The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-07-08
Temper of the Delegates Not so Belli-
cose or Contentious as Many
People Expected.
SCHEME TO NOMINATE BLAND
TWO-THIRDs RULE MAY BE ABRO-
GATED III NECESSARY.
Great Delay i'm Opening the Coliseum
Senator Harris I'm the Clutches
of a Big Policeman.
special to the Indianapolis Journal.


CHICAGO, July THE Democratic ma
ticnal convention has been in session one
day. The free-silver wing demonstrated its
strength and its determination TO run the
convention. Senator Daniel was elected
temporary chairman. The usual commit
tees were appointed. AS for the matter OF
the nomination of candidates there is little
new in the situation. Mr. Bland remains
the leader but there remains, too. the gen.
eral belief that successful combination will
be made TO eventually defeat him. The
first days session was unusually long.
This was due TO the disgracefui delay that
attended the opening Of the building. 1t
Was IL o'clock before the keys OF the Col
iseum were given to Martin. the sergeant
alarms, and the army of policemen who
had been placed at his disposal seemed to
regard the mass Of struggling delegates
and spectators who swarmed about the
doors waiting FOR them to open many
desperadoes who must be dubbed into sub
mission.
No adequate reason has been given by
anyone for the remarkable delay I'm hand
ing the building over to the sergeant-at-
arms. 1t has been notorious. however, that
there has been considerable difficulty in
raising the money for the running expenses
Ol
subscribed last spring the largest sums TO
defray the expenses of the convention,
which were assumed by the citizens of Chi
cago, are strong gold men, and they have
chafed at the anomaly as well as disad-
vantage of paying out of their pockets the
expenses of convention so directly at
rance with their views, and whose results
may be so detrimental TO their interests.
They have felt themselves, TO be in the
position OF men who are asked 10 furnish
the matches with which to set fire to their
own homes. Hence ii was only with the
greatest difficulty that sums of money
needed from day to day to pay current ex-
penses have been raised. and the people OF
Chicago are likely TO hear good deal here
after about the expenses of this conven-
ton. The men who are managing the COL
iseum are strictly business men. and IL Is
limited that the reason why the keys of the
building were held back this morning had
some connection with the fact that keys OF
rented buildings are rarely handed over to
temporary tenants until the rent is paid In
advance The fact that Mr.. Martin was
not primarily TO blame for the delay, be-
yond the general incapacity that he has
displayed right along. was not known TO
the thousands who sweltered I'm the sun
and swore at the police, so that Mr.. Martin
came in for a large share of the comment
of the crowd, and as the newspaper men
were as badly treated as the rest. it is
likely that Mr.. Martin will not make
scrap book of the paragraphs which the
local papers will print tomorrow.
NO RESPECT FOR STATESMEN.
An incident that more than repaid those
martyrs who witnessed it, was the turning
down OF Senator Harris. That testy gen.
tleman is accustomed TO have every en-
ploye in Congress i'm Washington turn pale
when he does but frown- To-day, when he
sought, with his severest glance. 10 brush
past a policeman. who guarded door. that
| burly ruffian simply pushed his club into
the Tennessee Senator's stomach anc. With
an oath ordered him TO fall back into line.
Mr.. Harris was so dumfounded that he
stepped back without a word. In the con-
vention he sat all day like a man TO whom
has come great sorrow.
Once inside the building all annoyances
suffered in the entering of IL were quickly
forgotten. The Coliseum redeems Ameri-
can architecture IL there be aught Of archi'
lecture in the building Of these vast barns
AS a feat of engineering the building is
/ superb Ii is beautiful in design and per-
fectly adapted TO its purposes. Hereafter
| bate I'm either of the national committees
as to the location of convention. The
building is so vast that the body OF over
nine hundred delegates was almost lost.
! This immensely in size does not conflict
with the excellent acoustics OF the hall.
/ but the session of the convention was In
every way satisfactory. The temper dis
played by the silver men was surprisingly
moderate. Indeed the only indiscretions OF
speech were committed by the gold men
Thc remarks OF Mr.. Waller. OF Connecticut
were not in the line calculated 10 induce ar
/ Overwhelming majority TO surrender its
power 10 az insolent but powcrless minor
! ity 4 careful perusal OF the speeches
| made will show that the weight OF the ar
gument lay entirely with the silver men.
Apart from the injudicious speech OF Mr..
Waller. who at one moment declared that
| ne would never bolt. and a moment after
threatened the vengeance OF the gold men
II they were defeated to-day. there was not
a word spoiSer by the gold men which did
not receive courteous attention from The