The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-24


delegation.
TEXAS IS OBSTINATE
When Texas was called for her mem
Der of the conference committee Dele
gate Park jumped up and shouted:
Texas never treats with the enemy
Texas names no member of that com
mittee." All the other states, how
ever, made selections The committee
Immediately retired to meet the silver
committee.
Congressman Howard called upon the
chair for a statement of the purpose OF
the conference committee and the
power with which it was clothed. Sen
ator Allen responded that the object
was to ascertain if the two conVen-
tiops could find common ground to
stand on. Anything they did would De
subject to the subsequent action of the
convention. It had no pIenary power
The regular order was called for. This
was the reading Of the minority report
of the committee on rules 1t recon-
mended a change in the order of max
ing nominations SO as to make the nom
ination of vice president before that Of
president. This was a move of the mid
die Of the road men. Delegate McGra tn
of Illinois promptly moved to lay the
minority report on the table Con
gressman Howard and Barney Gibbs Of
Alabama demanded to be heard on the
motion.
The plain purpose of the straight
outs was to test Sewal1's strength. The
proposition would show the extreme
high water strength of the anti-Bryan
men. There was some parliamentary
squabbling. Tweed POmerOy of New
ark, N. J., chairman of the committee
on rules took the stage and explained
at length the conflict between the ma
jority and the minority report
Ignatius Donnelly of Minnesota, pro-
tested against the proposition reported
from the committee on rules to allow
the candidate to select the national
chairman. 1T may be- he said pas
sionateIy that when this convention
adjourns there will be little left of the
Populist party except the national COM
mittee While I am willing to support
Bryan, if he is the choice of this con-
vention, when the folly of the moment
has passed away we may want to
cIothe the skeleton that is left" He
wanted the national committee to Sc
lect its chairman. The middle of the
readers cheered Donnelly Justify, and
an Alabama delegate cried out that the
convention should select the chairman.
Judge Green of Nebraska, made a
vigorous reply to Mr.. Donnel1y, in
which he declared that the Peoples
Party would emerge triumphant from
this contest if it grasped the opportun-
ity to achieve a success in November
for silver. To do SO, he argued, would
save the life of the Peoples Party. The
Bryan delegates grew obstreper-
Gus as he proceeded, and a dozen points
of order were made among them, one
that he was not discussing the ques-
ton at issue. Chairman Allen over
ruled these points right and left.
"Sit down." sit down." cried a hun
dred voices.
TIL not sit down. repeated Judge
Green, fercely, until I get ready.
When he completed his speech Con-
gresham Howard of Alabama, one of
the straight-outs, came forward. He is
tall and swarthy with raven black hair
that falls on his shoulders, and when
he spoke today his eyes flashed and his
cheeks burned. He was greatly arous-
ed. He took a shot at Senator Allen
for suggesting that "any man who
wore a delegate badge was Influenced
by the use of money" He advocated
taking up the report section by section.
He wanted to nominate a vice presi-
dent first This statement was greeted
with many cries Of NO and jeers
while his faction Of the convention
howIed with delight. Howard pleaded
for the nomination Of vice president in
the interest of party harmony. z.
Gerry Brown OF Massachusetts also de
Tended the minority report. He plead
ed with the majority in pathetic tones
to concede this much to the southern
states and the minority of the conven-
ton.
THIS YOUNG SAMSON"
George Abbott of Nebraska, appealed
to the convention to change the regu-
lar order OF business. He did not in
some things represent his delegation.
4 am here to fight Sewall," he yelled,
ION every proposition. I am here from
the cornfields of the west to shake
hands with the cotton fields of the
south" When he said he was willing
to do all in his power to defeat Sewal,
the straight-outs yelled and cheered
like mad men, After he left the stand
there We're loud cries for Cyclone"
Davis and Jerry Simpson.
The former quickly responded. He
made a characteristic speech. With
arms waving like the fans of a wind
mill and a voice that sounded like a
fog horn, he set the radicals wild with
enthusiasm. He did not want to i'm
pugn the motives of any one. but he
wanted to know if the men from the
crested heights would give the south
the second place. There were loud
cries of Yes, we will" Davis raised
q storm of applause when he declared
men from the north must not ask them
to advocate or defend a redeemable
money. The cheers came from the
prairie states. He went on to say that
another thing that they must not be re
quired to do was to take this young
Samson, the Peoples Party. and lay it
on the altar of the Democracy. He
announced that they were willing to
accept the Joshua Of Nebraska if they
could be assured of a candidate of their
own for vice president and the preser-
walton Of the Peoples Party.
Tom Patterson of Colorado followed
with a strong speech against the adop-
ton of the minority report. He depre-
Gated the croaking of the birds of evil
omen and declared that what this
great convention" would do would
add to the power and glory of the party
it represented.
If this ticket is divided" he cried.
lifting his arms aloft, IF Bryan is in
dorsed and a southern man is named
for vice president, such confusion will
result that -" but he got no further