The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-07-28
FROM ST. LOUIS.

The Largest Convention Ever Held
Democrats in Evidence--They are Try
ing to Kill the Peoples Party and
Make Their Own Party Respectable at
the Same Time The Work Done
Correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
st LOUIS, Mo July % d, 1896
The st. Louis hotels are much like
the interior of a beehieve. The PEG
pies party delegation here is much
larger than the Republican convention
held here or the Democratic conven
ton held at Chicago only a few days
ago. This does not apply to visitors,
for the visiting brethren r not so
numerous as attended both of the old
party conventions.
The Bryan managers are here in
great force, so are the gold miners.
They have but one obi set in view-the
destruction Of the young political giant
which threatens the very existence of
both the old parties. This Is a strange
state of aft siTs, but we are stating facts.
The so called friends of silver are here
to boom Bryan's little boomIet and the
gold mon are here to ass ist IN working
off the sawdust swindle.
Will it succeed? IL is impossible to
f~oretell the outcome at this moment.
Nearly all of the Southern delegations
came here pretty near solid against the
endorsement of Bryan. The silver
States are divided. The middle States
are neutral, while the Northern dele
gates seem to be willing to abide in the
ship, no matter in which direction it
goes. Before the convention convened
in the Audit rum 1T looked like the
nomination OF Bryan. Several hundred
Bryan howlers came here from Omaha
and elsewhere, and they made a ire
mendous racket. Some of them we're
wearing middle Of the road badges, !"
though they are not delegates, even
members the Peoples party. Such au
dacity has never been eqIaled any
where. Speakers are occupying stands
10 hotel Hobbies and you car stand still
and hear thr, e or four different kinds
of speakers at one and the same time.
Bryan banners swing across the
S5reels at the Lindell hotel. This shows
the desperate straits to which the
great, glorious aud immortal D4mo
cratic party has brought itself. IL re
minds one of the poor, blind beggars
so often seen on the streets of our large
cities begging for pennies. The Demo-
Gratis are begging for somebody to join
with it and help bring it back from its
gold wrecking ground, which is strewn
thickly with the fragments of q once
prosperous business era.
The convention met at IL 100 Wed
nesday. Chairman Taubeneck brought
down the gavel and Rev. W. A. R
Smith, Of st. Louis, invoked the Di
vine blessing. GOV, Some, Of Missouri,
delivered the address of welcome, a
fine one, by the way, and Ignatlone
Donnelly, of Minnesota, responded in
his usual happy vein, and was very
eloquent at times.
the National Executive Committee
selected Senator Marion Butler for
temporary chairman. He was intro
duced and made a very eloquent speech
and appeal for harmony. Senator Al
len Yves elected permanent chairman
this morning.
II is plain that there is a division Of
sentiment. a split is not Improbable.
But the true Populiets will not bolt if
the convention does not go Democratic
and p~'utocratlc They will yield to
the will of the majority, provided the
majority Is for a PopulisJic policy.
There is dceat rivalry between tue op
posing factions,