Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-06-26


nationali convention-that of the Demo-
crats-which meets here one week from
next Tuesday. Next week Chicago will
present the appearance of st. Louis about
. month ago, only there won't be any
color line-will be very little color in
fact to draw line about. Still the period
just before the convention will be full of
interest and the convention itself may be
the sensation of the year
Chicago Democrats to BE Ignored.
The matter that is troubling the local
Democracy just now is the action alleged
to have been taken by the men in charge
of the convention with reference to the po-
litical situation in this city. 1t is asserted
that factionism in the local Democracy is
to bc sat upon. Colonel John /. Martin,
the sergeant-at-arms, is the man who has
been chosen to do the sitting. The way
the thing is to be done is to ignore the
Democrats of Chicago altogether in the
arrangements for the convention. Not a
single doorkeeper even will be appointed
from Chicago, and as a result there will
be no packing the hall by paid gold or sill
yer shouters, if the national committee
can help it. Colonel Martin, in speaking
Of the matter, said:
what John 1. Martin SAYS.
II have had delegations from all sides,
and every element of the local Democracy,
wait on me With lists of names of persons
whom they wanted appointed. They pre-
sented their reasons for desiring the ap-
pointment Of these persons. and listened
to them. Then carefully rcfrained from
appointing one of them. l treated all the
contending elements alike, and as result
there will not be IA single doOrkeeper from
Chicago. Not that have not the highest
admiration for the Chicago Democracy
and the men at its head, but think too
much of these gentlemen to put them in a
position where they would have TO yield
to their friends" and Colonel Martin
smiled meaningly. Il do not propose,
anyway, to fill up the hall with employees
as was done at st. Louis. My employees,
oil told, won't number over 5OO.'
Arrangements for the Press.
"The press arrangements continued
the sergcant-at-arms, will be as perfect as
anything sublunary can be. have 42S
press seats arranged, and that will be
more than they had at ST. Louis, where
there were enough seats. In St. Louis,
however, the newspaper men were not
protected from the intrusion of outsiders
and parties who had no business there.
In this convention no such thing can or
will happen. The newspaper men will go
in at the same entrance with the dele
gates, and that entrance will be entirely
separated from the entrances for the gen.
eral public. Our arrangements are not
yet completed, but they will be found to
be perfect when tho timelcomes'
m ~
In connection with the precautions
taken by Colonel Martin against crowd
ing of the convention hall by local Demo
Gratis story got around to the effect that
both gold and silver Democratic leaders
here were making extensive preparations
for scene in the convention hall and
were willing to add all they could to the
impressiveness of it. Both sides showed
themselves SO willing, indeed, anxious, to
recommend ''trusty" men for doorkeepers
that Colonel Martin became suspicious
and started in on aquiet little investiga-
ton, in the course Of which he'discovered,
so IL is said, an organized arrangement on
the part of the adherents of both factions
on the money question to pack the hall
and make demonstrations
Big Men to Arrive Next Week.
The big guns of the party will arrive
next week, some of them-Whitney for
instance-very early, it is said Colonel
Sheerin, Of Indiana, secretai Of the ma
tional committee, arrived here today. He
is in direct charge of the press arrange
ments and will put the finishing touches
to them