The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-25
WERE A ROWLING MOB
Middle of the Readers Were
Wild With Bitterness.
HOWled, Jeered and Kissed at
SeWaIl's Name.
The Lights Go Out Causing Up
rOariOus Confusion.


Fifty-second and Fifty-thi congresses
unsuccessfully contested Colonel J. c.
c. Blacks seat, was nominated for vice
president by the Populist convention on
the first ballot. shortly after midnight
last night. There were five other can
didates, SewalI of Maine, Page Of Vir-
ginia, A. L. AIimms of Tennessee, Con-
gresham Skinner of North Carolina
and Colonel Burkett of Mississippi. The
nomination was made unanimous be-
fore the roll call was announced.
Mr.. Bryan sent word to his support
ers that he would not accept a nOmina-
ton at the hands of the convention IN
der these circumstances. He will stand
by his running mate.
The opposition to SeWall as a monop-
Olist swamped the Bryan forces by
making it impossible to prevent a di-
vision of the Chicago ticket. The lead
erS were pOWerleSS to check the strong
feeling against the Bath shipbuiIder
and banker. They had carried the day
in the committee on resolutions favor
ing comparatively moderate platform,
which they afterWard got through the
convention with ease. Their strategy
was skillfully displayed at other points.
But the intense undercurrent feeling
against Sewall was fatal to them. It
was sunken ditch unmarked upon
the battlefield, which, clutching with
its muddy finger at the wheels of his
artillery, bore down Napoleon and his
eagles at Waterloo.
MASSED AGAINST SEWALL
Moreover, the middle of the road ele-
ment displayed generalship worthy of
the name Recognizing the fact that
all hope of defeating Bryan's nomina-
ton was lost, they concentrated all
their efforts against Sewau They did
more. They devised a cunning scheme
by which the convention was forced to
nominate the vice president before the
president 1t was an unprecedented
hTTf n
in favor of a Populist candidate for
vice president and prevent what was
feared, that if Bryan were first nomi-
mated the enthusiasm might break
down the opposition to SewalI and
stampede a majority of the votes to the
Nebraska mans running mate. When
the proposition was made to change the
regular order of the nominations the
Bryan men strained every nerve to pre-
vent it. They even pleaded. Jerry
Simpson, on behalf of Kansas, went
so far as to intimate that the vote
of the SunfiOWer state would be cast
for a southern man for vice president
if the regular order was not reversed.
When the roll was called they rallied
every vote at their command. When
the vote was figured UP, however the
ants emeTg ed from the contest with a
majority of no This made the defeat
of Sewall and the nomination of Pop
pulist for vice president certain. After
that the conference of the two cOnVen-
tiOns could come to nothing and the
silver convention promptly nominated
Bryan and Sewall and adjourned sine
die.
BRYAN WON'T ACCEPT
The Democratic managers consulted
after it became evident that SewalI
could not be nominated and Mr. Bryan
was communicated with by telegraph.
Tom Patterson of Colorado, who had
possession of the telegram announcing
Bryan's position, at midnight still de-
clined to make it public. The Demo
cratic leaders read that Bryan could
not be dislOyal to his running mate
and word was sent to the leading Bryan
managers in the convention that the
silver knight of the west would not lac
cept a nomination until SewaII was also
nominated The convention for five
hours listened to nominating speeches
in profound ignorance of this fact.
The Bryan men decided to spring a
sensation on the convention. Senator
Stewart of Nevada was selected to make
the announcement, coupled with a plea
for uniting the silver forces but the
antf-SewaH crowd were in the saddle.
They hOwled down the venerable SEN
atOr, and after a hurried consultation
the leaders decided not to permit the
announcement to be made at that time.
CONVENTION REASSEMBLES.
When the convention reassembIed at
$3.50 in the evening Chairman Allen
introduced Judge Jefferson Pollard Of
missouri, who read the platform of the
silver convention and a message about
the nomination of Bryan and SewalI by
it. The reading was repeatedly inter
rupted by delegates in various parts of
the hall, who raised the point Of order
that the regular order was nominations
for vice president.
Senator Allen OVeTruled this point of
order Many planks in the silver party
platform were enthusiastically received
but when the action of the silver con-
ventiOn in nominating Bryan and Sew
all was read 1t was jeered by the mid
die of the road contingent, and on the
motion of a Texas delegate the pro-
ceedings of the silver convention were
referred to the committee on resolu-
tions.
Nominations were then called for. but
the convention experienced a good deal
of difficulty in getting under way owing
to a ruling made by the Chairman
When the parliamentary situation had
been Strengthened out, Colonel Bow
man, who was taken off the floor BY
the adjournment of the cOnver ton in
the afternoon, took the stage and
placed in nomination Congressman
Harry Skinner of North Carolina Col
Onel Bowman looked like a New York
stock broker. He was StyliShly dressed
and wore close trimmed Vandyle
beard He reviewed at length the sit
uatiOn. The purpose of the Democ-
racy, he said, had been to secure an in
dOrsement of Bryan and Sewau at the
hands Of the convention. There was a
majority for Bryan, but the convention,
to prevent a possible nomination of Mr..
SeWau had decided to nominate the
vice president first Il southern
Populist was placed on the ticket, Ar
thur Sewan would have ii in his power
to make fusion possible and the defeat
of Mckinley certain SINNERS name
was not very enthusiastically received.
Congressman Howard of Alabama
placed Thomas E Watson in nomina-
ton in a speech in which he did ample