The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-07-10


as crank along with a silver platform.
But events, instead of making for har-
mony, went in the opposite direction. The
Populistic horde ruthlessly tramped under
foot everything that got in its way. spat
on every suggestion of compromise.
laughed in derision at every plea for party
harmony and scoffed at every threat or
party schism.
With the lines thus drawn tighter and
tighter between the two wings at every
turn. the chances of party unity grew
fainter and fainter at every session of the
convention, and with them went glimmer
ing the only combination of circumstance
under which Matthews might be nomi-
mated When his managers at noon heard
that. with the two hundred gold men re-
fusng to vote, Chairman White, on the ad-
vice of Senator Harris. had decided to rule
that two-thirds OF the vote cast. instead OF
two-thirds of the whole convention, would
be sufficient to nominate. they practically
threw up the sponge and conceded that 1t
would 20 TO Bland. unless the convention
should turn to some wilder crank than he.
The fight over Michigan had given the
Southerners a taste of blood, and they
were now throwing conservatism to the
winds and talking as savagely along the
the Bland supporters. The announcement
of the proposed action of the gold delegates
had further fired their blood, and they were
aching for a chance to cram down their
throats whatever might be distasteful to
the Eastern men. A harmony candidate
with feeling at that pitch? Not ever. One
might as well look for snowballs in hades
as TO look for harmony sentiment among
the delegates from the South after their
blood was up.
What's the use?. said one of the Mat
thews managers. You can't talk sense to
any of these people Unless the conven-
ton takes a sudden shoot to some other
man. Bland will be nominated. These sill
leaders were sharp enough to have the
unit rule fastened on nearly all these un-
pledged States. an4 now a majority of the
delegates in these States are bowling to
have the widest nomination they can
make shot through. We have made friends
in all these delegations. but what can they
do when they are tied down by the unit
rule? If they force the nomination of Bland
or Bryan tonight they will be playing di-
rectly into the hands of the goldites. who
want the ticket or this convention weighted
| down as much as possible. There are many
weak points about Bland, aside from his
| silveriSm, and if Bland is put on the ticket
! they will have every justification in the
world for nominating boiling ticket.
| Why, couple Of years ago he was acting
| with the Populist party. Do you suppose
| the Democrats who are Democrats be-
| cause there is more in party name than
| in a party principle are going to vote for
a man like Bryan, on a platform that has
| a great deal more OF socialism than of
Democracy in it?''
| One cause that may be pointed out for
| the small impression Matthews has made
on the convention lies I'm the character of
the delegation. In it there are but six men
-Turpie, Menzies. Lamb, Murdock, Nc
| Cabe and English-who have been able to
do anything. The rest are nobodies, in par
| ticular, when it comes to working among
men from other States. and have been fit
| for nothing more than to sit in their seats
and vote The work has devolved on the
| delegates named and Myron King, and of
these Turpie and Menzies have had the
brunt of the burden. 1t is the greatest pos
sible mistake to send lot of unknowns
! to a convention ard expect them to accom-
| plish anything particularly when they
have an unknown candidate to work for.
| Even with a convention that was unemo-
| tional Matthews would have suffered from
| the character of the majority of his dele
cation.
When Senator Turpie arose TO nominate
Matthews in the great hall tonight the
| only demonstration he got was from the
| Indiana delegates. His weak voice could
scarcely be heard at all in the vast as
semblage and he was greeted with constant
! cries of Louder from the galleries. I'm
| fortunately. the America" spectacle next
| door began to let go its thunderous fire.
works just then and this added to the con-
| fusion. Nothing has less reverence than
big crowd. Its impatience broke out in cat
| calls yells and dozen different methods
of guying. The Matthews>%boom was dead
before Turpie took the stand, but he bur-
| led il completely. AS he continued to read
there was singing in one section of the big
| hall, howliEs in another and general riot
at almost all points. One big fellow in
| the northwest corner arose and yelled in
a stentorian voice-'I nominate Matthews"
and got an ovation The bowling and con-
| fusion finally became so great that Turpies
| stopped in anger, though the only way the
| audience found it out was by his folding
| up his manuscript. Then CAME a multitude
| of Kisses sspd he closed in short order. The
Indiana delegation made the best demon
f! stration it. could. but it did not last long.
Major .Menzies moved an adjournment of
the convention on account of the. confusion
and was roundly Kissed by the galleries.
The spectators subsided somewhat when
the sergeant-at-arms announced that the
galleries would be cleared. Various delega-
| tions made suggestions that if the same
disrespect should be shown another speak
er as was shosaS1i Senator Turpe the con-
vention would adjourn and meet Tomorrow
| without spectators. Order was finally re-
stored and Oscar r. Tippet, of California,
seconded the nomination of Matthews. He
has fine voice. and. though his speech
did not amount to much. he was given
respectful hearing. From him the conven-
tion learned fQr the first time that Mat
thews is fafmer and has a good record
i'm the Governors office This was the only
I1eeond; the men from Maryland and Min
4 nesota failed to materialize.
The Indiana delegation was polled for the
second time in open convention this after
noon on the vote repudiating the indorse-
ment of President Cleveland Twenty-Five
of the members voted against. the admins
tration and the following eight for it: Sims
Marvin, McGregor Murdock. English
Lamb. Lautmann and voight r. NJ S.
| -~---
| DAY SESSION INCIDENTS.
| Convention Scenes Pictured by One of
the Journals Representatives.