The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-07-10

He prayed that the choice of the con-
vention might be a man whose work
would rebound to the glory of his cOun-
try and his God Senator White handed
the gavel over to Congressman Richard
son of Tennessee who announced the
committee on resolutions and called
to the platform Senator J. X. Jones of
Arkansas to make the committees re-
port.
He adjusted pair of gold bowed
spcctacles ana began to read the finan.
cial plank of the platform, which
Colonel Charles H. Jones, the st. Louis
journalist, had written. The effect of
the reading would have been greater
had the Southern senator con-
trolled stronger voice. The silver
ranks raised cheer when some of them
heard the words, 1--WE demand the free
and unlimited coinage of both gold and
liver and one enthusiastic delegates
demanded tat the passage be re-read,
which was done. Senator Jones de-
clared that he was hoarse, and indeed
his voice broke two or three times, and
nearly failed him. AS the delegates
could not hear much Of the platform,
most of its points fell uncheered, but
the denunciation of government by in
junction, which is taken as an indirect
approval of Governor Altgeld's course
during the Chicago strike, met with
recognition.
Not Much Applause.
The platform was concluded without
! any marked applause Then the report
of the minority was read by j. II. Wade
of Ohio, former reading clerk of the
house of representatives. The gold
people rose and cheered, but their
efforts were faint. The endorsement OF
the Democratic administration, which
Senator Hill had made losing fight for
III the committee on resolutions, brought
down Il yell from the galleries. Several
New York delegates stood and waved
their hats, but they did not include Hill,
Whitney Or Flower. Over on the far right
| the stalwart form of Senator Gray of
Delaware stood alone and silence per-
vaded most Of the delegations. The
| issues We're drawn. Senator Ben Till
man of South Carolina mounted the
stage to open the great debate in be-
half of free coinage. A striking figure
| he was as he faced his audience. With
no pretension i'll dress, shabby coated,
he instantly drew the eyes Of the 10000
people present. They turned toward
him
As IL He Were an Antagonist.
| His thickset, commanding form was
full of defiance. His head, thrown
back, was round and compact. The
features, strong and powerful, were
cast in a classical mould. The nose was
straight. the lips thin and compressed,
the jaw square and pugnaciOus, but the
sunken cavity which marked his left
eye gave to his face sinister
expression. 1t was face once
seen never to be forgotten. On
one lapel of his coat he wore Cuban
flag, Oh the other a pitchfork. One mo,
ment the &c, 900 people held their breath
as they gazed, then they broke forth.
Cheers, mingled with misses, rent the
air. Mr.. Richardson, who was WELD
ing the gavel. with the aid of the assis-
tant sergeants-at arms, quickly sup
pressed the demonstration, and the
senator proceeded.
|, His first sentence showed that he had
a good we'll modulated voice, but as he
proceeded he pitched it in key SC
shrill that it grated like file. He was
characteristic from the beginning. He
realized that 30 far as the galleries Were
concerned he faced an audience entirely
hostile. He introduced himself to them
by saying that he came to them as he
was, not las the lying newspapers had
represented him to be-" A round o1
applause from the pit greeted this an
nouncement, but it was drowned in the
storm Of Kisses from the galleries which
were increased to perfect whirlwint
Of sibyllant sounds as he added 81
came from state which was the
home Of secession Senator Tillmar
turned defiantly and fiercely surveyed
the vast congregation who were kissing
him. Then, with contemptuous tos
of his head, he looked down at the sill
yer delegates before him, his eye blaz
ing, and said with Il sneer:
Il Only Three Things That Hiss.
There are only three things tina
hiss, a goose, a serpent and man.
Raising his head and addressing tn,
galleries, he shouted that the man wh'
hissed South Carolina forgot the histor,
of the revolution when the state KEEP
alive the fires of liberty. This pro
voked wild demonstration from tn
silver men,"
"South Carolina in $780," he said
; "led the fight in the Democratic part,
which disrupted it."
Disruption" he continued, while tn
galleries hissed, brought about tn
war, and the war emancipated tn
black slaves. We are leading the figh
to emancipate the white slaves" Thi
! time the silver men had their innings
: but they did not applaud very lustil
' when he declared that with condition
I reversed, he was willing to again Sc
q the Democratic party disrupted.
As he proceeded there were constan
Interruptions, and at one time the chair