The Portland daily press., 1896-08-05
ESPECIAL TO THE rREss.J

ESPECIAL TO THE FREsS.J
Alfred, August 4-"The hell hounds
OF Wall street." (Cheers.)
Let the gold bugs squeal awhile"
tApplause and cheers.)
You can't measure me by an Eng
iish gold yard stick" (Applause.)
fou shall not cruelty mankind upon
cross OF gold" (Tumultous applause. J
whether it is 16 to /, or two to 1, it
is o dollar and what more do you wantP''
whoever complained of the weight
OF a copper cent as long as three of
Them pay for drink. " (Rapturous ap-
plause)
Seldom or never has this town hall in
the ancient town of Alfred heard ova-
tions of the kind which made the rafters
| ring this afternoon. Was it q Populist
convention9 1t might have baen
thought SO. 1t masqueraded under the
name of the Democratic convention of
the First Maine district. 1t was excit-
ing and 1t was funny. 1t was much bet
ter attraction than the rival show, the
only calf in York county with six legs
and three shoulders. 1t was more inter-
esting than the acene OF the village
streets where the booths of thu yeanders
and the tent of the bovine wonder gave
the staid old town the appearance of
oirous day. If the show at Alfred was
| an Indication of what the show at Wat
erville will be, that greater exhibition
will be well worth the seeing. The Hon.
NJ. 2. Frank Is happy tonight for he car
ried the convention for Bryan and
Sewall. The Hon. William Henry Cliff
ford is not unhappy, for he came within
an ace of stampeding the delegates away
from the Chicago platform.
Joseph A. MCGOWAN is busy, in all
probability, studying problem of parli-
ing from the antics of the afternoon, are
very likely trying to figure out where
the party in the First District is at in
reference to the Chicago ticket, while
some thoughtful mon are doubtless try
Ing to estimate the number of bolters
made by the action Of the convention.
A weather cock, Rilded on the one side
and silver plated on the other might we'll
represent the performances Of the oonven-
ton. To gsay that the delegates did not
know thoir own minds expresses it but
mildly. When the committee on resolu-
tions presented two reports.o .on endorsing
tho candidates of the Chicago convention
and the other lodging that issue by re-
affirming the Epiatform adopted by the
district convention in Portland, June
II, it looked as though the Bryan-6ewall-
Frank resolutions would have an easy
time of it. But then the Hon. VIM. H.
Clifford Of Portland appeared on the
scene with third resolution which
adroitly made side issue of Bryan and
Sewall and silver and gold. Mr.. Clifford
declaring oil these things to have nothing
to do with the First DISTRICT contest any
way. Mr.. Oliffordas eloquent presenta-
tion of this view Of the matter % COM
pletely oaptivatsd his hearers that he
soon had them cheering Justify for his
plan. In five minutes he TUNED them
right around. But Hon. NJ. P. Frank
interjected speech, In whioh he implied
that the men who wouldn't endorse
Bryan and Sewaii now would be likely
to turn up among the boilers IN Novem-
ber next; and right on top Of this, Mr.
Joseph A. McGowan Of Portland, the
chairman, put the questaen on Mr..
Franks resolution endorsing the candi-
dates, and it went with rush. Whsth-
er Mr.. Frank resolution should have
been put first or nos is question. 1t
may not seem of much moment, but
when a convention changes it's mind as
q weather vane boxes the compass on q
gusty day, shese little things1oeunt.
Incidentally, Mr.. e. W. Staples of BID
deford was nominated for Congpess, but
that didn't cut much Ice in comparison
with the fight over the resolutions. This
is the way it all came about:
The convention was called to order at
quarter past one by Hanno W. Gage,
ESQ.,, who introduced MIR. Joseph A. Mo