The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-25
SOUP FOR SEwALL.
ADMINISTERED TO HIM IN LARGE
DOSES By THE ANTI FAC
TION.
SHREWD MOVE WAS MADE.
OUT AND OUTS CHANGED ORDER
OF NOMINATIONS ON THE
MAINE MAN.
THEY WON OUT ON TEST VOTE.
Bryan Men Rallied All Their Forces
But Could Not Turn the Rising
Tide.

ST. LOUIS, Mo-, July 24-The oppo-
sition to Sewall in the Populist con-
vention practically swamped the Bryan
forces at the day session of the con-
vention, by making it impossible to
prevent a division of the Chicago tick
ct The leaders were powerless to check
the strong feeling against the Bath
ship-builder and banker They had car
ried the day in the committee on reso-
buttons in framing a comparatively
moderate platform, which they after
wards got through the convention with
ease. Their strategy was skiIfully dis
play ed at other points. But the in
tense undercurrent of feeling against
Sewall was fatal to them. 1t was a
sunken ditch unmarked upon the bat
tlef1eld, like to that which, clutching
with its muddy fingers at the wheels
of his artillery, bore down Napoleon
and his eagles at Waterloo.
Today the ditch was in open view
From the beginning it has gaped like
a chasm athwart the path of the Bryan
managers In vain they attempted to
bridge it, Moreover, today for the first
time the middle-of- the-road element
displayed generalship worthy Of the
name. Recognizing the fact that all
hope Of defeating Bryan's nomination
was lost, they concentrated all their
efforts against Sewall. They did more.
They devised a cunning scheme by
which the convention was forced to
nominate the vice president before the
president. 1t was an unprecedented
thing, but 1T served to mas the votes
in favor of Populist candidate for
vice president and uncover them in ad-
vance, in the fear that, if Bryan were
first nominated, the enthusiasm might
break down the opposition to Sewall,
and stampede a majority of the votes
for the Nebraskan's running mate.
When the proposition was made to
change the regular order of the nomi-
nations, the Bryan men strained every
nerve to prevent it. They even plead
ed. Jerry Simpson, on behalf of Kan
sas, went so far as to intimate that
the vote of the Sunf1ower state would
be cast for a Southern man for vice
president if the regular order was not
reversed. When the roll call was had
they rallied every vote at their COM
mand. Senator Butler, of North Car
DINA, was a powerful ally with the
SO votes of the old North state behind
him, and Congressman Skinner, the
chairman Of the delegation, cast the
solid vote Of the state against the
change. When the vote was figured
up, however, and he ascertained that
there was majority of &c in favor of
the proposition, under his direction,
after very pretty theatrical exhibit
ton from Mr.. Skinner, the vote of the
delegation was cast for the proposition
and the antis emerged from the con-
test with majority of 10.
r., This made the defeat of SeWall and
the nomination of a Populist for vice
president certain.
The anti-Bryan men, although they
presented minority platform demand
ing an irredeemable paper currency
and crowded with bitter denunciation
Of the Democratic and Republican
parties, did not attempt to press it
after their victory. The majority re-
port, which is moderate and contains
only few radical propositions, such as
a demand for the gradual assumption
by the government Of the ownership
OF the railroads and for direct legis-
lation through the initiative and refer
endum, was adopted without a divi-
sion and the minority report laid on
the table.