The Yale expositor., 1896-07-17
SILVER THE WINNER
DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION AT
CHICAGO
Completely Controlled by White Metal
Men-Four Michigan Gold Delegates
Unseatod After Hard Fight-A Long
and Exciting Convention.

trampled for nearly three hours before
the great Democratic national convention
was opened. Once inside. there was plen-
ty OF room and, Notwithstanding the fact
that 10000 people poured into the splendid
ediflce. there were several rows of seats
still vacant on the outer edges when or
der was called. The day was fine. a cool
ing breeze blowing. and the air vas sooth-
Ing. The coliseum building. situated in
jackson park. was almost all that could
be desired. The decorations of the in
terror were simple, but effective. From
the lofty Orders which hold up the arched
roof fluttcred gay trappings. The CALLER
les in front were entwined with national
colors, while at regular intervals large
crayon portraits of former leaders of the
party, Jefferson, Jackson and others, look
down. large portrait of Cleveland was
off to one side, the only one displayed of
a living Democrat
There was no demonstration during the
day for any OF the candidates. but many
of the leaders like Hill and Whitney, of
New York; Blackburn, of Kentucky; ex-
Gov. Russell, of Massachusetts,; Daniel
of Virginia; Harrity of Pennsylvania,
were the recipients of individual ovations
ON the platform were the members Of the
national committee. Among the dstin-
guished guests seated in their rear were
a number of gold leaders, who have been
conspicuous in previous conventions but
VINO were swept aside by the silver CO.
morris In the-r states. But strangest of all
iwere the little coterie of silver senators
who bolted the Republican convention at
,SI Louis. Gen. John b. Weaver and
0tner Populists and silverites like Senator
oteWart were also there. Although many
Wen known faces were missing, 1t was a
DISTINGUISHED gathering.
IL Of
vahla' chairman of the Democratic ma
tlonal committee. called the convention
TO 70, orGer, and Rev. Il. NJ. Stires, a youth
1ul Episcopal divine, read an eloquent
prayer Mr.. Harrity proceeded to read
the majority report of the national com
mlttee, naming David i. Hill, of New
YORK, for temporary chairman. A mighty
yeil was instantly let loose at the men
ton or that name, and then the real fun
began. Henry q. Clayton, of Alabama. took
the Hlst opportunity to offer q minority
report, which he said was twenty-three
members against twenty-sevcn, present.
ing the name of John w. Daniel, of Vir-
glnia, as the silver mems substitute for
the majority report. The cheers which
greeted Daniels name were even more
tremendous than the previous deinonstra-
ton. Speeches of great fervor followed.
Alexander McDermott, of New Jersey:
John l. Waller, of Connecticut; John II.
Fel0ws, or New York, and Gen. ST. Clair.
or west virginia, championcd Mr.. IIill's
cause, and G. $. Thomas, of Colorado; NJ
l.; II. Tarpey. of California; c. A. Ladd, of
Illinois; Delegate Marston, of Louisiana
and National Committeeman CLAYTON of
Alabama. insisted upon his overthrow
Then Mr.. Harrity called for vote on the
motion to substitute the minority report
tor me majority. When the vote came
administration federal officials in Iowa
In order to fiaunt the divisions in the
Boies division. challenged the vote &C the
state and uncovered seven gold men. Mr.
Halldeman did the same thing in Black
burns delegation, and Mr.. Mcknight. a
silver Michigan delegate. showed twelve
silver votes IN his delegation which were
locked up by the unit rule The result
OF roll call showed $50 votes for Daniel
and $40 for Hill.
when he was introduced by Chairman
Harrity. The senator begun his speech
by complimenting the Pennsylvania on
his ability and impartiality In presiding
during the preliminary session, and the
compliment was deserved. Daniel then
entered into an exhaustive effort in
behalf of silver. sounding the keynote i'm
a speech which was eloquent, but which
did not hold the delegates and specta-
tors. Silver had won the first battle. and
that was enough for one day. When
Chairman Daniel had finished there were
cries for HILL but the New Yorker kept
his seat and smiled grmly. A resolution
was adopted thanking Mr.. Harrity for
his work as chairman of the national
committee. The convention committees
were then named, and the convention adj
Journed for the day.
The proceedings of the second day were
practically without result as far as get
ting through the work of the convention
was concerned. Chairman Daniel raped
for order at 1880 a. m. Rev. Francis T.
Green. of Cedar Rapids. Ia, delivered the
opening prayer. and then the temporary
chairman called for reports of commit
tees; The credentials committee was not
ready to report, so to while away the
time the bands were given a chance to
show, what they could do. and then
speeches were called for. For three hours
the gold men had to listen in silence. They
seemed Indifferent while thousands yelled
Texas; Senator Blackburn, of Kentucky :
GOV Oyermeyer. of Kansas; Gov. Alt
geld. OF lllinois. and .ex-Congressman
addressed the convention.
Inc dash!ng Blackburn and the pale,
nervous but alert governor of Illinois
maze deep impressions on the convention.
bat 1t was the ciean-limbed. college-bred
young convert to free silver from the old
the day. He argued thai. free silver was
not a sectional issue, and when he con-
cluded with q plea for financial emanci-
bard street the greatest demonstration of
the day occurred. hundred delegates
rushed ,d fSrward I'd to wiring his hand and
utes. ''''''
last agreed on partial report, the chair
man, Mr. Atwood. of Kansas, was intro
duced and presented the report which
found the temporary roll correct save in
michigan and Nebraska. In Nebraska the
report ousted the gold delegates and seat
ed the silver delegation, headed by w i
Bryan. This announcement was greet ed
with storm of cheers. Il. J. Mahoney.
one of the gold delegates from Nebrask "a
made brief speech of. protest, and then
he and his colleagues marched out The
report of the committee was adopted by
a viva vocc vote. An ovation was givei
Bryan and his silver followers when they
marched in TO take the seats just left by
the gold men.
In regard to the contest from the state
of Michigan, Mr.. Atwood announced thai
the committee was not ready to report
and asks further time for the consider
alton of the same. Senator White ex.
planned that the committee on credential.
had reported that IL could not finish II.
work for three hours, and that the con
vention could not adopt a platform with
out the titles TO seats settled. So al.
though Findley, OF Ohio. moved to pro
coed, the adjournment was made unit
y. m.
Hot times were being experienced ir
the room occupied by the committee or
credentials. The shadow OF the conf ct
over the Michigan delegation seemed {,
prevent action on the credentials of tn
other states, but the decks were FINAL,
Ill. he ft.,, 90 a. w -.