The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-07-23
FIRST SESSION.
Speeches by Gov. Stone, IEnatfus Don
neIIey and Chairman Butler.


Speeches by Gov. stone, Isnatius Dom
neIiey and Chairman Butler.
ST. LOUIS. July 22-The hall in which
the Populists met was the same in which
the national Republican convention was
held last month. There was the same ar
rangements as to seats. The State delega-
tions were located in the pit, each marked
by a guidon. The galleries reared them
selves above the pit on all sides. The plat
form in front was nanked by the press
benches The decorations were not elabo-
rate They were practically the same as
those of the Republican convention. The
bunting that swathed the front of the gall
leries had been taken down and some of
the flags which flew from the roof were
faded and weather beaten. There was not
a picture in the hall No faces of Popu-
lstic idols graced its walls. The only coun-
terfeit presentation within the building was
a large bust of General Grant, which faced
the platform across the heads of the dele
gates It occupied the same position in the
Republican convention.
The delegates began TO straggle in be-
fore 10 o'clock. but the spectators were
slow in arriving. When the pit was half
filled there were not two hundred people
in the galleries. In this respect the usual
order of things at conventions OF the old
parties was reversed. Among the first TO
arrive were the Kansas delegates, with
long yellow ribbons on their breasts and
many of them with sunfowers in their
lapels Ignatius Donnelly of Minnesota,
short and round, with his small blue eyes
twinkling and his good-humored face BEAM
ing, came in early and talked a while with
Sergeant -at-arn1s Mcdowell, who stood
the platform, silver baton in hand, sur
veying the final arrangements. Congress
man Howard of Alabama, who wrote IF
Christ Came 10 Congress-, was
striking figure in his delegation. He is
tall, powerfully built, with a swarthy COM
plexion and long. straight black hair that
gives him almost the appearance of an In
dian. Buffalo" Jones, of Oklahoma, sat
with his delegation, stolidly reading a
newspaper. Here and there was a dark
face. There was one colored delegate each
from Colorado and Georgia.
General Coxey, OF the famous common
veal army and his sop-in-law, Carl
tive wives. Mrs. CoXey bore in her arms
her young son. whom General Coxey chris
tened Legal Tender perpetual re-
mnder OF his march across the mountains
in 1890. As the air in the hall grew oppres-
sive the delegates did not hesitate to shed
their coats. Some Of them came 70 the hall
moved coat and vest and hung them on
the back OF their chairs Many of the del
egates wore negligee shirts and quite a
number wore neither collar nor cravat.
Although some OF the delegates have been
very noisy during the preliminary skirmsh-
ing before the convention they were quiet
above the speakers stand kept up a con-
tinuous fusiilade of popular airs. But not
one OF them wrung round Of applause
from the delegates. The first thing to
wake tIiem from their iethargy was the ac-
ton of assistant sergeant-at-arms when
he hung a portrait of Lincoln over one of
pauded. and some one shouted for three
cheers, which were given. The ice being thus
tive. and cheered the bands rendition of
Columbia. Gem of the Ocean,
WOMEN DELEGATES.
There were several women delegates on
the floor, among them Mrs. ]. o. A. Bush.
of Prescott, A. T., Mrs. Jennie b. Ather-
hold and Mrs. lies. of Colorado. Senator
Allen received the first personal ovation
The Texas delegation grow demonstrative.
A woman posed with a middle-of- the-road
streamer pinned to her gown, and they
cheered wildly. She waved her handker-
chief frantically in response, and the en-
thusiastic Texans crowded about to shake
her hand. She proved TO be a Mrs. Jones,
of Chicago. Then Lone Star delegate
mounted a chair and read a number Of
kilograms from Texas Populists admorish-
ing them to keep in the middle of the road
and bolt II necessary Stump Ashley,
one of the delegates. also made a speech,
and an. 1t looked as If Texas Intended to hold a
Weaver. the last Populist candidate for
President. and Senator PETER came togeth-
er. Paul Yandervoort. OF Nebraska, the
most prominent candidate of the mddle-of-
the-road men for President. took of the
seats on the platform reserved for dis
tinguished guests: On his coat he wore the
o.
shortly before II o'clock the chairman
table. pitcher of ice water and an oak
Mississippi delegation marched down the
aisle with banners bearing the slogan mo
compromise. There was was an answering
they recognized their allies. About this
time some one nailed a portrait of Peter
Cooper above the. speakers stand. Below
cannot be restored by the enforced idieness
OF n large portion OF our people, The por-
trait did not seem TO be recognized -at least
moved over TO the Texas delegation and
made short speech In favor OF holding the
sessions behind closed doors. but the Tex
ans did not take kindly to the suggestion.
They said IL was impracticabie
The middle-of-t -the-road leaders, after con-
ferring together, decided not TO make an
| organized fight against the selection of SEN
| ator Butler as temporary chairman. and
that thsv were afraid to Submit no
! Of strength The Massachusetts delega tiou
bore into the hall banner bearing the le-
| gend, Spirit of 1871.
| AT 1911 o'clock Senator Butler OF North
| Carolina. mounted the Platform and took
| his seat About him We're Cyclone Da-
/ Wis. of Texas, Secretary Turner. of Wash
| ington, and some members OF the nation
| al committee. Three minutes later Chair
man Taubeneck. of the executive commit
| tee. took his seat az the front Of the plat
| form. Senators Allen and Peffer were
| cheered as they assembled the stage AT
this time. while every seat on the floor
| was taken and there was much animation
| There were over two Thousand delegates
and attendants In the pit. but by a lib