The herald., 1896-07-10
SILVER qAD|AT0RS TAKE CONTROL
Not a Crumb for the G0ldites'
Comfort
THE PLATFORM is ADOPTED
Ia Spite Of Passionate Protest and
Piteous Appeal
TiIIman's Bitter Denuuciation Of Cleveland
Greeted With Kisses
Bryan, the Boy Orator. Sets the Convention
Aflsme The Nominating Speeches Re.
ceived with Evidences Of Enthusi.
asm Altogether Indescribable
Associated Press Special Wire

CHICAGO, July 9.-Ten acres Of people
on the sloping sides of the Coliseum to-
day saw the silver-helmeted gladiators
in the arena overpower the gold phalanx
and plant the banner of silver upon the
ramparts of Democracy. They saw
what may prove the disruption of great
political party, amid scenes Of enthusi-
asm such as perhaps never before oc-
CURED in a national convention. They
saw 10000 people. with Imagination in
famed by the burning words of passion
ate oratory, swayed like wind-swept
fields; they heard the awful roar Of
10000 voices burst like a volcano against
the reverberating dome over head; they
saw a man carried upon the shoulders of
others intoxicated with enthusiasm;
amid the tumult and turbulence they
listened to appeals, to threats, to cries
for mercy. and finally they watched the
jubilant majority seat its delegates and
:he vanquished stalk sullenly forth into
he daylight.
The battle for supremacy of Democrat
ic principles was fought In session that
lasted from II o'clock in the morning
until shortly before o'clock in the even
ing. Senator Tillman of South Caroli-
ma; Senator Jones Of Arkansas; ex-Con-
gressman William Jennings Bryan Of
Nebraska crossed swords with Senator
Hill of New York: Senator Villas of Wis
consin and Ex-Governor Russell of Mas
sachusetts.
The sinister looking senator from the
state Of Calhoun, with his eye blazing
defiance at an audience which manifest
ed its unfriendliness by storms of Kisses,
opened the debate with wildly passion.
ate speech, in which he affirmed that the
battle for the restoration of silver was
war for the emancipation of the white
slaves, as the war of 1860 had been one
for the emancipation of the black slaves.
Disruption of the Democracy had
brought one, and he invited another dis
ruption If 1t would result in this other
emancipation. He went to the extreme
of glorying in the suggestion presented.
that the issue was a sectional one, q
declaration which aroused the resent
ment of Senator Jones, and he repudiat-
ed 1t in a brief speech which aroused the
first demonstration of the day. Even
the gold delegates Joined heartily in this
demonstration against sectionalism.
Senator Villas bitterly denounced what
he termed an attempt to launch the party
in a career so wild that the world stood
aghast. With a wave of his arm, full
of impressive portent, he sounded his
warning.
Ex-Gov. Russell, the keen Massachu-
the standard of Democracy to victory
in the Old Bay state, pleaded for word
of concession. of conciliation, and con-
cluded with a solemn warning that the
country, if not the convention, would
listen. Demonstration followed demon
stration at frequent intervals through
out the speeches, but 1t was Senator Hill
who aroused the gold forces to their
widest enthusiasm, and Bryan, 1.-The
boy orator of the Platte" who set the
silver men aflame.
Senator Hill, who with close logic and
trenchant blade sought the very heart of
the convention, as he bitterly assailed as
undemocratic the new creed which the
majority was to proclaim, caused wild
applause which lasted about eighteen
minutes. Although more protracted
than that which greeted Bryan, it was Of
different nature. The latter was the
spontaneous outburst of an enthusiasm
kindled by the touch of magnetic elo-
quence. The star of the brilliant young
orator from the plains of Nebraska has
burned brightly on the horizon of the
convention for two days. There were
several demonstrations in this behalf
yesterday, but this was the first oppor-
tunity he had to show himself. The audi
ence had been warmed up and was full
of pent-up enthusiasm. The powder
magazine needed but the spark and
Bryan applied it with the skill of a
genius. His very appearance captured
the audience. Dressed like plain west
erner, in black sack suit of alpaca. he
stood with smile playing over his hand
some, mobile, clear-cut face, while. with
uplifted hand, he quieted the waiting
thousands. He has a face whose lines
might have been chiseled from alabaster
by some master sculptor. His mouth is
firm, his eyes bright, his nose Roman.
his raven hair is brushed back from his
forehead and falls to his collar With
well modulated voice, which gradually
rose in pitch until it penetrated the fur
thermost limits of the hall, he wove the
spell upon his audience.
His speech was masterful piece of
fervent oratory; with consummate elo-
Sueuce he stated the case Of silver. and