Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-06-24
WEDNESDAYS SESSION.

ST Louis. Mo-, June 1.-THE Repub-
lcan national convention cleared its
decks for action today. Two sessions
were held. one of an hour this morning
and one of three hours in the afternoon.
The permanent organization was effected
and the permanent chairman, Senator
John NJ. ThurSton of Nebraska, assumed
the duties of presiding officer i'll a ring
ing speech. The reports of the COM
mittees on credentials and rules were re-
ceived ard adopted. This leaves the
battle royal over the platform for to-
morrow 1t is probable this would have
been DISPOSED of tonight had it not been
that night session would have inter
fercd with the mammoth Mckinley pa
rade of marching clubs previously ar
ranged for tonight.
Every Incident Evokes Cheers.
The brief speech of the permanent
chairman, Senator Tkurston. whose
warm, magnetic eloquence found ready
sympathy i'll the vast gathering of Re
publicans. seemed to shake the audience
from its lethargy and, with their spirits
thus aroused, every incident evoked
cheers. AS. he recalled the fact that he
had presided over the convention of 1888,
which nominated the last victorious
ticket of the party, and predicted that
he was now presiding over a convention
which would nominate the next Presi-
dent, the enthusiasm broke all bounds.
For several minutes the convention
cheered and yelled and shouted.
At the morning session, there was Il
brief contest over the question of pro-
ceeding with the election of permanent
officers before the report of the commit
tee on credentials had been acted upon.
Senator Wellington and Congressman
Mudd of Maryland, and Delegate Little
field of Missouri. yainly protested that 1T
was irregular and that there was no
convention until the credentials had
been passed upon, but their angry pro-
tests were swept aside like chaff. The
convention brimmed over with enthusi-
aSm and was in no temper to be de-
layed.
A Test of Strength.
At the afternoon session the first test
of strength between the Mckinley fol-
lowers and those of Reed, Allison, Quay
and Morton came, and 1T demonstrated
to the satisfaction of all that the Ohio
candidate had a clear majority of over
100. The question was the adoption of
the report of the committee on creden-
tails. which ratified the action of the
national committee in giving almost all
the 1913 contested seats to the Mckinley
ties and decided the Texas contest i'll
favor of the Grant (McKinley) delega-
ton, and that in Delaware in favor of
the Higgins delegation. The presenta-
ton of the report was met with a vio-
lent minority report denouncing the COM
mittee on credentials for presuming to
accept unchallenged the finding of the
national committee. The presentation
Of the issue famed into a flame all the
bitter animosties in the convention.
Mr. Fort of New Jersey and Gen
Grosvenor of Ohio were put forward to
champion the majority report. Mr.. Hep
burn of Iowa led the opposition. The
lines were not drawn absolutely, as quite
a number of delegates who are pledged
to Mckinley voted with the opposition,
but it was apparent, from the cheers
with which the opposition greeted the an
nouncement of every vote in their favor,
that they were marshaling every availa-
BILE vote at their command. They We're
defeated-5451a to 3591a. They realized
that they could not overthrow the yictori-
Gus hosts of Mckinley, and made no
attempt to emphasize their discontinue
by demanding a roll call on its final adop-
ton.
Silver Men to Walk Out.
While the convention was proceeding
with it's work, dramatic scene was
being enacted in the committee on reso-
lutions. The group of Western silver
men headed by Senator Teller of Colo
RADIO. announced to their colleagues
when the financial plank in the platform