The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-07-23

ST. LOUIS, No.. July 22-The Popu-
list and Silver conventions were
launched today, but neither made
much Roadway. The programme Of
the silver convention was all arranged
IN advance 1t included simply the
adoption of a Is to l platform and the
nomination of Bryan and Sewall; but
those in charge of it deemed it good
policy to go slowly, in the belief that
they might, by remaining in session,
be able to exercise an influence in
shaping things in the Populist con-
VentiOn. To this end they appointed a
committee Of seven, headed by Judge
Scott of California, to meet a similar
committee of the Populists for the
purpose OF reaching a common plan of
action
IT IS DOUBTFUL
whether their course will be fruitful
of results. The anti-Bryan Populists
al ct to believe that all the outside
influences which are being brought TO
bear upon them to induce them TO &C
cept the nominees of the Democratic
convention are part of the same plot
TO drive their party into the Demo
cratic trap and destroy and annihil-
ate its identity. They are deaf to sug-
gesticns appeals and warnings. Keep
in the middle Of the ROAD is their
reply TO every argument. They have
convinced themselves that if they go
marching on, in four years more the
two old parties will be shattered, dis
rupted and discredited and they will
come into their own"
The first session Of the Populist con-
venuon today was q. disappointment
to those who anticipated relentless,
bitter war from the drop of the gavel,
and it was a. disappointment to those
who imagined that the galleries would
swarm with people, drawn thither
either by curiosity or sympathy with
the deliberations of the convention.
There was no wildcat fighting, and
the galleries, which hold L, geo people,
were practically an empty waste. Not
over 600 spectators, at a liberal esti-
mate. were in the balconies. The floor
where the delegates were gathered,
was crowdd with as unique an assem-
blage as was ever massed under one
roof A single glance showed that
they
REPRESENTED THE COMMON
PEOPLE,
a term in which they glory-that they
were from the farm, the mine. the
y.
carded conVentionalities. Fully half
of them sat in their shirt sleeves, with
their coats slung over the backs of
their chairs. Among them were many
pictures on the personalities-men who
have been known as agitators and re-
formers for years Were there, but there
were also many whose ability and
force Of character have given them
rank in high station. AS a. body they
cf nd OF
victions. Governor Llewellyn, Senator
PETER and Jerry Simpson of Kansas;
Governor Holcomb of Nebraska. Igna-
titus Donnelly of Minnesota. Cyclone
Davis of Texas, Colonel Peak of Cleor-
gia, General Coxey and Carl Browne
of Ohio, Tom Patterson of Colorado,
Ex-Governor Buchanan of Tennessee.
General Weaver Of Iowa and General
Field Of Virginia, who were the Popu-
list candidates in 1882; Colonel BurlSett
of Mississippi, Buffalo Jones of Ok
lahoma, Captain Reuben Cobb, Con-
gresham Howard and Colonel Bow
man and many others were prominent
and conspicuous figures on the floor.
On the platform were Chairman Tau
beneck, Senator Butler of North Caro-
lima, Senator Allen of Nebraska, Mrs
Mary Z. Lease of Kansas and other
distinguished guests. the appear
ance Of
SEVERAL WOMEN DELEGATES
on the floor was novel feature in a
national political gathering. The press
benches, usually occupied by the rep
resentatives of the big dailies, were
largely given over to the editors Of
weekly reform papers. The decora-
tions of the Republican convention,
which was held in the same hail weeks
ago. still graced the balconies and hid
the wooden rafters and pillars. All the
Republican portraits had. however,
been removed. Only the bust of Cen
eral Grant remained. Just before the
convention was called to order por-
traits of Abraham Lincoln and Peter
Cooper Were hung out over the. plat
form gallery.
The day session. which lasted about
an hour and a half, developed nothing
except possibly that the noisy middle
Of the road contingent were afraid to
be put to the touch on their claims
Last night, after Senator Butler had
been chosen temporary chairman by
the national committee, and they had
ascertained that he favored Bryan's
nomination, they at once
DECIDED TO DEPOSE HIM.
as Senator Hill was depcsed by the
Chicago convention. At the conclu-
sion of an enthusiastic meeting they