New-York tribune., 1896-07-23
TAME OPENING PROCEEDINGS.
MARKED LACK OF PUBLIC INTEREST
AND ENTHUSIASM
AN ILI~AssoRTED AssEMBI-AGE MEET IN THE
GREAT HALL WHERE MKINLEY WAS NoMI-
NATED-sIMPLE-MINDEDF FARMERS LED
BY DEMAGOGCES - DETAILS OF
THE FIRST DAYS SESSIONS

fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
ST. Louis July 22.-As SHOW" the first
sion OF the Peoples party Convention was
dismal failure. The quick and experienced eye
of a manager would have told him of about SO
in the house, and the rest all paper" Thus
the sanguine expectations Of Populistic editors
and the predictions of curbstone prophets have
both come to naught. There are neither crowds
to applaud the vaporings Of misguided fanatics
nor galleries to pay for setting the atmosphere
IN motion. In their stead is gathering of i'll
assorted elements-each with a programme,
each without leader. and all the prey Of the
interruptions demagogues. 1t Is a spectacle as
pathetic as it is ludlcrous. The body Of the
Convention shortly before being called 10 order
ko-day presented an interesting study.
GRAY Boards AND BENT FIGURES.
The distinctive feature was the far advanced
age of the delegates Gray boards. bald heads
and~ben figures predominated Young men
were the exception. Women there were, but
they too. for the most part exhibited the char
actsfistcs Of very decided age. There was a
eprinkling of young country girls, with hats
glarjng ever tried the patience Of theatre
gosr In New-York, sitting in atmosphere OF
musk that sorely tried the nerves OF passersby
and seemed in strange contrast to the shirt
sleeyed sockless and perspirng craftsmanship
surrounding II all sides. Amid this hetero-
geBaous throng up and down the aisles walked
coatisss sergeants-ata arms, resplendent in badges
and dOtarrying in their hands as emblems OF
Their authority clubs. blackthorns, loaded canes
or Anything that seemed handy
On the platform there was an elaborate staff
Of clerks. official reporters and high muck-a-
nueks. for all the world like gathering Of
'gold bugs "rninions Of the money kings"
Behind them were the distinguished guests"
IN serried ranks. the Aliens. the Debses, the
Donnellys the Coxeys. the Mary Ellen Leases
in a word the daisies Of the Convention. or
audience outside the reporters benches there
was none. Those sitting in the lower story OF
the building were probably delegates unable to
find seats among their colleagues. In the gal
lery, which five weeks ago swarmed with no
less than 10000 people. there sat to-day about
900. Enthusiasm altogether lacking.
FARMERS LED BY BLATIERsK1TES.
II has already been said that the advanced
age Of the delegates Is one of the principal out
ward features OF this gathering. That most Of
those participating in II are farmers may safely
be assumed. But their preCence Is chiefly rem
dered impressive by their silence. The talking.
the shouting. the blatherskiting. is all done by
the broken down political hack. who seeks TO
regain In a comparatively simpe-minded COM
munity the grip which he lost in place where
competition In the art of blackgvardism is
keener; by the discredted politician whose
whskey- -soddcn rhetoric is at the disposal OF
any party foolish enough to pay for 1t; by the
professional demagosue. the "picker-up of un-
considered trifes.' the scavenger of the poit-
zeal arena, and by the visionary and wholly i'm
practicable doctrinaire whose brain, like "Ko-
kos" teens with endless schemes. And amid
the din Of these contending forces the farmer
remains silent. But he has ideas They may
not be his own, but merely the product Of the
political bargain counter He has absorbed
them at any rate
REPRESENTING LIES FAILURES 20
Such they are. they voice the grievance he
n nursing. and Just here Is the keynote 10 this
whole movement. These old men whose igno-
rance and prejudices are more less cleveriy
being played upon by handful OF politicians
represent life's failures II is absolutely impos-
sible In looking into the faces Of the men com
posing this Convention to escape the conviction
that their lives would have been a failure no
matter what they might have turned their hand
TO- Their grievances are imaginary, II is true,
but all the more keenly felt on that account.
They have staggered through life under this