The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-07-30
TON WATSON, GEORGIA
NOMINATED FOR VICE PRESI-
DENT ON FIRST BALLOT
BY THE POPULISTS.
BRYAN WIRES WITHDRAWAL
DECLINES TO LET HIS NAME GO
BEFORE THE CONVENTION
SINCE sEWALL's DEFEAT.
D[D0 10 PKUMlNtNlll MtNIlUNtU
FOR THE FIRST PLACE - PRESS
URE BEING BROUGHTTO BEAR
ON BRYAN TO CONSENT
ruth RRYAN ann SFWA| RY AGGI IAN lTj0
BOTH BRYAN AND SEWALL BY ACCLAIM Alto
Is the Result of the Silver Convention,
Which Adjourned Sine Die-Barney
Gibbs Declined to Run"for the
POpulist Nomination-"St
Outs Displayed Great
Generalship.

st. Louis, July 25.-Thomas Il. Wat
son of Georgia, who was member of
the Fifty-tirst congress, and who, in the
Fifty-second and Fifty-third congresses,
unsuccessfully contested Col Blacks
seat, was nominated for vice president
of the United States by the populist con-
vention shortly after midnight on the
first ballot. There were five other can
didates, Sewall, Page, Mimms, Skinner
and Col. Burkett of Mississippi.
The nomination was made unanimous
before the result of the roll call.
Mr.. Bryan sent word to his supporters
that he would not accept a nomination at
the hands of the convention under these
circumstances. He would stand loyalty
to his running mate.
st. Louis, July 24.-The opposition to
Sewall in the populist convention practi-
cally swamped the Bryan forces at to-
days session Of the convention by MAX
ing it impossible to prevent division of
the Chicago ticket The leaders were
powerless to check the strong feeling
against the Bath shipbuilder and banker.
They had carried the day in the COM
mittee on resolutions in framing a com
paratively moderate platform, which
they afterwards got through the cOnven-
ton with ease. Their strategy was skill
fully displayed at other points, but the
intense undercurrent of feeling against
tSewal was fatal to them. In vain the
Bryan men attempted to bridge the
breach. Today for the first time the
middle-of- theroad element displayed gen
eralship worthy of the name. Recogniz
ing the fact that all hope of defeating
Bryan's nomination was lost, they con-
centrated all their efforts against Scwall.
They did more. They devised a cunning
scheme by which the convention was
forced to nominate the vice president be-
fore the president. This served to mass
the votes in favor of the vice president
and did away with the fear that if Bryan
was first nominated the enthusiasm
might cause Il stampede to the Nebras-
kans running mate. When it was
moved to change the regular order of
nominating. the Bryan men strained
every nerve to prevent it. They even
pleaded. Jerry Simpson, on behalf of
Kansas. went so far as to intimate that
the vote of the Sunfower state would
not be cast for Il southern man for vice
president if the regular order was re-
yerSed.
When the roll was called they rallied
every vote at their command Senator
Butler of North Carolina was Il powerful
ally with the 30 votes of the Old North
state behind him. and Congressman Skin
ner, the chairman of the delegation, cast
the solid vote of the state against the
change. When the vote was figured up,
however, and he ascertained that there
was a ma jority of 26 in favor of the
proposition, under his direction, after a
very pretty theatrical exhibition from
Mr.. Skinner, the vote of the delegation
was cast for the proposition and the ants
emerged from the contest with a ma
jority of III. This made the defeat of
Sewall for vice president certain. After
that a conference of the two conventions
could come to nothing and the silver con-
Sewall and adjourned sine die.
The anti-Bryan men. although they
presented a minority platform, demand
ing an irredeemable paper currency and
crowded with bitter denunciaton of the
two old parties. did not attempt TO press
it after their victory. The majority re-
port, which is moderate and contains few
radical propositions, such as demand
for the gradual assumption by the gov
eminent of the ownership of railroads
and for direct legislation through the
initiative and referendum. was adopted
without division. and the minority report
laid on the table.
The democratic managers consulted
after it became evident that Sewall could
not be nominated and Mr.. Bryan was
communicated with by telegraph. They
say Mr.. Bryan could not be disloyal to
his running mate, and word was sent to
the Bryan managers in the convention
that the silver knight of the west would
not accept nomination unless Sewall
was also nominated.
The convention for five hours tonight,
listened to nominating speeches in pro-
found ignorance of this fact Tom Wat
son of Georgia, Congressman Skinner of
Colorado, Mimms of Tennessee, Burkett
of mississippi and Mann Page of Nir-
ginia were nominated.
About II o'clock the Bryan men de-
cided to spring the sensation. Senator
Stewart of Nevada was selected to make
the announcement, coupled with plea
for uniting the silver forces. But the
anti-Sewall crowd were in the saddle.
They howled down the venerable spna-
tor. and. after Il hurried consultation,
the leaders decided not to permit the an
hat