The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-07-08

gSrllSa1O, July ts-ii tHc iuu Is 6iiiiSSH'
and capacious Coliseum In Jackson
Park. beneath clear. skies, with a cool
iinvlgoratlng breeze swapping at the
tllags and trapplngs and the blue waters
iof Lake Michigan stretching away to
the north, the Democratic national con-
Eyentlon met to-day. After a brief but
decisive battle In the arena. the silver
men 5vlndicated their supremacy. They
wrestcd.f from the hands OF the gold ,pha-
;lanxes the control OF the convention,
and gathered the relns OF power Into
their own hands.
4 There was q "Reminiscences OF that other
great Coliseum whose fall marked the
destruction Of an empire, where men
were butchered to make, a Roman holt
day. About 1t all, a champion who has
so often. entered the lists to, do battle in
Democracy's cause. amid the ringing
shouts and the wild acclaim Of his par:
TWAS put to, the sword that silver held
supreme. &. 3. 4!
It5was with reluctance that many OF
the. friends OF Senator David B. Hill
turned their thumbs downward as the
arrogant patriclans OF the empire that
ruled the. world did when the pcpulace
cried for mercy. But, like the gladia-.
tors who entered the arena to the blare
of the trumpet and the CLING of steel.
the silver men beat back their sympa-
tlsies and hardened their hearts that
the issue might be squarely drawn and
.decided.y even Though st involved the
DOOM of one whom they had delighted
to h0nor.in the past ss.ssss, g.. {. : y. = :
This was the first result otsthis re-
markable convention Which Is Ireadyf to
sacrifice all else that the white banner
OF silver may float about the party as
Its ensign and rallying cry. The con-
.yenrton itself was O most inspiring sight.
Never before since the present system
ofnational conventions was inaugurat-
ed by the old national Republican,
party In Baltimore. In 1861, has a con-
4vention met In such capacious and
admirably adapted structure.
Among the distinguished guests seat
ed In the rear were a number OF gold
leaders who had been conspicuous In
previous conventions. but who were
swept aside by the silver coherents OF
their states. The strangest Of all the
platform of n Democratic convention
were the little coteries of silver states
who boltcd the convention at st. Louis.
At'present without party they seek
entrance TO the Democratic party on
condition. that 1t select Mr.. Teller g
Mr.. John j. Weaver and other Popu-
lists and other silverites like Senator
Stewart, were also there, all watching
closely the results OF the deliberations
of;the convention. Although many we'll
known faces were missing IL was u dis
tinguished gathering. The gold men
carried out their programme OF pre-.
senting Senator IIill for temporary
chairman, but the silver leaders also
held to their resolution and Immediate
,ly artagonlzed him with Senator, Dam
lei. For two hours the oratorlcal gladi-
ators of the opposing forces fought It
out upon tho platform. 1t was notice.
able that neither side put It's giants for
ward. a.
There Is little change in the situation
as to candidates tonight. Bland: still
has a long lead, but the. possibility OF
all sorts OF complications, which may
block his way to the coveted prize, have
made his followers anxious and the
talk OF abrogating the two-thirds rule
In his Interest hns been revived. There
is OF course, the natural disposition to
crowd on to the band wagon. but the
calmest observers cannot yet figure out
how he can win. They still look for
Bolcs or n dark horse. The use which
the gold contingent will make OF their
votes complicates the situation. Stew
enson Is most prominently spoken OF In
this connection. ss'