The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-07-23

got a demonstration as sho aScendcd
the stage just before Taubeneck intro
! duced Governor Butler as temporary
chairman. '
Senator Butler waa received with
| great applause. and at tho suggestion ot
Committeeman Washburnc, thrc"
cheers were given for tho young senator
from the old north state.
I'VE are here" said the senator, "bc.
caiise there " need for US to DO here"
| lie referred to tho fact TINT two ma
tlOnal parties had already held their
conventions. These two parties had HAD
charge OF the government for twcnty-
| flyo years, The people had during this
| time done their duty In the matter OF the
creation OF wealth. They had caused
| tho country so far as they could TO bios:
som as the rose. But these parties had
| been unfaithful to their trust and had
| brought the country to tho verge 0t
| bankruptcy. The leaders OF both had
been unfaithful TO their trust. Hence,
the need for tho Peoples party.
lie referred TO Mr.. Mckinley ns the
candidate Of aggravated capital and
combined greed"
lie declared both the old parties had
for years kept the greatest Issue in
American politics In the Background.
They would shun Issues and fought
sham bnttles. No matter where the
Victory lay, Wall street and Lombard
street won. Meantime, he said. the
PopulIst party organized to bring real
relief to the people. and had grown
steadily. The agitation had been kept
up; victories against greed had been
won. The south and tho west had Joined
hands.
Democrats Stole Popnlist Platform.
He described the various campaigns
through which the party had passed In
various states; the hardshIps endured.
the Aings and r!dicule to which they had
been subjected. But they had triumph
| cd. t#
They had at last torn the mask from
| the old parties. A few weeks ago the
| Republican party had been forced to
align Itself with the moneyed kings OF
| Wall street and Europe. The Demo-
| cratic party at Chicago was forced to
| the alternative OF siding with gold or
| the people. They were 30 frightened.
| that, In their desperation, they finally
| committed grand and petty larceny. /.
| They stole our platform and tried TO
steal into our party" a
| This statement set the convention
| Wild
"Why didn't they steal our transpor-
tation plank?" shouted a delegate from
| California.
"Ah,r replied Senator Butler. "the old
Democratic habit got the better Of them
| there. They straddled the question"
"Whpop,' "whoopee," cried a thou
sand vpices ID.
He went on to plead for the mainte-
nance of the organization of the Peo-
| PIES party. IF the Peoples party
should abandon its organization" said
he, "the Democratic party at Its next
| convention would repudiate the plat
| form adopted at Chicago and Bryan
would have no more chance Of being
nominated than Thomas jefferson
would II he were alive to-day"
The financial question had been as
much OF an Issue, he continued. since
1878 as It was to-day, but it remained
for the Peoples party to force the issue
to the front
Right here" he said, comes our re-
sponslbilIty-the greatest responsibility
that ever fell to any party. Shall we
save the party or allow 1t to go DOWN. in
| defcat?"
He appealed for the cessation of petty
| prejudices. He had heard 1t intimated
| by one that Mark Hanna was running
the party and by another that the DEM
ocratIc party swas+dpinS It. AS for
himself he had more faith in the integ-
rity of the party to feel convinced the
| party would not make itself an annex
to the Democratic party.
This statement gave the Middle of the
| Readers a chance to cheer, but the Bry-
| an followers were afforded an oppor-
| tunity to shout when he added that
| there was grave danger that 1t might
be made Republican annex. "one
danger" said he. rs as great as the
pft,ar rt ne fnI tho frt1h IN, ha
middle way"
This was the keynote of the senator's
speech. but 1t was noticeable that there
was no especial applause at this evil
dent suggestion OF a compromise.
The party. he continued, should be
true to itself. "If this convention" he
shouted. does not follow its own teach
ings, It is unworthy to represent its own
| people"
"Hurrah for Bryan" cried an Ala
bama delegate.
Put him out" yelled several Texas
| delegates In chorus.
Concluding, Senator Butler said: I'VE
shall stand together for way united. 4
strip our coats OF for the fray and be
prepared for any emergency, howeverS "
great. Remember you are Populist
party men; remember that YOU have
accomplished more in four years than IL
the OLntT puTlleS. aIlu EelIleIIlptT lnbI IL q
you do your duty now, you will very
soon be the pjarty of the majority"
Mr.. But Ter closed amid vigorous ap-
plause. among those who shouted most
Justify for him being Congressman {
Howard, OF Alabama. who had been
shouting for Bryan during the progress
Of the senator's speech.
Chairman Butler then assumed the
gavel and called for members OF the
committee on credentials AT the con-
clus!on OF the call the convention. at
2:l0 O'Clock, took a recess until o'clock
tonight.