The Advocate and news., 1898-09-14
Barker Named
For President.
MlddIe-Of- Road PODullst COnVen-
tlOn Names the Philadelphia Jour"
mallSt and Ignatlus DOnneliy.
THE CONVENTION WAS NOISY.


The mIddle-of-the-road POpulist ma
tional convention, called by the provis-
ional national committee named at a
conference at st. Louis last spring, was
held at Cincinnati, September 6. The
avowed object OF this convention was to
nominate a ticket and thereby head on
fusion In 1900. The call was not signed
by the National committee nor was 1t
authorized by that body. None OF the
Eastern States were represented, the
delegations being almost entirely from
Ohio valley and Southern States. 1t Is
probable that Kansas was represented
by Abe Steinberger
The platform Is document OF about
1000 words. 1t includes an elaborate
address to the people, and nearly all OF
the Omaha platform, together with res
Olutions on various other subjects
After It's adoption a bitter fight arose
over O motion to proceed to the nomina-
tion of candidates for President and
Vice President. The faction which op-
posed nominations at this time moved
to refer the matter to the National COM
mittee, but the proposition was not en-
tertained. Joseph Palmer, an Illinois
man, then called the anti-nOmination
faction together in one end OF the hall
and 1t was announced that they would
bolt IL the nominations were now made,
when there had been no regular call
and when only a small part of the States
were represented. After the motion was
adopted the leaders Of the antis endeaV-
ored to get the floor on a question OF
personal privilege. He was interrupted
and a big disturbance followed. This
got so loud that the owner OF the hall
told the delegates that he feared for the
safety Of his property and asked the
convention to withdraw. The ants did
So but the others stayed and nominated
candidates. Wharton Barker, OF the
Philadelphia American, and Ignatius
DOnnelly, Of the Minnesota Representa-
tive, were the only candidates presented,
The vote was Rs follows: Barker 1913,
DOnnelly 99 Mr.. Donnelly was then
unanimously nominated for Vice Pres
ident.
The resolutions provide for the aboli
ton OF conventions and the use Of the
referendum in all features Of party man
agement Senator Butler, the Populist
National Chairman, was vigorously de-
nOunced. Milton Park, of Texas, is
named as Chairman Of the new party's
committee.
The boiling delegates said that their
pconstituents had not instructed them to
participate In the nomination of a
ticke& These delegates held a confer
ence and instructed committee COM
poaed OF 10 A. Parker, Kentucky, James
~. Mcbride, Michigan, James H. Ferris
(secretary Of the National Reform
Press AssociatiOn), Illinois, and Horace
Merritt, Tennessee, to draft an address.
It was in the nature of protest against
the action OF the convention and was
unanimously adopted. 1t stated that the
delegates voting for 1t came to preserve
harmony, but that the majority had
overrldden every attempt to promote
the interests of the party. The major
ity had refused to accede to o request
to put the same referendum scheme
which 1t had just adopted into effect
In the nomination Of candidates. In the
face of this, nothing was left but to
bolt. The protest concludes by urging
Populists to give no attention to the
action Of the alleged convention and to
proceed as hitherto to aid in building
up strong State and national organiza-
tions In closing it is urged that the
factions in the party get together before
the proper time for the nomination Of
national ticket.