The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-07-23
POPULIST PROCEEDINGS.
Detailed story of the Opening of
the Convention

road delegates. who followed the lead OF
the Texas peoples and jointed with them
in their opposition to Senator Butler, the
choice Of the national committee for tenn
porary chairman of the populistic conven-
ton, held a meeting this afternoon ana
reconsidered the action taken last night
at a late hour. The decision to run Judge
o. d. Jones of Missouri against Senator
Butler for temporary chairman was re-
scinded and 1t was agreed to make no op-
position to the election OF Senator Butler
for temporary presiding officer. Last night
the delegates, led by a few hot heads. and
believing that they had safe majority
of the total number OF delegates in favor
Of an Independent ticket, would not listen
to conservative members, who preferred
to make the fight against the nomination
of Mr.. Bryan, instead of complicating
matters by attempting 10 overthrow the
action of the national committee in Sc
lecting Senator Butler, whose views on
making the ticket did not coincide with
| the views Of the "middle-of-the-road"
! people. This morning California and sew
| eral western states suggested in the in
terest of harmony that no contests should
| be made against Senator Butler, and after
| a short but turbulent session in the Texas
| headquarters, the decision was arrived at
/ to make no fight on the temporary chair
| man. The delegates who favor the
/ straightout populist ticket declare that
/ this action was not due to any lack of
| strength, but was solely IN the interest
| of harmony. They claim TO be able to
control the convention and express them
selves as positive that Mr.. Bryan viii not
/ be nominated or indorsed.
| The same uncertainty and confusion
| prevailed about the hour of meeting OF
! the peoples party (populisD convention,
as ABOUT the various other matters con-
| nected with 1t. Ten O'Clock, eleven, and
| noon had been publicly given out as the
| hour, with more or less apparent author
| ity. At the earliest of these points Of
! time there was not fifteen delegates in the
| hall, and only few solitary figures were
| 10 be seen scattered here and there
| through the spectators gallery. An hour
| later, the accessions but doubled the num-
/ leries.
The hall was practically in the same
| condition as to arrangements and decora-
/ tions that 1t was in when the republican
| convention assembled in Il five weeks ago,
| except that the pictures of Washington,
| Grant, Sherman and others had been
| taken away, and that the place reserved
| for the chairman, secretaries and other
| was absolutely unprovided with tables,
| chairs, or any other part of the necessary
| outnt The reason for this nakedness in
| the most important and conspicuous part
of the hall was past finding out. The abb
| sence Of brass bands as an almost neces-
| sary adjunct to all political gatherings has
been particularly noticeable in connection
! with the pOpulists. There was an excep-
| ton made to-day, however, a band being
| located in the gallery back Of the chair
! mans stand which filled up the long walt
| ing time.
Many of the delegates. setting ceremony
| and dignity aside, as unbefitting the
weather and the occasion, dlvested them
! selves of coats and sat in their shirt
| sleeves, tanning themselves assiduously
| The unceremoniousness of the whole af-
| fair was further indicated by the presence
/ of some ladies' in the seats Of the dele
| gates and by the carrying around of the
| youngest Coxey child baptized by the
| name of Legal Tender" d" The ladies'
however, sat on the right of the entrance
! being delegates from the state OF Colora-
| do, and five in number, and every one of
them an orator.
| At 80 o'clock, the first motion was
made In the line of providing accommoda-
| tions for the chairman and officers. Soon
/ after this some workmen hung over the
railing of one of the galleries, a fair sized
/ picture of Abraham Lincoln, draped in the
! American flag, and the sight of it drew
| out the first manifestation of applause or
| interest that the convention had yet given
| out.
Other occasional cheers went I'D from
| the same quarter of the hall, and 1t was
| ascertained that the provocatiOn for them
came from the receipt of successive tele-
| grams to the Texas delegates from their
| home constituencies, urging them not ito
! turn to the right or turn to the left, but
| keep to the middle of the road"
There were only three colored delegates
present. These were from Colorado, C. w
! Burfos, from Georgia d. S. Walton and
| from Kansas, James Beck.
| At IL o'clock there was still no sign of
| an organization of the convention The
| portion of the hall reserved for delegates
| was then about two-thirds filed, and there
| were not an hundred spectators in the gal
| leries. Probably one-third of the dele
| gates were in their shirt sleeves and many
| women, not delegates, were seated among
them The appearance OF two American
| flags, borne by members of the Mississippi
| delegation, with the motto mo compro-
| mise" attracted attention and some little
When the Massachusetts, delegation en-
tered the HAN, bearing on their banner
| the Inscription THE spirit of seventy-
! six" there were a few cheers, and in the
| meantime there was hung over the gallery
| railing behind their stand a picture, ap-
parently that of Peter Cooper. the New
| York millionaire and philanthropist, with
| the motto from one of his letters or speech
| es. National Prosperity Cannot Be Re-
| stored by Enforced Idleness on Large
! Portion of the People"
| Then also the members Of the populist
national committee and several prominent
| delegates took seats on the platform
| All this time there was much conmo-
| tion in the Texas end of the hall. where
| several fiery delegates harangued their
| collea CUES.
| ed to order by Mr.. Taubeneck, Chairman
| of the national committee and Rev. W
| L. Smith OF the Third Baptist church of
| St Louis offered prayer.
Gov. william J. Stone of Missouri de-
| livered an address of welcome He said.
/ .'NIr Chairman and Gentlemen of fhe
| Convention: / come to extend a genuine
| and hearty welcome to those hospitalities
| of the state of which have the honor ia
/ ba the executive officer Freedom ~
| oDinion. of religious, political and social
! and all other subjects; freedom of action
| so long as the exercise Of that freedom
| does not disturb public order, or trench
on the just rights of others, are cardinal
/ principles in our great governmental sys-
/ tem CApplause) In this state we seek to
| give to that basic idea is best possible -ex-
/ Dression We differ as to methods and
| We differ often as to policies and princi-
pies, but It is TO be devoutly hoped that
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