The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-22

St Louis, July 21.-.-The attempt of
the.'mlddle of the road men to organize
resulted in high time. a. H. Livings-
ton, OF Missouri, was elected temporary
chairman and a. l.. Reed, temporary sec
rotary. row began as soon as the meet
ing was organized. delegate from Ok
lahoma named Swift Bright, pointed to a
man seated in front of the chairman and
declared that he had been around the va
rious hotels distributing Mark Hanna's
money for the purpose of preventing the
endorsement of Bryan and defeating the
silver party. The man proved to be Silas
Ross, OF Buffalo, y. Y, who denied in the
most emphatic manner that he had been
engaged in such business Later in the
meeting Hackstaff, of Colorado. entered
and made n speech Then Bright said
Hackstaff was the man. Hackstaff i'm
medlately denied that he was engaged in
anything but an effort to select II straight
oJt5 Populist candidate for President
TR Oklahoman seemed to he undecided
and went out after II motion had been
adopted requesting the Bryan men to
leave the hall.
Before the last part of this interesting
incIdent occurred and shortly after the
meeting was called to order n motion was
CARRIED with II whoop that none but n
straightout Populist should be nominated
for President.
Then occurred row over the fact that
men with Bryan badges were in the room.
1t was claimed by the "middle of the
road" Populists that these Bryan men
should either get out or declare them
selves for middle of the road" ticket.
The secretary moved that the middle
of the road" men should make every
effort to seat their delegation. This was
carried with a shout. Colorado and Flor
ida announced two votes for the "middle
OF the road" cause. Georgia did not re-
spond.
When Idaho was called, James Gum
SAID that her seven votes would be cast
Tor Bryan; that no matter what this con-
vention did, the Idaho Populists would
vote solidly for Bryan and carry the State
Tor nm. The secretary made the point
The this was a-e.sslniddle of the road,
meeting and that the Bryan men had no
right to try and make this a qualification
meeting.''
When Illinois was called, the announce
ment was made that there was an Alt
geld delegation for Bryan and Taylor
delegation for the "midde of the road. ;,
1t was promptly asserted, however. that
Altgeld was not Il delegate The reply
was made that Altgeld controlled the
Bryan delegation.
w hen Maine was called man mounted
a chair and stated with great vehemence
that there was only one delegate from
Maine present but the delegation was solid
for the 'middle of the road Another
man with equal vehemence denied the as
sertion.
Missouri, as announced by Webster.
was with one exception solid for the
middle of the road" y man from Mis-
sissippi announced that that State was
opposed to any fusion. but he could not
speak definitely. Hackstaff, of Colorado.
i'll speaking for that State said that there
We're two delegations, the straight mid.
die of the road" intending to go out of
the convention and form another if BRYAN
was nominated The meeting gave three
cheers. for him Hackstaff went on with
his speech, saying the Democrats were
trying to crowd them out of their position.
Wall streets emissaries'' were here he
said to disrupt the Populist party and
turn 1T over to the rotten Democracy
y German Populist from St. Louis said
1t was not Populist but ii Republican
meeting. There We're loud cries of ''Put
him out" and Down with the traitor"
sit down." said the chairman. ~ won't
sit down" said the Missourian. "You
can't make me sit down. The chair
49,. t'OiiiS piiS W pun MN out. Inc
German showed fight y Minnesota man
jumped in with his fists doubled and it
looked for moment as if Minnesota and
Missouri were going to shed blood But
there were enough men to prevent actual
hostilities. The call of North Carolina
brought forth Il man who said he did not
know why, but he was the only one from
North Carolina there. He did not know
why the other delegates from North Car
DINA were not with them. Then Hal
Aver, OF North Carolina mounted chair
and stated: The real facts connected with
the middle of the road movement were
that while they had been getting little or
nothing and were without organization,
the Democrats We're swallowing the Pop
ulist party. Nothing could be done with
out organization. Western men We're
sailing to sea, not knowing what South
ern men We're going to do. He had assur.
ances that if the South would stand firm
against Bryan there We're enough West
ern votes to prevent his endorsements
Mr.. Aver said that there should be a
meeting to organize; that they wanted
less enthusiasm and more common sense;
that the only way they could win was by
concert of action. while we have been
shouting, he continued, 1.-THE other fell
lows with perfect organization have
been gathering in the stragglers. 1t
makes no difference how many men we