The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-07-27
BRYAN AND WATSON
The Populists' Choice for Presi-
dent and Vice President.
BRYAN's DEOLINATIoN IGNORED.

bhY ANS UEULlNATlUN lGNUHED.
Chairman Allen Refused to Permit the
Reading Of Telegram from tho Presi-
Dental Candidate to Democratic Chair
man Jones-senator Butler Chairman Of
tho Populist National Committee.
ST. LOUIS, July 27.--Willam Jennings
Bryan, Of Nebraska, who was nominated
by the Democratic national convention at
Chicago fortnight ago was on Saturday
made the standard bearer Of the Populist
party by vote Of ,O42 to 32l. The Dem
ocratic candidate was nominated In the
face of his own protest In the shape of a
a telegram directing the withdrawal Of
his name, sent to Senator Jones after
Sew8ll, his running mate had been ditched
for the vice presidential nomination and
Thomas f. Watson, Of Georgia, had been
named for second place on the ticket. 1t
was also made In the teeth Of an opposi-
tion SO bitter that after the convention ad-
iourned some of the radicals held a
trump" convention,
The last session of the convention, which
lasted from 9 30 in the morning until al
most 8 o'clock in the afternoon, was
marked by scenes of turbulence and noisy
excitement which several times bordercd
on actual riot and which almost precipi.
tated personal collisions. One fist fight
did occur, Rhode Island delegate was
elected and West Virginia delegate, in
famed by tho action of the convention,
walked sullenly out Of the hall The storm
center, rs Oh the three previous days, was
in the Texas delegation.
But the really dramatic features Of this
wild session were enacted behind the
scenes Rnlnors of what was going on in
the wings reached the delegates but they
know nothing definitely, and to the very
end IA message from Mr.. Bryan, which
might have changed the result. was kept
from their ears.
General Weaver, of Iowa, the Populist
candidate for president in 1892, placed
Bryan In nomination, and General Field,
Of Virginia, who was his running mate.
moved to make the nomination unanl-
nous. Chairman Allen held tho motion
was in order, and that until that motion
was decided the call Of states for nomna-
tions which was the order of the conven-
tion, could not proceed.
!. Tho ruling almost precipitated riot,
and there would probably have been seri-
GUS trouble had not tho Bryan leaders
wisely concluded to abandon this pro-
gram. But in doing so they opened the
Sdood gates, and for six hours the conyen-
ton was deluged with oratory. Almost
every state and territory had Its inning on
the platform. Most Of the speakers sec
onded Bryan's nomination. About fifty
ssconding speeches were made, and some
of them were both eloquent and brilliant.
The middle of the roud" contlngentin-
sisted upon knowing atevery opportunity,
in view Of his telegram, whether Bryan
would stand on the platform and accept
the nomination. But all these pointed
questions were neatly parried. Judge
Green, of Nebraska and Others vouched
for Bryan's sympathy with Populistic
principles but that was all tho satisiac-
tion they could get.
The Texas delegation then sent n mes
sage to Bryan, at Lincoln, putting the di-
rect question to him. 70 this no answer
was received, but the Democratic candi-
date had been In telegraphic comInunica-
t1on with Senator Jones, chairman OF the
Democratic national committee, and word
came to the convention hall that Jones
had message that he wanted the conven.
tion to hear. 1t was thcn that, upon the
suggestion of Senator Allen, Il motion
was carried in the confusion Just before
the ballot was taken that may prove the
key by which the complications attending
tho desired union Of all the silver forces
may be unlocked 1t was u motion con.
ferring upon the national committee plen-
Rry powers---all the power, as the motion
stated, of the convention itself Some Of
the radicals pricked up their ears when
the motion wasput, and there was vague
protest, but 1t Is certain that the rank and
file Of the convention did not realize its
full Importance.
AS the roll call was proceeding Governor
Stone, of Missouri, appeared on the plat
form with the Bryan message, but Sena-
tor Allen would not permit him to read It
to the convention, and Stone retired very
much disconnected. The Populist lead
srs had decided to 10 ahead with Bryans
nomination, irrespective of the wishes Of
the Democratic managers Rumors that
such message was in the convention
Aroused the Lone Star delegates to frenzy,
and Stump Ashby demanded to know if
There was q message from Bryan on the
kscretarys table, Chairman Allen very
promptly responded that there was not,
but there was some talk Of u "f1cticous'
message somewhere; he had not seen it,
Literally, of course, Senator Allen was
correct. He said afterwards, in oxpluna-
ton Of his action, that Bryan was tho
overwhelming choice Of the convention,
and that the telegram, whatever it was,
was not addressed to the convention or to
. Popultst delegate; that 1t was purely n
Democratic negotiation, and something
which n Populst convention had nothing
to do.
Furthermore, he inti,natcd that no WAS
not pleased with the apparent wish of tho
Democrats to conduct the affairs of the
Populist convention.
1t is known, however, that tho message
contained a number of replies from Mr.
Bryan to inquiries made of him over the
wires by Senator Jones, and TINT 1t was
mere elaboration of his short message on
Friday night directing the withdrawal Of
his name because Of tho refusal of the
Populist convention to confer nomina.
ton upon Mr.. Sewall as it was about to
do upon himself One Of the leaders said
the dispatch was In no senso declination
Or refusal Of the nomination, and that no
intiination was contained that Mr.. Bryan
would not accept.
When the roll call was completed 1t was
found that Bryan had ,042 out of the 400
votes in tho convention. Frank s. Norton,
of Chicago, was the only other candidate.
1enatius Donnelly, of Minnesota and
General Co1ey, Of industrial army fame,
were nominated, but their names were
withdrawn Norton received 82l votes,
Eugene V. Debs 10 and Donnelly l.
Lou i
after Bryan had been declared the nomi-
nee, and the radicals in the Texas, Arkan-
,sas, Califernin, Illinois and Maine delega-
lions proceeded to organize their ''rump''
convention After the adjournment Sem
Ator Jones refused to give out Mr.. Bryans
Nnessage and he Immediately posted off to
Aincoln to confer with Bryan regarding
che situation.
As to the future all Is problelnatical.