Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-07-16
A DAY Of ORA1ORY.
The Gold and Silver Leaders De-
bate the Platform.
PASSIONATE SPEECH BY 1ILLMAN.


CHICAGO, July l0.-Ihe battle for supremacy
NJ democrntle principles was fought In O ses-
sIon Of the national convention that lasted
from II o'clock in the morning uh'h snor~y
before Ave o'clock in the afternoon nnoh
side sent its champion to the forum Seh"'o.
Tillman, Of South Carolina, Senator Jones', VI
Arkansas and OK Congressman william Bryan
of Nebraska, crossed swords with senator mn,
OF New York. senator Villas, OF Wisconsin, nu
ex-Goy. Russell, OF Massachusetts, inc SUM
tor from the state Of Calhoun, WIN hS cSo
blazing defiance NJ an audience Wnlon man
tested us unfrlendllness by o storm OF h'ssos'
opened the debate with u wllulS pass'o"-
ate speech Ia which ho affirmed 'nat eno
battle Of rcsior ton OF SILVER WIS "
war for he onancI ntlon OF the whiio slaves
as the war Of 1854 had been one for the ehlhhc'-
pation Of the black slaves DISRUPTION ui uo-
mocrncy had brought one, and he invited an-
other disruption II IL would result In lhis olher
emancipation. He went TO the extreme OF
g~loryiug IN the suggestion presented, tliat tno
Issue WAS q sectional one, q declaration whicn
aroused the resentment Of Senator Jones. ana
he repudlated IL In u brief speech which
arousod the first demonstration Of tho DAY.
Even INC pOu uOltkhbtS J'ih'" '"F"
demonstration against sectionalisln.
Senator Wins, who was postmpstcr-generai
under Cleyelnud's first admlnlstratvl bitterly
denounced what he termed an attempt 10
launch the party on o career so wild that tho
world stood aghast, With wave OF ms arm
that was full OF impressive portent' ne souhueu
his warning; Somewhere In this country
said he, there may be soine Marat, some Dan
ton, some Robospierre, but the people will not
follow them into u French revolution.
Ex-Goy. Russell, the keen Massachusetts
statesman, who has thrice carried the stand
ard Of democracy to victory In tho old Bay
state, pleaded for a word Of concession, OF con-
c~lllatlon, and concluded with a solemn warm
Ing that the country, II not the convention,
would listen.
Demonstration followed demonstration Of
frequent intervals throughout tho speeches.,
but II was Senator Hin who aroused the gold
forces to their widest enthusiasm, ana Bryan
the nboy orator Of the Plntte," who set tho
silver men afame. The demonstration for
nm. who. with close logic and trenchant blade,
sought the very heart OF the contention as no
bitterly assailed as undemocratlc the now
creed which the majority was 10 prociaiu'
lasted about 10 minutes Although more pro-
tracted than that which greeted Bryan, II was
, of A different nature. The latter was the spon-
~taneous outburst Of an enthusiasm klndled Dy
the touch Of magnetic eloquence.
Bryan's speech was a masterpiece OF ferviu
%oratory; with consummate eloquence he stated
I the case Of silver and parted the arguments
of the gold men. The convention took IRE
i, with enthusiasm. Hill was forgottoni all else
was forgotten for the moment Cheers sweileu
TO wells, yells became screams Every chalr
I in the Coliseum became a rock on which frantlc
!. men were wildly waving handkerchiefs, canes
a that's and understanding movable. some,
: like men demented. Invested themselves OF
Y their coats and flung them high In the alr. A
u Texas delegate u~prooted the purple standard
!, OF his state and bore 1t frantically to the place
!. where rose the standard Of Nebraska. In q
!, twlnkling others followed the example. W
, thirds Of the state STATS were torn from 'neir
sockets and carried as trophies 70 Nepraska'
where they danglcd In midair. A dozen dele
. oates rushed upon the stage and shoulderea
l. tbe half dazed orator and bore him In triumph
" down the aisle. Louder and louder shrleked
"a tho Thousands, until the volume Of sound broke
), like a gigantic wave, and fell, only TO rise and
', break again. For almost IS minutes this mad
ID dened tumult continued. while the delegates
10 with the state standards paraded the inclos'
d ure. Old political generals were supplied II
a. the ballot for the nomination had been taker
: then, II would have been o stampede.