tonight to be almost pos
itiVely assured.