The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-07-09
REVIEW OF THE DAY.
Incidents and Features of the Two
Sessions of the Convention.

Sessions of the Convention.
Special to The Indianapolis Journal.
CHICAGO, July S.-The second days
work of the Democratic national conven-
ton was really accomplished at this even
ing's session. The convention was called
to meet at 10 o'clock this morning, but the
credentials committee was not ready to re-
port and so the whole morning was vast
ed After several hours devoted to speech
making the minority report on the Mich
igan contest was rejected and the majority
report adopted. Senator White was elect
ed permanent chairman. His firm adminis-
tration was in marked contrast to the pitt
able failure of Senator Daniel who at no
time showed himself capable OF handling
the convention.
The arrangements for entering the build
ing were a vast Improvement over yester-
day. Sergeani-at-arms Martin has been
pitilessly scored and in the committee on
rules a proposition was made to remove
him. However, when the delegates and the
spectators arrived. they found that there
were only hours of weary waiting There
was prayer and then came the calls for
reports of committees. which in no event
ELECTED response. Hours passed, and still
nothing was done.
ALTGELD WAS TAME.
Meanwhile the Il, 900 people in the build
ing killed time as best they could. Speeches
were made TO them by ex-Governors Hogg,
of Texas Joe Blackburn, of Kentucky,
stray nobodies OF mere local celebrity and
finally Governor Altseld. Of all these
speeches nothing of comment is necessary,
but it deserves mention that none of them
made any allusion to the President Of their
own party. Mr.. Atgeld, who has been
pinng for an opportunity 10 defile the pro-
ceedings with the venom of his malice
toward Mr. Cleveland did not make even
the slightest reference to the chief execu-
tive and for good reasons. He was told
in the olainest words by Senators Jones.
Harris Hill and others that he must not
dare utter word at which exception could
be taken by friend of the President, or
which was calculated to lower the dignity
of the convention. Hence Governor Alt
geld's tongue being robbed of its only ele-
ment of possible interest. namely. spiteful
abuse of Cleveland. fell fiat in the conven-
ton Only the Illinois delegation displayed
some perfunctory enthusiasm. George
Fred williams, the young Massachusetts
mugwump who has broken away from his
party by going into the silver camp, re-
ceived the attention which a country dele
gate might pay to especially note
worthy freak in a Clark-street dime mu-
scum Williams seems to have deteriorated
since the days when he and Sherman Hoar
and Others of the Massachusetts kindergar-
ten in the Fiftieth House. stirred up the
older members of the Democratic party to
deadly wrath 1t was George Fred whose
antics one day caused Tom" Reed to de-
fine rnugwump as "a something that had
been educated beyond it's speciality" His
speech to-day was idle rot.
At intervals the band played. There is
an excellent band in the gallery above the
platform. but so vast is the building that
bands which accompanied marching clubs
into the hall found that little impromptu
concerts could be given In remote sections
without disturbing the harmony of the
whole. A boom that rather failed was the
Bryan boom Much was expected of the
| thrilling moment when the young Demo-
| cratic orator of the Platte would march
| into the convention hall at the head Of the
| silver delegation from Nebraska. 1t had
| been expected that there would be a hot
fight in the delegation and his final entry
! leading the silver men would be a grand
| triumphal procession. Unfortunately these
men defeated the scheme. AS soon as the
report of the credentials committee was
read. and without even waiting for votk,
! the chairman of the gold delegation arose
/ and took off his delegate badge. His as
| sociates followed his example, and before
| the Bryan shouters in the galleries under
| stood what had really happened the dra,
matte moment had passed so that when Mr.
| Bryan entered the applause was hardly
more than meager. The gold men from
| Nebraska chatted gleefuly with friends,
but they regarded their badges with SOL
| emnity. However, Mr.. Bryan's name may
yet figure at critical moment.
STEvENSoNS BOOM
| There are signs Of "a reawakening of the
| Stevenson boom. The meeting of the Illi-
| nois delegation on Monday had a sporifc
! influence upon Ii. But the dose then ad-
| ministered was rot up the proof of Chi
| cago '.knock-out@drops'' AS the Eastern
| delegations inclinfng toward the man OF
| the ak arrived here they had 20 confront
/ the dampening fact that Mr.. Altgeld had
| whipped. by means of the unit rule the
/ Illinois members into line for Bland. II
is pretty well understood, though. that
| even some of the majority were favorable
| to the son Of Illinois. Nevertheless, he
possessed, twenty-five hours ago. the un-
| fortunate weakness of being in a certain
| sense a candidate without the support OF
his State. With the wabbiing condition
of the Bland boom manifest to-day, Ste
venson stock has again been listed and
| is supported by many delegations in differ
| ent sections as a possible winner after the
complimentary or semi-obligatory votes
/ have been cast for others. And it may
happen that as soon as the IIiiEois people
appreciate the possibility before their par.
ty in the State they will relieve them
selves OF all bonds Of the Missourian's
| forging The West virginians. North Car.
olinians, some of the virginians and Mary.
landers are quite friendly to the Stevenson
idea, and in such States as New York
there is disposition to accept him as q