The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-07-22
They Criticise His Selection by the
National Committee and Threaten to
Make Trouble lin the Convention.
PRETTY TRIANGULAR FIGHT
"CYCLONEo DAVIS ACTING AS GEN
ERAL OF THE INDEPENDENTS,
Senator Butler in Command OF the
Jones Directing the Hryanites.


road Populists recognized to-day that the
organization of the Bryan men was tell
ing and made an effort 10 effect one them
selves. Up TO this morning they had main
tanned open headquarters at the Laclede
Hotel, where the arriving delegates were
requested TO come in and register, procure
a badge. report as 70 what his State dele
CATION would do and then saunter forth
into the hotel lobbies and 5oin in the talk.
But no chairman. secretary. sergeant-at-
arms or other officer had been selected.
Such a campaign could make little head
was against the Bryan men, who were or
ganized with system. a caucus of the mid
die f-the-road people called and an
attempt made to organize. The meeting
was lively one. A. H. Livingston, OF Mis-
souri, was elected temporary chairman and
A. l.. Reed temporary secretary.
"A row began as soon rs the meeting was
organized. A delegate from Oklahoma
named Swift Albright pointed out man
seated in front of the chairman and de-
cisred that he had been around the various
hotels distributing Mark Hanna's money
for the purpose of preventing the indorse-
ment OF Bryan and defeating the silver
party The man proved to be Silas Ross
of Buffalo. n. Y, and he denied In the
most emphatic manner that he had been
engaged in any such business or had ever
seen the Oklahoma man before. Albright
claimed that Ross had represented himself
as from Baltimore and other portions of
the country. but on close questioning he
admitted that he might be mistaken, say
ing the man looked very much like Ross.
Later on Mr.. Hackstaff, of Colorado, en-
tered and made a speech. The oklahoma
man said Mr.. HackstaT was the man. Mr..
Hackstaff Immediately denied that he had
ever seen the Oklahoma before or
that he was engaged in anything but an
effort to select straight-out Populist can
didate for President. The Oklahoma man
seemed to be undecided and went out
after a motion had been adopted request
ing the Bryan men 20 leave the hall.
Before the last part of this interesting
incident occurred and shortly after the
meeting was called TO order motion was
carried with a whoop that none but a
straight-out Populist should be nominated
for President. Then occurred row over
the fact that men with Bryan badges were
in the room. 1t claimed by the mid
dle-of- -the-road Populists that these Bryan
men should either get out or declare them
selves for a middle -the-road ticket
recognition and the secretary finally got
semblance of order by moving a call of
the roll of States to secure responses and
see what strength the middle of -the-road
men would have in the convention. Arizona
did not respond, nor did Alabama, although
a Florida man stated that he understood
Alabama was divided. Arkansas was for
the Omaha platform California was d.
vided. but 1t was said the middle-of-the-
road men in the delegation would accept
Bryan on straight Populist platform
There was no response from Connecticut
Colorado announced two delegations, one
for Bryan and the other for a straight
out. The secretary moved that the middle
of-the-road men every effort to seat
their delegation and reject the Democratic
delegation headed by Tom Patterson. This
was carried with shout. There were
no responses from Delaware or the District
of Columbia.
HOoSIERS AGAINST VOORHEES,.
When Indiana was called it was an
nounced that the greater portion of the
delegation was middle of the road The
delegate making the announcement said
that the Populists he represented did not
propose to do anything that would assist
in the election of Daniel w. Voorhees, to
succeed himself. More whoops were heard
when this announcement was made.
Idaho was next called. James Gum said
that her seven votes would be cast for
Bryan. that no matter what this conven-
ton did the Idaho Popuists would vote
soiidly for Bryan and carry the State for
him. The secretary made the point of or
der that this was a middle-of- -the-road
meeting and the Bryan men had no right
to try and make 1T a Democratic ratifi-
cation meeting After some wrangiing
Mr.. Gum was granted few minutes TO
make a statement. He detailed the hard
ship the Pcpulists had encountered and
said that no matter what was done he al
ways intended to remain Popuist.
When Iowa was called. Secretary Reed
entered into a discussion of the prefer
ences OF different delegates, and after fig
uring out five or six nidde-of- -the-road
men, he entered an emphatic denial of
Weayer's statement that Iowa would cast
thirty solid votes for Bryan. delegate
from Texas named Wood chipped In at
nearly every announcement. saying
Texas greets you and promises ninety
five votes to help out" He had promised
tive ninety-dve votes TO seat the anti
Bryan delegation from Colorado. He and
Webster. OF Missouri. got into q discussion
of side matter and warned the middle
of-the-road men 70 keep out ct caucvseo