Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-07-31


shall we do? favor your declination
in that case. Answer quick.
JAMES f. JONES,
Chairman National Democratic Com
mittee.
LINCOLN, Neb., July "a.
To Senator James X. Jones, Chairman
National Democratic Committee, St
Louis, Mo.
l entirely agree with you. With
draw my name if Sewall is not NOM
mated. w. j. BRYAN.
Senator Jones said at o'clock this
morning: II believe 1t will be i'm
possible for Mr.. Bryan to accept the
Populist nomination while it is with
held from Mr.. Sewall."
The Turning Down OF sewaiL
The opposition to Arthur Sewa!l in
the Popuiist convention practically
swamped the Bryan forces at the day
session of the convention by making
it impossible to prevent a division of
the Chicago ticket The leaders were
powerless to check the stron g feeling
against the Bath shipbuilder and
banker. They had carried the day in
the committee on resolutions in franz
ing comparatively moderate plat
form, which they afterwards got
through the convention with ease,
and their strategy was skillfully dis
played at other points, but the in
tense undercurrent of feeling against
Sewall was fatal to them.
1t was sunken ditch unmarked
upon the battlefield which, clutching
with it's muddy fingers at the wheels
of his artillery, bore down Napoleon
and his eagles at Waterloo.
Yesterday the ditch was in open
view. From the beginning, it had
CAPPED like chasm athwart the
path of the Bryan managers. In vain
they attempted to bridge it. More
over, the middle of the road element
displayed generalship worthy of the
name. Recognizing the fact that all
hope of defeating Bryan's nomination
was lost, they concentrated al their
efforts against Scwall.
They did more; they devised
scheme by which the convention was
forced to nominate the Vice President
before the President. 1t was an I'M
precedented thing, but it served to
ma SIS the votes in favor of a Populist
candidate for Vice President and I'M
cover them in advance, in the fear
that If Bryan were first nominated
the enthusiasm might break down the
opposition to Sewall and stampede
majority of the votes for the Nebras-
kan S running mate.
The Vice Presidency.
When the proposition was made to
change the regular order of the nom
nations, the Bryan men strained
every nerve to prevent it. Jerry
Simpson, on behalf of Kansas, went
SO far as to intimate that the vote of
the Suntlower state would be cast for
Southern man for vice president if
the regular order were not reversed.
When the vote was called they rallied
every vote at their command. Sem
ator Butler of North Carolina was
powerful ally with the ninety-fve
votes of the old North state behind
him, and Congressman Skinner, the
chairman of the delegation, cast the
solid vote of the state against the
change. When the vote was figured
up, however, and he ascertained that
there was a majority of 20 in favor of
the proposition. the vote of the dele
cation was cast for the proposition,
and the ants emerged from the con-
test with a majority of 10. This
made the defeat of Sewall and the
nomination of a Populist for vice
president certain.
After that, the conference OF the
Joint committee of the two conven-
tons could come to nothing, and the
silver convention promptly nominated
Bryan and Sewall and adjourned sine
die.
The anti Bryan men, although they
presented a minority platform, de-
manding an irredeemable paper cur
rency and crowded with bitter denun-
citation of the Democratic and Repub-
lican parties, did not attempt TO press
it after their victory. The majority
report, which is moderate, contains a
few radical propositions, such as
demand for the gradual assumption by
the government of the ownership of
the railways and for direct legislation
through the initiative and referen-
DUN. 1t was adopted without divis-
ion and the minority report laid on the
table.
The Democratic managers consulted
after it became evident that Sewall
could not be nominated, and Mr.. Bry-
an was communicated with by tele-
graph. They decided that Mr.. Bryan
could not be disloyal to his running
mate and word was sent TO the lead
ing Bryan managers in the convention
that the "Silver Knight of the West"
would not accept a nomination unless
Sewail was also nominated.
The convention for five hours last
night listened to nominating speeches
in profound ignorance of this fact.
Tom Watson of Georgia. Congressman
Skinner of North Carolina, Mimms of
Tennessee, Burkett of Mississippi and
Mann Page of Virginia were nomi-
mated. About Il o'clock the Bryan
men decided to spring the sensation.
Senator Stewart of Nevada was Sc
lected to make the announcement,
coupled with a plea for uniting the
silver forces, but the anti-Sewall
crowd was in the saddle. 1t howled
down the venera BILE senator and, after
n hurried consultation, the leaders
decided not to permit the announce