The San Francisco call., 1896-07-08
SUFFERS BY COMPARISON.
Cosgrave Tells of the Difference
Between the Chicago Conven-
tion and the ST. Louis Rally.
THE CALLS HEADQUARTERS.
GREAT NORTHERN HOTEL.
LII ;

GREAT NORTHERN HOTEL.
CHICAGO. ILL.,, July ~
What delightful yell went up from
thousands of throats and what wild cheer
ing and clapping of hands and stamping
of feet there was when the band played
Dixie" il the big Coliseum this after
noon. 1t was not such a cheer as hire
lings give-loud and without feeling-but
1t came straight from the heart as battle
cry IN a gallant charge against the enemy.
All the surroundings, the purpose for
which they had met, the fact that the old
Democracy of every State and Territory in
the Union was gathered in conclaye lent
an almost pathetic strain to the melody
which brought up sad and tender remi-
niscences of the land of cotton in the
happy, happy days before the boys in gray
fired upon the old flag and marched forth
to do battle for the losing cause until the
fiery patriotism of the North. headed by
the bulldog tenaclty OF .. S. Grant,
caused it TO be recorded in letters of blood
en- the pages of American history as the
"Lost cause"
But there was nothing disloyal to-day
in the cheers that broke forth for the Tilt
ing darky melody of The Sunny South"
"Dixie" was also cheered in st. Louis a
few weeks ago, not only in the lobbies OF
the Southern and Planters hotels but in
convention hall by 10000 Republican
voices. They were the magnanimous
cheers of representatives of the brave SOL
diers of the North and of the glorious
cause for which they battled-cheers for
the dauntless bravery and the undying
courage of their Southern brothers. That
applause by Republicans then and by
Democrats to-day had nothing in it of vim
dictiveness, but there was chord OF Joy
vibrating through it all which told the lis
tener that the memories of the war had
long ago ceased to rankle in the breasts
OF the patriots of the North as well as the
patriots of the South and that that barba.
rous emblem, the bloody shirt, symbol of
hate between brothers, had been buried in
the grave of mutual forgiveness by the
newborn loyalty which rose as white
robed angel of peace from out the powder
smoke and the ensanguined reek OF the
Civil War.
The immense portraits of Jackson.
Jefferson and other forefathers of the
party, which portraits were DISPLAYED on
the sides of the galleries framed in the
stars and stripes, brought back to memory
L0e ROOu OiQ tluSS NIe0 democracy
meant principle and not politics. before
It fell into the hands OF such unscrupu-
lous schemers as Altgeld and such
Machiavellian manipulators as Hill and
Whitney. II was strictly a white mans
convention. The ex-slave had no repre-
sentation there. Looking over the vast
mass of faces one could see pink and white
and swarthy and sallow, but never shade
of dusky Ethiopia darkened the banners
of the States on which the crime OF the
slave-masters is being atoned for by their
guiItless children.
The personnel of the convention would
suffer by comparison with that of the Re-
publican BODY which met IN st. Louis last
month. 1t is true that there were several
good speakers, such as Waller of Connect,
cut, John R. Fellows, who really made
the most effective speech of the day, and
men from New York, Pennsylvania and
Ohio of a similar calioer, not forgetting
NJ. F. Tarpey of California, who made q
very good speech, brief, forcibIe and to
the point. but the first Says session
lacked any display of the grace, the wit
and humor of a Chauncey Depew, the
vivid imagery of Lew Wallace, the per-
cuasiye periods of Governor Hastings
and haIf-score of others who were not
very far behini their leaders in the art OF
sWaying mems minds.
There was some en- nthusiasm to-day, but
not of the overmastering quality. 1t was
only for silver. 1t was for purely business