The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-07

paign. We want the temporary chair
man of this convention TO sound the
keynote of the situation and to go to
the country as a declaration of our
views We are determined that key
note will be a silver speech in har-
mony with the views of this conven-
ton
= vOlIey of cheers greeted this brief
and oUtspoken characterization of the
issue on which the fight on Mr.. Hill
was made.
After the Californian the galleries
arose to peer over into the pit to
discover the meaning of cheers that be-
gan Sputtering like firecrackerS. They
saw a short, round man with a red,
chubby face and curly gray hair push
ing his way out from a group of New
York delegates in the corner where
Whitney, Hill, Tracy, Grant and Shee-
han sat. He was Col. John r. Eel
lows
The old Democratic war horse whose
customary reception at conventions in
the past has been friendly and not linn
tied to a faction, a southerner trans
planted to New York a one time sol
dier Of the south whose old comrades
now stayed their accustomed cheers.
The reception Fellows was getting was
tame compared with the enthusiasm
which he had stirred in the gold meet
ing Saturday night and his first SEN
teEceS went uncheered.. The cheers
were started when he flung at the ma
jority the taunt that it proposed to be-
gin the convention by adopting Re
publican precedent, "disOWned, dis
hOnOred, Haunted by Democrats al
ways and everywhere"
The convention had a precedent, Mr..
Fellows said, and began -four years
ago we from the east and some other
sections of the United States met here
to oppose the candidacy of the present
president of the United States"-but
he was interrupted at this indirect
mention of the president.
Then he said that the New York del
re- W Vn-fh n
the convention four years ago had been
for Grover Cleveland. This first di-
rect mention of the name of Cleveland
brought down an outbreak that seemed
really enthusiastic, proceeded for two
or three minutes with many people on
their feet in the galleries waving their
handkerchiefS and hats.
The enthusiasm was nOticeably con-
fined to the galleries, and there was the
unusual sight of the audience round
four sides of the hall causing an enthu-
siastic cheer, while the actors, ranged
under the state banners in the center of
the hall, sat nearly quiet.
Three flags were waved from the
states of Michigan, Minnesota and
Mississippi whose delegates shouted
shrilly without rising from their seats
but the New Workers never raised a
yell, and silence pervaded the greater
part of the delegates. Then with a
flash of his old fire, Mr.. Fellows shout
ed:
Colorado, Alabama, California, let
II ring ike q COTOndJlOn Ayulu, lndl
although you gave US the candidate,
New York gave you the only Democrat
ic president this young country had in
80 years I make no threats. I shall
make none. We are Democrats. We
desire to march with our party, and do
what we can to make its perpetuatiOn
and ascendency successful, but we do
not want you to inf1ict this punishment
upon US. If you must select a victim to
drag to the altar, at least do not select
one so halloWed. to the people and so
loved by the Democracy"
Mr. Marston who next appeared on
the platform in behalf of Mr. Daniel,
created storm of amusement. His
opening sentence: 1T is not that we
love David B. Hill less, but that we
love Democracy more delivered in
stentOrian tones, set the convention
wild. He went on to declare
that the best blood of
Massa chusetts coursed through his
veins This was more than the con-
vention could stand and it began to
cry him down. His reception resem-
bled somewhat that frequently accord
ed the celebrated comedian, James
owen O'Connor who was on one Occa-