The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-08-07
LIVE ISSUES.
NOMINATING SPEECH.
Senator Stewart Before the POpulist
Convention.

Convention.
THE STONE THAT WAS REJECTED
BY THE BUILDERS HAS BECOME
THE HEAD OF THE CORNER.
In seconding the nomination of
VIM. J. Bryan in the Peoples
party convention, Senator Stewart,
of Nevada, said
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen of
the Convention The great work of
education has at last aroused the
American people to the danger of
the situation. The Populist party
were the pioneers whose teachings
have made the liberation of the
people from the thraldom of an
English gold syndicate possible.
Six hundred and twenty Populists
met in convention at Chicago a few
days ago, if by Populists you mean
patriots who seek to re-establish
the laws of the better days of the
republic.
For more than twenty years the
conventions of the two old parties
have been controlled by the agents
of Wall and Lombard streets, and
the presidents nominated by them
have been the tools of an alien
money power. L attended the
Chicago convention with little hope
that it would be a convention of
the American people. [ was sur
prised and more than gratified to
see $40 American citizens eliminate
from the Democratic party the
money power of Wall street. No
convention ever assembled in the
United States with higher pur-
pose and firmer resolve, and more
fixed determination to serve their
country and redeem it from the
blighting rule of gold monopoly
than the Chicago convention. The
delegates were above barter; above
intrigue. They could not be ap-
preached; they could not be cajoled,
purchased, or influenced by the
money powers. The agents of Wall
street were there in unusual num-
bers, with unlimited resources to
influence the convention, if the
usual appliances could be effective.
They were unable to approach the
humblest delegate.
Many candidates for President
and Vice President were on the
ground. Headquarters of the var
ious candidates were in all the
hotels. Bands of music and parades,
and all the usual accomplishments
by which candidates make known
their desire for nomination and
cause their merits to be brought to
the attention of the delegates to the
convention, appeared on every
hand; but intrigue, combination, or
packing of any kind was impossible.
William J. Bryan headed the
duly elected delegates from Nebras-
ka, but his delegation was excluded
by the national committee, "a
majority of which were goldites.
He was not allowed to participate
in the proceedings of the conven-
ton until after the permanent or
ganization had been effected. He
had no headquarters; he was not
known as candidate. He .occu-
pied with his wife modest room
in one of the smaller hotels of
Chicago. No one appeared on the
streets, in the hotels, or elsewhere
to proclaim him as candidate; in
fact, he was not candidate. But
when it became necessary to call
for champion to defend the plat
form against Villas, Hill, Gray, and
the host of gold monopoly the COM
mittee called on William J. Bryan.
The convention hall was filled
Fully one-h half of those present were
goldites, selected and sent there to
sustain Hill and his followers
Villas and Hill were the champions
of the opposition to the platform.
Villas spoke first; then came Hill
with an argument full of cunning,
sophistry, and plausibility. The
goldite clackers cheered him to the
echo and seemed to be a vast ma
jority of the assembly. The $40
reform delegates received the
speeches and the cheers of the gold
monopoly in sullen silence, but it
was manifest that they were burn,