New-York tribune., 1896-07-23
rur SILVER MEN AT WORK.
.,1 AND EXCLUSIVE GATHERING
= AT ST. LOUIS.
ct JOHN MADE PERMANENT CHAIRMAN
COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO CON
YER WITH THE PoPuLIsTe-Mlss
PIERCE MAKES HIT WITH
THE DECLARATION OF
INDEPENDENCE.

.. You,s July 22-The silver delegates mus
- ZOO strong at Music Hall to-day. THIS
s..,. .hort OF one-half the number IN the plan OF
.s.n.ation They are fine-looking oouE vi
and women for fifty OF the delegates arc
Nv and asa whole they are TREMENDOUS
'-,-ost 10 the multitude holding forth az the
~ white w,gwam and at the various "Peopies
,.a,uarters about town. There were no spec
..,o-s 20 speak OF in the hall. Probably one num-
- nersons vert In the seats or the nrs' hoor
eide Of the railing. The hall itself. very
o-.,,v auditorium. was handsomely decorated
r,,h hunting. Al the centre OF the balcony IRONY
r.o,ee Washington swathed In two American
as looked down upon the delegates ana pe-
VA them 10 the stage. From one SIDE OF the
..,e Richard Wagner. wearing queer little o'-
.,s cap gazed with much penetration over the
,.,,v little Convention. On the other side
-. classic counterfeit OF Beethoven. These
.,.r ,ortraits are permanent objects In the hall.
'-s are no, typical Of anything going on in Music
u.u bu. they were much admired and COM
men,ed upon
tn. silverites arc evidently not OF praying
..o,,s They opened business without prayer.
n, Mott was thinking so hard about the prob
law. ~ silver and the distribution OF badges that
y. forgot all about getting a chaplain TO invoke
a.ne guidance in the Conventions work He
IRA. much worried. and moved about the stage
Nth ra,ned expression on his face when one
a, the Western vice-presidents joked him on the
omjs.ion He disposed to choke off the tenn
norarv chairman. Mr. Newlands. at orce and call
for some one in the Convention to pray. but no.
hoay on the stage knew Of a single praying dele
gate and SO the good but absent-minded doctor
hi to subside and resume his thinking. while
man. but he is not versatile enough TO pray for
National Convention. Senator Pettgrew said he
didn't know how. and Mrs. Helen NJ Cougar.
who is in the Convention as delegate working
FOR prohibition thought prayer in the middle Of
the proceedings would seem rather strange and
a California delegate suggested that. as the work
OF the Convention was all cut and dried before
hand no Divine guidance was necessary. The
Doctor was much distressed. and his subsequent
thinking was clearly of disturbed nature.
A TIREsOME SILVER ORATOR.
Mr. Newlandss speech started out bravely,
but It soon became tiresome. He spoke an hour
There was absolutely nothing in 1t to tighten the
tedium Of statistics and dull argument no ray or
suspicion Of humor or OF good nature. The
thraldom Of gold and the woes Of the poor were
his text. In a clear, resonant barytone he roared
about ounces of silver and ratios. about the
price OF wheat and International agreements
and other things which II was very tiresome to
keep track Of as the vehemence OF his oratory
began to wane. He had his piece well COM
mitted 10 memory, but its effectiveness was
greatly lessened in the latter part of its delivery
by his diminishing mental vitality In the effort
to keep up the big talk of the opening. The
acoustic properties Of the hall are fine There 10
not a square line in the whole place and the
words Of the speaker were echoed as in a cave so
that no unseemly violence Of utterance Is neces-
sary 10 enable one to be heard in every part Of
the room. but the Nevada orator roared and
as though he were talking TO 40
900 people In a gale Of wind" and thus he wore
himself down 10 enforced moderation and com
mOnplace tameness.
Three times there was continued cheering |
The first came upon the mention OF the words
Stree and unlimited coinage Of silver" the sec |
ond when the cabalistic figures 16 TO were al |
luded TO- the third when the orat shook his fist
IN the face Of Europe and said that silver must |
be made free without the consent Of any other |
nation. In the last outburst the scene was |
pretty and almost sensational. The Colorado |
and Utah ladies rose 10 their feet, waved fans |
and handkerchefs. capped their hands and |
cheered in shrill trebles. while the male dele |
gates shouted. laughed and kept the clatter |
going for ten minutes The banners Of Cali
fornia and Colorado. sumptuous In silver fringes |
and lettering were displayed by excited dele
gates and each little new outburst fed upon IT.
self and increased until II enveloped the whole
crowd. An excellent local band Of twenty-five
pieces played America" on the heels OF this
demonstration. and then came the most striking
occurrence Of the day. the recital OF the Declara-
ton Of Independence by Miss Lille Pierce. Of ST.
Louis who rigged out as the Goddess %
Liberty
MISS PIERCE MAKES AN IMPRESSION.
Miss Pierce Is an exquisite little slip Of woman
hood. who has good elocutionary powers and
me stage presence She is a handsome bru-
nette with large brown eyes. dark brown hair
flowing down her back. schoolgirl fashion. and
radiant expression Of face. She was costumed
ID patriotic bunting. after the manner OF the
goddess in the Patent ONCE. which the young
hdys mother went specially to Washington TO
study for this occasion. In her hand Miss
Pierce carried a small silk flag on a hickory
stan. which she waved with much effectiveness
IN the course Of the recital She handed
cut and introduced to the Convention by Will
IAN Pope St John. banker, Of New-York, a
gentleman. who made slightly
awkward job for so delicate a matter Of gal
Antry. Mr.. ST. John got his goddess go mixed
up with the vice-presidents and correspondents
That she resoutey took the lead and marched
herself 10 the appointed place. holding her right
arm over her shoulder and leading by the hand
The tall slim gentleman who followed meekly
~ her heels. Miss Pierce greatly admired
0d complimented by many OF the delegates
Sne holds the position by election as Daughter
F" the Regiment In the 1st Missouri National
'oard. and has a reputation more than local
10Y talent in elocution. At the end Of the re-
utal the band struck up gayly again, playing
Ihe Red White and Blue and then the dele
gates began 20 think OF business
AZ stated in these dispatches last night. II Is
.O ihe purpose Of the silverites 10 hurry things |
20 lnfy keer, u.if he PnuIlliGfa |