Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-07-20

drawn on gold" and silver lines and
the committee put in most of the night
without becoming much wiser regarding
the merits of the respective cases.
The committee on resolutions content
ed itself with naming a subcommittee to
prepare the platform. The silver element
naturally was in the majority on this
committee and Senator Hill led the mi
nority.
The Second Days Session.
The convention did comparatively lit
tie work during the day on Wednesday
though it convened at 10 a. m. The
trouble was that neither the committee
on credentials nor that on resolutions
was ready to report. There was hope
that the committees would be ready with
in few hours and it was deemed un-
wise to adjourn the convention. so the
time was taken up by listening to some
of the leading lights of the party. Gov.
Hogg of Texas was the first speaker
and then Blackburn, the Kentucky SEN
ator, was heard. Gov. Altgeld of Hi
nois, who had been called for repeatedly,
finally took the platform and told what
he thought of the situation.
Others spoke and then adjournment
was taken until 5 p. m.
Meantime the committees were not
idle. Though its members had been up
until o'clock in the morning the COM
>mittee on resolutions was ready for the
resumption of work quite early in the
morning. The subcommittee had pre-
pared a platform which was, as had
been expected, declaration for the free
and unlimited coinage Of silver without
waiting for the action of other coun
tries. The Introduction OF this in the
main committee precipitated lively de-
bate, in which Senator Hill took prom
inent part, but finally the platform as re-
ported by the subcommittee was adopt
ed by vote of 33 to Il, whereupon
Senator Hill gave notice of q minority
report to be submitted to the conven-
ton.
Late in the afternoon the committee
on credentials was able to report on all
contests except as to Nebraska and
Michigan, and as to the former it recon-
mended the seating of the contesting sill
yer delegates headed by William j. Bry-
an, who subsequently became the con-
ventions choice for presidential nomi-
nee. The committee asked for and was
granted further time to consider the
Michigan case and a final report was not
reached until the convention met again
in the evening, when it was recommended
that four contesting district delegates be
seated. This gave the silver faction
majority of that delegation and, under
the unit rule, would bind the whole
twenty eight votes for silver. The de-
bate Waxed warm in the convention and
the scenes were among the liveliest of
the convention. Yhe vote for the adop-
ton of the majority report, which was
in favor of making the change outlined
above, was 55S, while the minority re-
port received 36S Three delegates did
not vote and one was absent, they max
ing up the total convention representa-
ton OF $50. The committee on resolu-
tons was not ready to report, so the con-
VentlOn adjourned until morning.
The Third Day.
The people who gathered in the hall
Thursday morning were an expectant
crowd, for it was known that the com
mlttee on resolutions would be ready to
report and it was also considered like
~ that Senators Hill Of New York and
Tillman of South Carolina would come
into oratorical conflict. The people were
not disappointed. for no sooner than the
majority report of the committee on reso-
buttons, the financial plank of which
favored free silver, had been presented,
than Senator Tillman was recognized for
hfty-minute speech on behalf of it.
The senator's personality and his atti-
tude in Congress regarding a number
of public questions, particularly the
financial problem, caused an incongru-
Gus reception. He had friends on the
convention floor and in the gallery who
greeted him with cheers, and he also
had enemies who manifested their dis
approval by prolonged Kisses. But the
senator held the rostrum and had his
say. 1t was in line with his previous
speeches on the subject-in favor of the
free coinage of silver, attacking Wall
street, and some cutting personal allu-
sions regarding President Cleveland and
Senator Hill
Senator Hill then presented the mi
nority report and made a speech advo-
eating the acceptance of it's principles,
which in substance stated that it was
believed that the country's safety de-
manded that the gold standard be kept
in force until such time as the great
powers of the world agree to interna
tional bimetallism. Senator Hills
speech partook more of the nature of a
lawyers argumentative brief, and he
did not indulge in personalities to the
extent of his predecessor.
Senator Hill was followed by Senator
Villas of Wisconsin, who devoted him
self mainly to defense Of the course
pursued by the present administration
regarding financial matters.
The speech of the day, however. was
made by w. j. Bryan Of Nebraska, a
former congressman, who had persistent
ly fought for free silver long years ago
when there was not the slightest hope
for success. He proved himself to be
brilliant speaker and completely capti-
waited the audience. It is undeniably
true that TINS speech lea TO MS nOmma-
ton the following day.
Others spoke, and then Senator Hill
moved the substitution of the minority
(gold) report for that of the majority
(silver) report. The motion was lost
by decisive majority. Then came the
vote on the adoption Of the resolution
as reported by the majority of the
committee. It resulted in 62S yeas to
sol nays, and the party thenceforth
stood upon a free-silver platform.
In the evening the nominations were
made and flood of oratory was turned
loose upon the convention. The presi-
dental candidates placed in nomination
were: Richard P. Bland of Missouri;
Horace Boies of Iowa; Claude Mat
thews of Indiana; William J. Bryan of
Nebraska J. S. G. Blackburn of Ken
lucky, and J. S. Mclean of Ohio. The
convention was in no mood for voting
it was late, the delegates were tired
out, and besides the leaders of the
respective candidates wanted time to
marshal their forces-so it adjourned I'M
til the following morning.