The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-22

or Weaver. He considered Butler pre-
ferable to the Iowan.
Just as Davis finished talking the
committee returned from calling on
Butler. They had decided not to invite
Butler to appear before the conference
but had asked him to state his posi-
ton That position according to the
committee was that Butler said the
POpulists must adopt a platform and
tender the nomination to Bryan and
nominate a candidate for vice presi-
dent.
The report was received with jeers.
I'VE don't want him. cried one. He
has turned his coat already said an
other. A member of the committee
said there was nothing more for the
middle of the road men to do except to
stand by Kirby Davis arose again
and pleaded with them not to attempt
to undo the action of the national COM
mittee. He was very much surprised
to learn that Butler held the position
stated by the committee. I'VE must
be patriots" said Davis. We must
not make a fight on the action of the
committee. 1t will aggravate the
northwest section of the country. We
shall be antagOnized in many sec
tions''
Davis advised against rash acts. He
would be torn limb from limb before he
would do anything to injuFe the POpu
list party. He had placed his sons on
his knees and laying his hands upon
their heads had bid them to hate the
Democratic party for all time. He
again announced his adhesion to the
Populist party. Their God shall be
my God" he cried excitedly- Their
graves shall be my graves"
Cyclone was preparing to soar still
higher when the middle of the road
men took a hand. He is a Bryan man
shouted one Take him down." yelled
another. We don't want to listen to
such talk as that" came from a third
one. He sold us out" said a fourth
hi
and gracefully retired perspiring freely
but not before one of his Texas friends
had mounted a chair and declared that
anybody who undertook to stop "Cy-
clone" Davis mouth would have him
to fight.
/ W. J. Carter of Georgia, a young man
with flowing curls, jumped on a chair
and said he could not expect to reply
to the eloquent Cyclone from Texas,
but would do the best he could. THE
man." said Mr.. Carter, who tells Jim
Davis five minutes before the commit
tee meets that he is against Bryan and
an hour afterWard tells our committee
he is for Bryan is not a fit man to pre-
side over a convention Of POpulists. We
want no such man.
This announcement was received with
cheers by the POpulists. An attempt
was then made to nominate Kirby who
was still presiding over the meeting,
but as several delegates wanted to be
heard he recognized everybody. A
North Carolina man mounted the table
and said North Carolina would not vote
for Butler. He advised everybody to
beware of men who talked for Bryan.
Some Texas man nominated Judge
Frank Burkett of Louisiana for tenn
pOrary chairman, but the Louisiana
men said they expected to place him
on the national ticket and did not want
to embarrass him by having him made
temporary chairman. A Texas dele
gate said the nomination of Kirby for
temporary chairman, in view of the
fact that the member of the national
committee from Texas had supported
Butler, would lose Kirby thousands of
votes in Texas in his campaign for
governor
A Missouri man remarked that he
could relieve the Texas people of their
difficulty and announced that D. O..
mirable chairman. A Texas man i'm
mediately Endorsed the candidacy of
Jones, and the conference seemed about
ready to accept him when several dele
gates demanded that Jones make his
appearance. They wanted a sight of
him before they accepted him. Many
delegates were clamOring for dinner
and Chairman Kirby adjourned the
meeting until 8 o'clock
The middle of the road delegates re-
assembled after supper and were about
to select o. D Jones of Missouri for
temporary chairman, when it was stat
ed that he was not a delegate and that
the national committee would not al
low him to be voted for on that ground.
An effort was then made to select Bur
kett of Mississippi, but it was decided
to let the matter go over.