The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-08
I KANSAN RULED.
Delegate Atwood as Chairman
of the Credentials Committee,
Shows How to Que1 Efectually
a Turbulent Meeting.
AWED THE DISTURBER
Discussion Of Contests Reveals
Shameful GOldbug Methods.
Cleveland Threatened Michigan
Men With Loss of Office.


credentials met for temporary Organi-
cation yesterday afternoon after ad-
journment, J. D. Goodwin, Alabama,
was made temporary chairman, John
Boyle. District of Columbia, temporary
secretary. without perfecting perma-
nent organization, the committee ad-
5ourned to o'clock. When it met
again there was the utmost confusion.
The chairman after breaking an UNI
brella handle in vain endeavors to pre-
serve decorum. finally resorted to a
glass that shared the same fate. Dis
cussion as to admission of the press, led
to a lively debate. In the confusion
that followed this and several other
heated debates the press representa-
tives were left on the outside.
It was o'clock before order could be
restored and the committee could pro-
coed to the election of permanent or
ganization. Three candidates were pre-
scented for chairman, Smith NJ. Weed,
New York; John II. Atwood, Kansas,
and John c. Crosby, Massachusetts;
Mr.. Crosby tried to decline. So did
Weed. but the confusion was too great
and the roll call proceeded. Weed got
2 votes. Crosby 7, Atwood 25. Some of
the gold members cast votes for At
wood.
When Atwood assumed the chair, the
atmosphere changed. a delegate who
tried to interrupt another was told in
fOrcible tone to sit down" He looked
at the chairman's $50 pounds and meek
~ Obeyed. L. W. Arson of Virginia,
tried to bring up the matter of press ad-
naittance again and made a speech in
which he depIored an attempt at star
chamber proceedings. He would prob
ably have succeeded had not the dele
gates been wearied with the long de-
lay. Crosby of Massachusetts, offered
a resolution to take up the contests of
Nebraska first, Michigan second. Weed
moved to have the roll called and con-
tests voted on in alphabetical order.
The amendment prevailed. Each con
vestant was given a half hour to pre-
sent his case.
The committee adopted an order
barring delegates from states having
contests from voting on questions per
tanning to the contests. L. w. Arson of
Virginia, renewed the motion for ad-
mission of press representatives. After
strong speeches by that gentleman and
Governor MeLaurin of Mississippi the
motion was unanimously adopted.
The Michigan contest was the first
one called. F. A. Baker Of Detroit, pre-
scented protests of four silver delegates
at large against the seating of gold
dele gates at large.
The arguments made We're largely
those laid before the national commit
tee and dealt with alleged manipulation
of primaries by federal office holders.
Four houndred postmasters and old
Office holders, it was claimed, had been
summoned tC Detroit the night before
the primaries and had actively parti-
cipated in the primaries The head of
the movement, Baker asserted, was
Eliot G. Stevenson, law partner of Don
NJ Dickinson. He claimed Stevenson
pursued the course after converse ton
with President Cleveland in Washing
ton. GA more disgraceful manipula-
ton Of a convention to defeat the will
Of the people of a great state was never
perpetarted in this nation" Baker ex-
claimed passionately."
Amdavits were produced in support
Of the charges. They accused the chair
men of the district conventions of rul-
ing in favor of gold men in the face of
the facts in announcing votes. They
also went on to show that delegates had
violated instructions. The charge was
made that a citizen of Pontiac who
had leased a building for the postofice
was threatened with cancellation of the
lease unless he worked for the gold
cause In conclusion Baker said the
assembling Of federal officers at Detroit
had been done in the name of the presi-
dent and was practically under threat
from him that office holders would lose
their places unless they worked for
gold The question, he said. was
whether the will of President Cleveland
and his subordinates or that of the peo-
pie was to prevail.
Elliot Stevenson said the afidavits
presented were got within the past few
days and that there was no idea on the
part of the defense that they were in
existence. They. however, were of lit
tie value, he said.
He detailed the proceedings of the
state convention and declared that sill
yer men had themselves made motions
for unanimous election of gold men. He
was frequently interrupted by some
contestants present with cries of That
is a lie and You know that that is
false" until finally the chairman grew
provoked and said: stop that we
viii have order here or nothing else
Referring to the standing of the Mich
igan so-called delegation, Stevenson
said; I'VE did not declare for gold. We
were for parity of metals based upon
intrinsic values We declared that we
were of the mind of the last Democratic
convention until another convention
met"
An effort to have the matter re-
ferred to a committee failed. Bren-
nan Of Wisconsin asked the silver men
not to let their majority impeI them
10 do an act which had no evidence to
sustain it.
When the vote on seating Michigan
delegates was taken it was q to 16 in
favor of seating four cOntesting silver
delegates, AGcGrath, Fisher, Black and
Mcknight.
This vote reversed the action of the
national committee which seated gold
delegates. As Michigan was instruct
AF.-~.