Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1896-07-23

been subjected, and declared 1t had trl-
umphed, had atlast torn the mask from
the old parties, Some weeks ago the
republican party had been forced to
align itself with the moneyed kings of
Wall street and Europe, The DEM
ocratic party Mt Chicago was driven to
the alternative of siding with gold or
the people, They were so frightened
that, In their desperation, they finally
committed grand and petty larceny
stealing the populst platform and try
ing to steal into the populist party
This statement set the convention
wild.
Mr.. Butler pleaded for the mainte-
nance of the organization Of the peo-
pies party, The financial question,
he continued, has been Us much an is
sue since 1878 as it was to-day, but 1t
remained for the peoples party to
force this issue to the front
Concluding, Mr., Butler said;
We shall stand together, go away united
strip our coats for the fray and be prepared
for any emergency however great, Remember
that you are peoples party men; remember
that you have accomplished more In four years
than the other parties and remember that, II
you do your duty now, you will very soon be
the party of the majority.
The gavel which was handed to Mr..
Butler was presented to the national
committee by 5, D. Walton, colored
delegate from Georgia, as the gift Of
j. 7. Young, of that state. 1t has l6
tips of silver and one of gold, and it
was made Of walnut, oak and ash
woods collected from II states-l6
southern and western and one eastern
state.
The states were then called for MEM
! bers of the committee on credentials
and at the conclusion the convention
at $40 o'clock took recess until eight
o'clock at night
When eight o'clock, the hour for the
convention to convene, arrived, the
hall was still in darkness. The dele
gates were huddled in the seats in
front of the platform, while groups of
faces swayed in the light Of the few
candles that fickered on the press
tables About this time, some shrewd
middle.of-the-roader thought he dis
covered that the refusal to turn on the
lights was part of scheme of the
Bryan people to prevent the straight
out element from controlling. This
suspicion that the lights were out in
the interest of faction, as they were
turned out at the Cincinnati conven-
ton in 1876 by the opponents of Mr..
Blaine, aroused storm Of pro-
tests, Snd the middle-of-the-road-
ers were charging about in the
dark to discover the cause OF
the unprecedented situation. TITS a
scheme Of the Bryan men," the Texas
delegation shouted. BY this time the
aisles were chol1ed with delegates,
pushing and cropping their way about
in the dark, There began to be some
apprehension of some sudden alarm
which might stampede the delegates
and cause disaster, and the leaders
began discussing the advisability of
adjourning the convention until this
morning. The band, under instruc-
tions, kept up constant fusillade OF
airs to allay the fears Of any who
might be alarmed. Whenever the
band p.ayed hymn, the delegates
Joined in the chorus Some of the
other rollicking songs, like John
Browns Body" and Marching
Through Georgia." were also sung en-
Enthusiastically.
At $50, Cyclone" Davis mounted to
the stage and tried to secure order, but
the crowd refused to listen until some
one held lighted candle in front OF
his face. AS his tall form and broad,
sweeping sombrero came within the
narrow ring of the light from the tai
low dip, the delegates Immediately
recognized him and there were shouts
of "Shut up!' Keep quietG' Listen
TO CycloneP' When he could make
himself heard he announced that the
electric wires were "dissffected," but
that they would be all right in few
minutes, whereupon there were cheers
of approval and the band struck up an
other tune.
Mrs. Mary E. Lease came to the
stage and was appealed to to make a
speech, but she declined to talk in the
dark. "Wait until they turn on the
lights" said she, land I'll talk to you
all night"
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. He
announced that the committee on Gre
dentials would not be able to report
that night, and that, as, owing to an
accident, there was no light, he would
declare the convention in recess until
ten o'clock Thursday morning. The
delegates, many of them with evident
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