The San Francisco call., 1896-07-25

spring Patterson, special pleader from
Colorado for the Democracy.
Manly men admire manly foe, and so
amid the groans and Kisses there arose
many cheer from those who admired a
sturdy adherence to principle.
The Bryan men received a severe set
back when the report of the committee on
permanent organization ana order OF busi-
ness was before the convention. The
majority of the committee had recon-
mended that nominations for President
should be made before those for Vice
President, and in the discussion on this
matter North Carolina 6ivulged a State
secret. The chairman of her delegation
insisted that unless Arthur SewaIl of
Maine was dumped into the Atlantic and
the Vice-Presidency gwen to the South
he would cast the ninety-five votes of his
State against the m ajority report. He
demanded that the Bryan faction should
throw their wedge itself to give the
South the Vice Presidency. A moment
later. not having received reply, he cast
the ninety-five votes on the side of dis
trust amid a great outburst of cheering.
This carried the day against Sewall and
light began to shine on the darkness that
This was the introduction of the wedge
that split up the com bination so carefully
built into a magnificent edifice by the
Bryan wing of the convention. 1t threw
CONSERVATION as bursting bomb into the
ranks of the Democrats, and killed and
wounded more hopes than anything else
that had occurred in the convention up to
that hour. 1t was evident that Populism
could not endure the president of a Ma
tional bank on its ticket, and now the
most desperate fight of the day was to be
waged.
! North Carolins's ninety-five votes had
become potent factor In the balance of
power. The dominant faction could not
afford to drop Sewall, no matter how NAL.
odoroua he might be in the nostriIs of the
Peoples party, because if he were dropped
the nomination of Bryan would be of no
avail, for in every State there would be
two sets of electors-one the Democratic,
for Bryan and Sewall, and the other the
Populist, for Bryan and Watson, or who
ever he might be.
This would cut the Bryan ticket in two,
and unless the Democrats and the Popu-
lists carry each State by at least one ma
jority, or two-thirds of the total vote, Nc
Kinley would be elected. This was an
appalling prospect for the Bryan men, and
they made tonight the hardest fight of
their lives. Even now, as / write these
lines at my desk in the convention hall,
Lafe Pence of New York is making an elo-
quent, impassioned and almost fearful
plea for Sewall, while the 1900 delegates
are listening to him with that respect and
attention which every American accords to
bright man and good speaker.
During the three days session of the
Populist convention the greatest disorder
prevailed. Every delegate on the floor
| appeared to be a natural-born ora tor and
parliamentarian, and wanted to speak or
raise a point of order on every oppor-
tunity. If it was not that, it was to rise
to question of privilege, or to ask for in
| formation. Hence the greatest disorder
prevailed.
The confusion, aggravated by the miser-
able acoustics of this building, which was
evidently erected for the purpose of cir
Gus or as peace offering to the tornado.
was so great that it was found necessary TO
establish relay Of strong, clear voices. A
sun-burned cornraiser from the green prai-
ries of Ne braska took his station on q chair
Oh u pidtiolm d1ouSeloe senator Allen
and repeated what the chairman had said.
Then. after several raps of the Senator's
gavel, the sun-burned man said: "The
chair is now calling for order. He saws
that unless you keep quiet no business can
be transacted"
About a hundred feet away from the
chairs platform stood an iron-iunged
Texan in chair, who repeated to the
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