The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-08-05
THE ST. LOUIS CONVENTION.
How H. r. Hall Summarizes m
DOin0s.


How H. r. Hall Summarizes III
Doings.
II. p. Hall, Of st. Paul, stteoae6 thb
Populist convention at St Louis In the
Globe this morning he says:
Notwithstanding my crltiQisms, ] c0n-
slider 1t q very remarkable convention,
perhaps one II the most remarkable Of
the fourteen previous ones have at
tended. There were no marching clubs,
no brass bands, no champagne or royster-
Ing festivals, no increasing Of bartenders
or frightening OF bars or any Of the para
phernalia Of the old party convention.
cay this to their credit. Outside Of the
convention all was orderly and decent.
The only band was the one furnished In
the Auditorium by the citizens, and that
only for three days, though the c0Tlven-
ton lasted four The delegates who came
were nearly all men Of moderate means,
many absolutely poor, and many were
sent by contributions taken up In their
neighborhoods because they could not af-
ford to bear the burdens themselves.
Very few stopped at first-class hotels.
and for the most part, second, third,
fourth class and boarding houses were
used, but they were all very much in
earnest, and for the most part above the
average intelligence, while many were
men Of marked ability. Hundreds came
long distances in day coaches. because
they did not have the means to pay for
sleeping cars, but they were there dis
cussing and comforting with each other.
They must have constituency or they
could not come. It was notable, too, in
looking over that gathering, that there
was a preponderance of gray heads. It
was apparently an illustration Of: "Old
men for counsel, young men for war. 4
You may ridicu.e them as cranks, and In,
perhaps, some cases, with justice. but
these are exceptions. It is not justice to
style them as anarchists, though dema-
gogic leaders may impose anarchic doc
trines upon their platform. 1t Is true,
they are for the most part, plain COM
mon people In the lowly walks of life,
but their homes and families and social
relations are no less dear to them than
to those who enjoy magnifcence. The
conditions which bring this class to-
gether, mistaken, perhaps, but earnest
and sincere, cannot be a phantom Of the
imagination. There Is something which
needs remedy, and instead of abusing
and dispairing these men, the members
Of the old parties and those in higher
walks Of life who have greater means,
ability and experience to accomplish
these results, though no more sincerity,
would better devotet their energies to as
certaining and applying the remedy.
Grievances do not spring from the
ground like gourd in the night and raj
~ an army to proclaim them. The poll
tician who scorns, cries down or ignores
this element is not wise. A crisis has
been reached where 1t is possible for this
convention to be determining factor in
the coming election, and success will at
least command respect, il nothing more.
II make no argument on existing po-
litical questions and conditions, but
believe it wise to regard the mutterings
of an impending storm, foreshadowed by
such gathering as this one have Just
attended In many respects these people
may be wrong; in some they must be
right, and besides, they are men who are
sincere in their convictions. They have
no desire to wreck the country, but are
liable to be misled by false leaders.
This country is too great to be ruined
by any political party. It survived the
four years Of the terrible civil war, in
volving the sacrifice Of hundreds Of
thousands IF human lives and billions Of
dollars. It will survive the present
crisis, and despite the prophets Of evil
cmen, when the polls close on Nov. 3,
whatever the result, the country win
still live Only those who wish to
avoid the rush need take the financial
situation so much at heart as to start for
the cemetery now"