Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-07-29
SILVER CONVENTION.
Nominated Bryan and Sewall
at st. Louis.
Waited Nearly Week to See What the
Populists Would Do.

united action by the Populist conven-
ton, the silver delegates patience gave
out today, and this afternoon the Silver
party convention nominated Bryan and
Sewall by reclamation as its candidates
for the presidency AID the interpretations
cy, respectively.
The convention Of the Silver party, or
as it was subsequently christened by DR.
Frank Powell of La Crosse, Wis. the
National Bimetallic party (Which title
was ratified by the convention), was
called to order in Music hall in this city
shortly after noon on Wednesday. July
% j. j. Mott. the national committee
chairman, took charge of the prelimina-
ries and introduced Congressman Francis
G. Newlands Of Nevada as the tempo
rary chairman. He delivered an address
outlining the position Of tue convention,
incidentally paying high tribute to Will
liam j Bryan. the Democratic presiden-
tial nominee. After the appointing of a
committee to confer with the Populists
and the selection of the usual committees
preliminary to permanent OrganlzatlO
the convention took recess until even
ing.
The convention had no desire to rush
business. The fact of the matter was
that the Democrats having declared for
free silver and the undoubted intention
of the Populists to do likewise. had left
them little to do as compared with the
time two years ago when they had es-
poused the white metal cause and both
OF the great parties of the country were
arrayed solidly against them. They
wished now to await the action Of the
POpulists and hence an adjournment was
readily agreed to.
In the evening William 2. ST. John,
the New ork man who gave up his po-
slton as president of a bank because he
did not feel that he could conscientiously
act with q board of directors whose
members were gold men. assumed the
permanent craftsmanship. He delivered
speech giving his views of the fnan-
cial situation, and after some other mem
berS of the convention had been heard
adjournment was taken until morning.
The Second Day.
On the second day, Thursday, July "a
there was a disposition on the part of
some of the delegates who thought that
1t was not necessary to consult the
Populists before a platform was built
and candidates put on it to go ahead
with the regular order. But they were
IN the minority, as was shown when
motion was made TO the effect that
when the convention adjourn it be until
10 O'Clock the following morning This
was lost-151 to 146 The convention
might almost as well have adjourned,
though, for not much was accomplished.
The committee on resolutions was ready
- report, but for some reason the re-
port was held back. By way of diver
sion ii roll call Of the states was made
to ascertain the previous political affilia-
tions of the delegates. 1t had the
following result:
Republicans. 526: Democrats. 1876; Popu-
lists; A: independently. u; Greenbackers,
II: Prohibitionists, 8; Nationalist. 1.
A number of prominent speakers held
the floor while the convention was in
session and the time did not pass I'M
pleasantly. Mrs. Helen Cougar of Indi-
ana was among the number and she
pleaded for the incorporation of a prohi-
bition plank in the platform. Dele
gate Rublee A. Cole of Wisconsin later
took exception to this suggestion, deem
ing it unWise to make such move.
The convention adjourned until 10
O'Clock the next morning.
The Third Day.
When the convention was called to
order On the third day, Friday, July q
it was decided not to go ahead with
the platform and nominations until $50
in the afternoon, when it was expected
that the conference committee would be
able TO report the result of it's session
with the like committee from the Popu-
lists. Senator Stewart of Nevada took
up the time until noon with a descrip-
ton of the situation as viewed in the
of the whole convention came from
Judge Scott of Omaha, who followed
Senator Stewart on the stand Among
other things he said: 80 God, send
pestilence and disease and vermin and
war and famine among us if you will,
but in Thy good providence, O God
deliver us from another four years of
oppression under Grover Cleveland
In the afternoon the conference COM
mittee reported that it had met the Pop
ulists and that their views, while prac-
tically united regarding silver, We're so
different regarding other matters that it
was doubtful whether any joint plat
form could be agreed upon. The silver
convention thereupon decided to go
ahead with it's own work and it speedily
adopted the platform recommended by
the resolutions committee. 1t was a
plain declaration in favor of the free
coinage Of silver at the ratio of 16 to 1
and without consulting u:ner nations. 1t
did not take up the other reform mat
tiers which were Incorporated in the Pop
ulist platform. Nominations for Presi-
dent were then declared in order but the
convention listened to but one speech
that advocating the candidacy of Will
liam J. Bryan of Nebraska, the Demo-
cratic nominee. AS soon as seconds had
been made Mr.. Bryan was nominated
by reclamation.
that the convention proceed to the NOM
ination of vice-president. Mr.. Troup cf
Connecticut placed the name Of Arthur
SeWall Of Maine before the convention.
He made no speech. H. It. Niles of
Ohio seconded the nomination. He had
known Mr.. Sewall for years and his IA
ther before him. and there could be no
filter man than he for the place 1t
was moved that Mr.. Sewall be declared
the vice-presidential nominee by acca-
nation, and the motion prevailed. When
quiet was restored Mr.. Baker of Cali
fornia moved that each delegation select
a member of the committee to notify the
nominees. The motion was agreed to.
Col. Pace of Nebraska offered a resolu-
ton declaring it to be the sense of the
convention that as the Democratic party
had arranged to notify Bryan and Sew
all in New York the silver party notify
them in Bryan's home at Lincoln. There
upon the convention adjourned sine die.