Semi-weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings Co., S.D.) 1894-1898, 1896-07-25

an hour and a half, developed nothing,
except possibly that the noisy middle
Of the road" contingent were afraid to
put to the touch their claims. After
Senator Butler had been chosen tenn
porary chairman by the national COM
mittee and they had ascertained that he
favored Bryan's nomination, they at
once decided to depose him as Senator
Hill was deposed by the Chicago con.
vention. At the conclusion of an en-
thusiastic meeting they determined to
put forward as their candidate o. d.
Jones of Missouri, an old Greenbacker.
After Nights Meditation.
however, their leaders decided that it
would not be the part of wisdom to
make the fight against Butler, and their
refusal to submit to test of strength
was hailed by the Bryan men as con-
elusive evidence that they realized they
were in the minority. But they were
somewhat compensated for the loss of
the temporary Craftsmanship in the
speech OF Ignatius Donnelly, who re-
piled to Governor Stones address OF
welcome. He made middle OF the
road speech that stirred the radicals to
their depths. He appealed to them to
stand firm, so that all the dynamite in
Gods laboratory" could not tear the
party asunder, and predicted that if the
Peoples party failed the cause OF hu-
manity would go down with it. Sena-
tor Butler of North Carolina, as tempo
tary chairman, was
Listened to With Eager Interest.
He is striking looking man, with
wealth of wavy dark brown hair which
tumbles over his straight forehead, and
which, together with beard that
marks the lower part of his face, brings
into bold relief the straight aquiline
nose and gives to his dark olive COM
plexion an appearance almost OF pallor.
Senator Butler hopes to be the pivot on
which the convention will turn. He
believes eventually all the factions can
be harmonized ON his plan to adopt a
Populist platform and nominate upon it
Bryan, with Southern Populist for
vice president. His speech strongly up
held the demand for the perpetuation
of the Populist organization, which he
described as having driven the Repub-
licans to gold and the Democrats to
silver. To be
Swallowed Up by the Demo Gratis,
he said, was danger only equalled by
the danger of being made the indirect
allies of the Republicans in the present
campaign. He gave both factions a
chance to rend the air with their shouts,
but when, in conclusion, he suggested q
middle course, the purport of which all
understood, both sides were irrespon-
sive. At the csnclusion of Chairman
Buffers speech the roll was called for
members of the committee on creden-
tials. When the call was concluded the
convention took recess till s p. m.
There were no demonstrations at the
day session. The delegates, save those
from Texas, were unusually quiet, al
though, after they had been once
aroused by the display of Lincoln's
picture, they applauded with enthusi-
asm everything which suited their
fancies.
No Night Session.
There was no night session owing to
an accident which destroyed the electric
light connections. A severe storm had
passed over the city about 6 o'clock and
the wires were blown down. Despite
this fact, the delegates assembled in the
hall and waited for over an hour in
total darkness for the lights to be turned
on. About dozen candles were
brought in for the use of the newspaper
men. Speeches were made in the dark
and the delegates appeared willing to
stay all night, if there was any prospect
of light later on. AT 9:l5 Chairman
Butler declared the convention ad-
journed until morning.
middle of the Road" Men Suspicious.
ST. LOUIS, July 23.-The middle Of
the road" men held an informal meet
ing after they left the convention hall
last night and there were many ex-
pressions Of suspicion regarding the
failure to have it lighted. The i'm
preston prevails among large number
of them that they are practically de-
| feated and that a nomination will be
rendered to Bryan.
wisconsin Centrars New Extension.
MILWAUKEE, July %. - A special
party of officers and friends of the Wis.
consin Central company have left Mil
waukee for Neenah, where they will
take the first regular passenger train to
run over the new extension from Mani
towoc to Hilbert junction and thence to
Neenah over the St. Paul branch line.
West Virginia Republicans.