The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-24
ALIENS SPEECH.
Remarks OF the Permanent
Chairman to the Convention.
Defines His Ideas of the enid
Ie-Of-the-ROad.''
DISCUSSES M'KINLEY.
Pleads for the POpulists to
Stand Together.
Thinks America Government
In Herself.
DISCUSSES M'KINLEY.


as permanent chairman Of the Popu-
list national convention was made
known to the convention last evening
on Mr. Pence's motion committee con-
sisting Of himself, Cyclone Davis and
Ignatius Donnelly were appointed TO
escort Senator Allen to the platform
The committee was out but a short
time.
In introducing him to the convention
Cyclone Davis said: Now my fell
low citizens I want to assure you that
Tor more than four days and four nights
I have done every honorable thing I
could to elect a middle of the road man,
but have never done one dishOnOra bic
thing against any man. (ApplaGse.)
when the Populist committee and the
PopuIist convention had chosen the dis
tinguished senator from the western
plateau and I had been selected with
out my knowledge until my name was
called to notify him of the fact, 1
bowed to that special committee. now
reach out from the south up the Miss
issippi valley and give you your chair
man from the plateau, Senator Allen"
prolonged applause)
Senator Allen spoke at length, being
listened to with a great deal Of interest.
ing the debate on the repeal of the
Sherman law he talked fifteen hours
against time. He is a, large man with
smooth shaver face, and of command
ing presence. He always begins speak
ing in low, well mOdulated tone,
which last night. for a moment, sub
jected him to the usual cries of loud
err" As he progressed he warmed up
and spoke loudly, clearly and in an i'm
passiOned tone. Senator Allen spoke
extempOraneOusly, not having had time
to prepare himself.
After thanking the convention for its
distinguished mark of confidence and
esteem and after cOmplimenting Sena-
tor Butler on the faithful discharge Of
spoke as follows:
WE ARE ALL POPULISTS.
Gentlemen of the Convention: On
occasions of this kind, it is sometimes
supposed the presiding officer viii out
line to some extent his views, if not
views of the party he represents, as to
its principles and the policy 1t should
pursue and usually a speech of accept
ance of a position like this has been
prepared, possibly a week or two in ad-
vance and then occasionally, it is
spoken to the convention as though it
were impromptu. If you had notified
me a week or ten days ago that it was
your purpose to make me your temper
airy or your permanent chairman, as
sure you I would have had a reasonably
fair imprOmptu speech prepared for the
occasion. Oaughter.)
But you were not kind enough to do
that and I am compelled to rely upon
the moment and the mere occasion from
the promptings of what I may say to
you. Let it be then understood that we
are all Populists. CApplause)
IF any delegate in this great conven-
tion has across his mind a suspicion
that the great majority of the delegates
here are not true POpulists, let him in
a spirit of charity and in vindicatiOn of
the truth dissipate and relinQuish
suspicion of thar kind.
Il read in one OF the local papers, I
think on yesterday-it would be invidi-
Gus for me to call the name-but it was
evidently a Mckinley paper, a state
ment that the POpulist convention in
this great metropolis Of the Mississippi
valley was preparing to die. I have
not the slightest doubt that the eX-
preston was prompted by desire upon
the part of the gold power and their
representa- tive upon the Republican
ticket that the Populist party would
perish from the face of the earth, but
if the editor of that paper is in this
convention tonight; if he has witnessed
soul-stirring scenes Of patriotism, I beg
him to materially change his opinion
respecting this great party. Gap
plause)
KNOWS NO SECTIONALISM.
In the Populist party we know no
section; we know no north. south,
no east, no west applause and cheers.)
The man who lives upon the gulf of
Mexico, or in Florida, is as sacred to
US as the man who lives on the border
Of the British possessions, or up near
the line OF Canada The man who
dWells upon the Atlantic ocean is loved
by POpulists If he is a true man and
true patriot as much as the patriotic
citizen who dwells upon the shores of
the Pacific ocean (Applause)
I thank God it was one of the great
missions of this great party of the peO-
pie to destroy sectiOnalisn CApplause).
And as one citizen of northern birth
and raising, I say in this great pres
ence, I have as profound a respect for
the rights, the citizenship Of the man
who dWells in the south as I have for
my own, or my neighbOrs
The old political parties have been
gradually dropping sectiOnalism in this
OF Mason and DixsOn's line Our fellow
citizens north were told that all that
was required for the destruction of the
Union was to cause their brethren of
toll south of Mason and DfxOn's line
to come into possession of this Union.
The same thing in substance was re-
peated in the other sections Of our
country
And all this time, while we were
following the banner of the Repu blican
party on the one hand and the banner
of the bourbon Democracy on the 9TH
er. the gold power of Europe represent
ed by its agents in the United States
was fastening such chains of indus
trial slavery upon the people that it
would take almost a generation to
strike off (Applause).
TT was part of the mission of Pop
ulism to free the people from this sec
tiOnal prejudice with which they had