Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-07-31
TWO CONVENTIONS.
POpuliStS and Silver Men Get
Down to Business.
LITTLE MPLISHED.

ar Apart dS EE0i1 "ithO WV
White Medal Advocates Have
Agreed to Indorse Bryan
Darkness Ended thu
Session.
The populist and silver conventions we're
launched Wednesday, but neither made much
headway The programme of the silver con-
yention was all arranged in advance, 1t in
cluded simply the adoption Of 16-to-1 plat
form and the nomination OF Bryan and Sew
all, but those in charge OF it deemed it good
policy to 90 slowly, In the belief that they
might, by rem>luing in session, be able TO ex-
ercise an influence in shaping things in the
populist convention To this end they ap-
pointed a committee OF seven, headed by
Judge Scott. of California, to meet with
similar committee from the populists for tue
purpose Of reaching common plan oil action.
The idea was perhaps, well conceived, al
though it is doubtful whether their course
will be fruitful Of results. The anti-Bryan
populists affect to believe that all the outside
influences which are being brought to bear
|
inees of the democratic convention are part
of the same plot to drive their party into the
democratic trap and destroy and annihilate
its identity. They are deaf to suggestions,
appeals and warnings. The future has no
terrors for them keep in the middle oil the
road is their reply to every argument, their
answer to every forebodlng They have con-
yinced themselves that If they so marching
on, in four years more the two old parties
will be shattered, disrupted and discredited
and they will come ''into their own
The first session of the populi,t convention
was disappointment to those who antlcl-
pated relentless, bitter war from the drop Oh
the gavel, and it was disappointment to
those who imagined that the galleries would
swarm with people, drawn thither either by
curiosity or sympathy with the deliberations
of the convention.
The floor, where the delegates were gath
cred, was in some respects crowded with as
unique an assemblage as was ever massed
under one roof 4 single glance showed
that they represented the common people
a term in which they glory that they came
from the farm, the mine, the workshop end
the factory. They discarded conventional
ties F.lly half of them sat in their shirt
sleeves. with their coat slung over the backs
of their chair. Among them were many
picturesque personalities-men who had
been known as agitators and reformers Tor
years were there, but there were also many
whose ability and force OF character have
given them rank in high station. AS body
they were men of strong and earnest con-
victions
Governor Llewelling, Senator PETER and
Jerry Simpson, of Kansas; Governor Hol-
comb, Of Nebraska; Ignatius Donnelly, OF
Minnesota; "Cyclone" Davis, Of Texas;
Colonel Peak, OF Georgia.; General Coxey
and Carl Browne, Of Ohio, late Of the indus
trial army; Thomas NJ. Patterson, of Colo
rado: x-Governor Buchanan, of Tennessee;
General Weaver, of Iowa. and General Field,
of Virginia. who were the populiSt candi-
dates in 1892; Colonel Burkett, of Mississip-
nj; Buffalo Jones, of Oklahoma; Capt. Reu-i
ben Kolb, Congressman Howard and Colonel
Bowman of Alabama, and many others
were prominent and conspicuous figures on
the flo I.
On the platform were Chairman Ta1be-
neck, Senator Butler, of North Carolina;
Senator Allen, of Nebraska: Mrs. Mary Ellen
Lease, OF Kansas, and other distinguished
guests The appearance OF several women
delegates on the floor was a novel feature in
q national political gathering. The press
galleries usually occupied by the representa-
tives Of the big dailies were largely given
over to the editors of the weekly reform
papers.
The day session, which lasted about an
hour and half developed nothing except
possibly that the noisy middle-of-the-road
contingent we're afraid to put to the touch
their claims.
After Senator Butler had been chosen
temporary chairman by the national com
mttee and they had ascertained that he
favored Bryans nomination, they at once
decided to depose him. At the conclusion
of an enthusiastic meeting they determined
to put forward as their candidate o. d.
Jones, of Missouri, an old greenbacker, who
has written several works on finance.
Senator Butler hopes to be the pivot on
which the convention will turn. He believes
eventually all the factions can be harmon
lied on his plan to adopt n populist plat
form and nominate upon it Bryan, with
Southern populist for Vice-President. His
speech strongly upheld the demand for the
perpetuation of the populist organization
which he described as having driven the re-
publicans to gold and the democrats to sill
yer. To be swallowed up by the democrats,
he said, was a danger only equaled by the
danger of being made the indirect allies Of
the republicans in the present campaign.
He gave both factions chance to rend the
air with their shouts, but when in conclus-
ion he suggested a middle course, tns pur-
port Of which all understood, both sides
were irresponsible. The Bryan men for the
while, however, considered that the victory,
so far as there was one lay with them.
There was no demonstrations at the day
session.
At night the hall was not lighted and some
weird scenes took place, some of the dele
gates suspecting trick. 1t was explained
that the electric connections had been de-