The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-07-16
IT WAS A SILVER FIzZLE
HANDFUL OF MEN MEET TO SELECT
DELEGATES To ST. LOUIS.
PopuIists and Their Convention-Bry-
bration Next Saturday Night.

The great gathering OF silver enthusiasts
advertised TO meet at the English Hotel
yesterday afternoon was considerable Of a
fzzle. The meeting was called by Arson
walcott. OF walcott. Ind. in order to select
forty-nine delegates to the st. Louis silver
convention, which meets next Wednesday.
The elevator boy at the hotel said he car
ried up seven people. chief among whom
was Franklin Landers. OF this city. Proba-
bly, a few others went up by the stairway,
but nobody in the conference was willing
TO Civ an estimate upon how many were
there. except Populist Ogborn, who said he
thought there were about forty-five present
and he never cracked a smile when he
said Ii.
This mass meeting OF the friends of
silver did not select the f%orty-nine dele
gates to st. Louis. The most reliable in
formation o~btainable is that 1t was decided
to give the credentials into the hands of
Arson Walcott, who should turn them
over TO such people as may happen to turn
up from Indiana at st. Louis and were
willing to sit in the convention. When
asked for the list, Mr.. Walcott referred
the Journal reporter to S.. NJ. Sheppard.
Mr.. Sheppard said he was not at the meet
ing. but Ogborn had the whole proceedings.
Ogborn had nothing but a little statement
he had been asked to prepare for the news
papers. He declared that Patterson, Of
local Populistic fame, had acted as secre-
tary of the meeting and must lave the
list. These three shining lights, Sheppard,
Patterson and Ogborn were got together
and then the truth was brought out that
no list had been made Up.
The only action of the conference there
fore was the adoption Of a motion instruct
ing the delegation TO vote as a unit for the
Endorsement OF the platform and candi-
dates of the Democratic convention at Chi
cago- If the delegations from other states
TO this st. Louis gathering are made up in
the same fashion as the Indiana delegation.
II Is likely to prove a very representative
body.
POPULISTS AND ST. LOUIS.
There is a muttering which indicates that
all will not be lovely with the Populist
brethren at st. Louis next week. The eff
fort to deliver the party to the Democracy
will be resented by the rank and file, many
of whom are now limiting at silver-mine
Doodle as a cause for the eagerness of GER
tain leaders to destroy the party organiza-
ton. A man prominent in State politics
said yesterday:
why should we give up the fight just
when We have won? The Democrats have
stolen our platform in the hope OF stealing
our vote. Can We trust such a party to
carry out our views? 1t is just the offices
they are after. And when could we ever
trust the Democracy? If the men who
controlled the Chicago convention are sim
cere In their views, they would AVE joined
our party would they not? They would
call themselves Populists. be Populists and
talk POpulism. / for one do not propose
to be a party to this sell out and will stand
firm for a ticket of OR own with a Popu-
list candidate. Then If the Democrats want
to join us and help elect him they can do
so and show their honesty. What sort of
Populism do you suppose we would have in
this State with the Sentinel our party
organ. owned by MorsS. an a~ppOintee of
Cleveland, and edited by Jacob Dunn, one
of the most emphatic g~old-standard men
in the State. No. sir, we must fight for
our party and no permit the Democracy
to use it TO get a few Offices with and run
il in the round