The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-07-23
BRYAN WILL Be ENDORSED.
no Selection For Permanert Chairman
Has Yet Seen Made.

$50 = StSCltoH TOi fGfliidiGf SEl5'f tldtI
Has Yet Been Made.
st. Louis, Mo, July 22.-The Popu-
list and Silver conventions were launch
ed to-day, but neither made much
headway.
The programme of the Silver conven-
tion was all arranged in advance. 1t
included simply the adoption of a 16
! platform and the nomination of
Bryan and Sewall, but those in charge
Of it deemed it good policy to go slow
| y in the belief that they might, by
remaining in session. be able TO eNer-
| else an influence in shaping things in
| the Populist convention. TO this end
| they appointed a committee of seven,
headed by Judge Scott, Of California,
| 10 meet with a similar committe from
| the Populists for the purpose Of reach
| ing a common plan Of action. The
| idea was, perhaps we'll conceived, al
| though it is doubtful whether their
| course will be fruitful of results.
| The anti-Bryan Populists affect to
| believe that all the outside influences
which are being brought to bear upon
| them to induce them to accept the
nominees of the Democratic convention
are part of the same plot to drive their
party into the Democratic trap" and
| annihilate its indentity. They are
deaf TO suggestions, appeals and warn
4 ings. The future has no terrors for
| them and keep in the middle-of-the-
| road" is their reply to every argu-
| ment. their answer to every forebod-
ing. They have convinced themselves
| that if they go marching on in four
more years the two old parties will
be disrupted and discredited and they
| viii come into their own
| The Silver convention heard the adj
dress of VIM. p. ST. John, the tenn
porary prsiding officer, and completed
an organization.
The first session of the Populst con-
| vention to-day was a disappointment
to those who anticipated relentless,
bitter war from the drop of the gavel.
And it was a disappointment to those
who imagined that the galleries would
swarm with people, drawn thither,
either by curiosity or sympathy with
| the deliberations of the convention.
| There was no wild cat fighting and
| the galleries. which will hold 10000
people, We're practically an empty
| waste. Not over 600 spectators, at a
| liberal estimate, were in the balconies.
PICTURESQUE PERSONALITIES.
| The floor. where the delegates We're
| gathered, was in some respects, crowd
| ed with as unique an assemblage as
| was ever massed under one roof. They
| discarded conyentionalitis. Fully half
Of them sat in their shirt sleeves, with
| their coats slung over the backs of
! their chairs.
| Among them were many picturesque
| persOnalities-men who have been
known as agitators and ref0rmers for
years were there. but there were also
many whose ability and force Of char
acter have given them rank in high
| station. As a body they were men of
strong and earnest convictions. Gov.
Llewellyn, Senator PETER and Jerry
Simpson, of Kansas; Gov. HOlcomb, Of
,ebraska; Ignatius Donnelly, Of Min
nesota; "Cyclone" Davis, Of Texas.
Col. Peck, of Georgia; Gen CoXey and
Carl Brown, of Ohio, late Of the indus
trial army; Tom Patterson, of Colo
RADIO; Gen. Weaver. of Iowa, and Gen
Field, of Virginia, who were the Popu-
list candidates in 1892; Col Burkett,
Of Mississippi; Buffalo Jones, of
Oklahoma; Capt. r. f. Kolb, Congress
man Howard and Col. Bowman, of
Alabama, and many others were con-
spicuous figures on the floor. On the
platform were Chairman Taubeneci,
Senator Butler, of North Carolina:
Senator Allen, of Nebraska; Mrs. Mary
Ellen Lease, Of Kansas, and other dis
tinguished guests.
The appearance of several women
delegates on the floor was a novel
feature in a National political gather
ing.
The press desks, usually occupied |
by the representatives of the big
dailies, were largely given over to the |
editors of the weekly reform papers.
The decorations of the Republican |
convention, which was held in the same
hall five weeks ago, still graced the |
balconies and hid the wooden rafters |
and pillars which upheld the high |
roof. All the Republican portraits had, |
however, been removed. Only the |
bust of Gen. Grant remained. Just |
before the convention was called to |
order portraits of Abraham Lincoln |
and Peter Cooper were hung out over
the platform.
The day session which lasted about |
an hour and a half, developed nothing
except possibly that the noisy middle |
of-the-road contingents were afraid to |
put to the test their claims. Last l