Great Falls weekly tribune., 1896-07-10
WHAT WAS DONE
free Coinage Men Carry Out Their
Expressed Determination
to Control.
REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS
GoIdhng Convention Editorial as Sent
out by the Associated
Press.

| and cgpacious Coliseum in Jackson PARK, |
boneath clear Skies with cool, inVigo
rating breeze snappng at flags and trap.
,irca, and the blue waters Of Lake
Michigan stretching far away, the demo
cratic convention met today After a
hriet but decisive battle in the arena,
the silver men vindicated their auprem-
acy They wrested from the hands Of
the cold phalanx control of the conven-
tion and gathered the reins Of power
into their own hands. There was remi
nigcence of that other great Coliseum,
whose fall marked the destruction OF the
empire, where men were butChered to
make a Roman holiday, about it all
The champion who has 30 often entered
the lists to do battle in democracy's
cause, amid ringing shouts and the wild
acclaim Of his party, was put
to the sword that SILVER might be
supreme. 1t was with reluctance
that many of the friends Of Senator
David b. Hill turned their thumbs
down. as the arrogant patricians of the
empire that ruled the world did when
the popuace cried for mercy, But like
gladiators entering the arena to the
bare of the trumpet and clang of steel,
the silver men beat back their sym
pathies and hardened their hearts, tnat
the issue might be squarely drawn and
decided even though it involved the
doom OF one whom they had delighted
to honor in the past. BY one of those
strange, fateful condolences it WAS
Senator John w, Daniel of Virginia.
who four years ago at the WlgWam
nominated Hill for the presidency, who
vas selected to give the fatal blow to
the man whom he would have exalted
to the first place in the republic. No
more eloquent commentary on the revo-
luton which has divided the party and
mado this convention so memorable
could be needed. 1t was not without a
wall Of agony, however, that some Of the
spectators who could not fathom the
mysteries of political maneuvering and
the necessity of grinding men beneath
the heel, saw the old champion whose
slogan and proudest boast was, Il am a
Democrat" go down. Even after Sena-
tor Daniel had reached the platform and
assumed the gavel, they called loudly for
tle defeated candidate, but the eApcr-
fenced general who has tasted the bit
terness OF defeat before, as we'll as the
sweetness of victory, only smiled grm4y
This was the first result of this re-
markable convention, which is ready tC
sacrifice all else that the white banner
Of silver may float above the party as its
ensign and rallying cry. The cor vention
itself wae most inspiring sight. Dcm-
ocratic leaders were scattered about the
hall. But strangcst of all, on the
platform of IA democratic convention
were little coter!c of silver eenators
who hOltrd the convention at st. Louis
st present without a party they seek
entrance to he democratic party OF
the condition that it select Teller. Gen
J. b. Weaver and other populiets anC
silveritee like Senator Stewart, NcrC
also here, all watching closely the re
suits If the convention. Although vel
known faces were missing, il was dis
tinguished gathering The invocation
of the boyish chaplain, DR.. Stires, al
Episcopal divine, with its appeal foI
peace, had hardly ascendcd to th'
throne of grace before the contendins
=: a., l.
gold mon carried out their program o
presenting Senator Hill for tcmporar.
chairman, but the silver leaders als'
held to their resolution and lmmcdlatcj.
antagonizcl him with Senator Danlcl
For two hours the oratorical gladiator
of the opposing forces fought it on
upon the platform.
When the vote was to be taken, W. j
Stackhouse, one of the administration
federal officials in Iowa, in order to tlaun
the divisions in the Boies delegation
challenged the vote OF the state and un
covered seven gold votes. Mr.. Halde
man did the same thing in Blackburn
kentucky delegation, and Mcknight
the silver Michigan delegate, showed /
silver votes in his delegation which wer
locked up by the unit rule. The resul
of the roll call showed .p5G votes TO
Daniel and 3t9 votes for Ill., practicalI
the strength OF the two sides Althoug
this did not show wo.thirds majorit,
the silver leaders display no anxiety 0
this score, as the Nebraska gold delega
tion Of 81 will be unseated and the reI
resentation from the territories will h
increased from two to six each,
called to Order.