Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-07-27

ties had been unfaithful to their trust
and had brought the country to the verge
of bankruptcy. The leaders of both
had been unfaithfui TO their trust
Hence the need for the Peoples party
He refererd to Mckinley as the candi-
date of aggregated capital and COM
bined greed
He declared both the old parties had
for years kept the greatest issue in
American politics in the background
They would shun issues and fight sham
battles. No matter where the victory lay
Wall street and Lombard street won.
Meantime, he said, the Populist party,
organized to bring relief to the people,
had grown steadily. The agitation had
been kept up; victories against greed had
been won. The South and the West
had Joined hands He paid a high trib-
nte to the late President Hoke Of North
Carolina. who, he said, had broken down
Mason & Dixon's line and made it posi-
BILE for new party to revive the broad
principles of Jefferson and Lincoln. He
described the various campaigns through
which the party had passed in various
states, the hardships endured. the filings
and ridicule to which they had been sub
jected, but they had triumphed.
Chairman Butler then assumed the
gavel and the states were called for
members of the committee on creden-
tials. At the conclusion of the call the
convention at 2:10 took a recess until
o'clock tonight.
Butler in the Middle of the Road.
Senator Butler said just before the
recess: Il do not want to be misunder-
stood. ! am a middle-of-the-road Popu'
list, but l do not want to place the mid
dle-of-the-road people above principle.
Principle first and party afterwards
Middle of the Road Meeting.
After the convention took a recess a
middle-of-the-road meeting was an
nounced There was at once a rush of
delegates towards the speakers stand.
Mr. Carter of Georgia acted as chair
man. There were immediate calls for
Stump Ashley, but as he began to
speak the band began to play Angry
men shouted: ''Put out that Democratic
band'' and ''stop that band"
but by this time Congressman Harvard
had got to the front and began making
a speech. He talked long and loud
against the Bryan movement. He was
followed by Stump Ashley, who made
another long speech. There were loud
"Cyclone'' Davis made a strong plea for
the preservation of the Populist party,
after which an attempt was made 10 do
some business.
"Stump" Ashley was then elected
chairman and number of secretaries
were chosen. 1t was suggested that one
delegate from each state be selected to
form permanent middle-of- the-road
committee but many states did not re-
spond A partial list was finally OBJ
tanned, and this is to be the steering
committee for the middle-of-the-road men
and act for them at any future meetings
to be held as may be deemed necessary.
No Night Session.
There was no night session, owing to
an accident which destroyed the cleo
trio light connections A severe storm
had passed over the city about 6 o'clock
and the wires were blown down. Despite
this fact the delegates assembled in the
hall and waited for over an hour in total
darkness for the lights to be turned on.
About a dozen candles were brought IN
for the use of the newspaper men. One
was placed on the chairman's table, and
another stuck in the top of guidon IN
the middle of the pit.
For nearly an hour the crowd Kept up
chorus of cat calls and personal hlngs
whenever the band stopped playing.
At S:45 Chairman Butler appeared on
the stage. The band played "Put Me
Off at Buffalo," and then Senator But
Ter called the convention to order. lie
announced that the committee on Gre
dea tials would not be able to report to-
night, and that as, owing to an accident,
there was no light, he would declare
the convention in recess until 10 o'clock
tomorrow morning. The delegates,
many of them with evident reluctance,
then quilted the hall.