The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1896-07-15

rary chairman of the Chicago Con.
ventiOn.
The Convention rebelled against
this selection and chose Senator
John W. Daniel of Virginia, as
the temporary presiding officer,
not that he was Il better, more zeal.
Gus, loyal or consistent Democrat
than Hill, but simply because he
had shouted more Justify for free
silver. Then in order to obtain a
two, thirds majority, without arbi-
trarily abrogating the rule by
which every convention has been
guided in making nominations,
the committee on credentials re-
ported in favor of seating the con.
testing silver delegations from
Michigan and Kansas, when they
had no shadow Of title to the seats
sought to be occupied by them.
But the report was sustained by
the convention aud the contrasting
silver delegations admitted. The
incorporation Of the free silver
plank in the platform occasions no
surprise, as that is the chief duty
for which the convention had AS.
sembled, but it does surprise us
that the remaining plaDks Of the
platform, having tendency to en-
courage and endorse the re action.
cry principles of populism, should
have been constructed and adopt.
ed by a convention protesting to
be Democratic.
The most astonishing and mex.
plicable, however, of all these IN,
explained surprises, is to be found
in the personnel Of the nominees
VIM. j. Bryan, of Lincoln, Ne
braska, was nominated for Presi
dent Oh the fifth ballot. He is d
lawyer of respectable and perhaps
mediocre ability. He had served
two terms in Congress, but had
been defeated for reelection and
subsequently for Senator. He had
declared in a speech at Jackson,
Miss, about twelve months ago,
that che would die in his tracks.
before he would support the nomi
nee of the Democratic convention
unless a free silver plank was i'll
serted in the platform" Being
only thirty-six years of age, scarce
ly eligible under the constitution
and possessing no other requisites
for the exalted position of Chic
Magistrate, save those of magneti,
personality and extraordinary ora
torical powers, he seized the fa
| yorable moment, made \ speech
which captured the conventions
stampeded it and secured for him.
self the nomination., while the
great Democratic leaders, who
have grown grey in party harness
were relegated to the rear. I'm
less the Populists unite with tbt
Democrats, be cannot carry the
electoral vote of his own State
Arthur Sewell, the vice presi
dental nominee, is a native ant
resident of Bath, Maine, where he
is a wealthy ship builder, railway
director and bank president. lit
has no reputation beyond the lin
its of his own State. Indeed, ht
is utterly unknown there excep,
as Chairman Of the Democratic
State Central Committee. A,
Maine is a reliably Republican
State, it is safe to assume that tn.
ticket will not receive its electora
vote. notwithstanding, however
the arbitrary action of the free
silver majority and believing al
we do, that it will react disas
trously upon every interest of thu
country, if adopted, we yet recog
nize the incontr0vertibIe fact thai
party alignment can only be pre-
served by submission TO the vii
of the majority duly and legally
ascertained. Sired by a Democra
ticN father and nnrinrcd at the