The San Francisco call., 1898-07-14

Populist convention"
 "You mean a caucus of those inter ested in the railroad" answered Mon teith of Marin.
 Then other delegates commenced throwing out taunting remarks and for several minutes the air was laden with the unpleasant things spoken.
 It was 3:30 o'clock when Chairman Hutchinson called the delegates to or der again It was announced that the conference committee was still con ferring" and no report was received up to the hour of adjournment. The re port was ready but the Mcguire men had it held back until they rushed their programme through.
 The committee on platform was ready to report and the secretary frequently was interrupted by handclapping while reading the declaration of principles. The platform was adopted without dissenting vote.
 Gator of San Francisco then threw a firebrand in the shape of Q resolution into the convention. It provided that no person was eligible for nomination by the convention unless he first in dorsed the platform. This was intended to hit at Mcguire. who is at present enjoying the hospitality of the CrOker Club at New York. If any aSpirant is absent" remarked Gator, rather dryly, the platform could be telegraphed him."
 A howl went up from the Mcguire ites. They said that the resolution was unfair and was intended to delay the work of the convention. The anti fusion people and opponents of Ma gUire replied that it would not be right to nominate a man before know ing that he would accept the platform of the party.
 Let us be sure We are nominating n he the-road men.
 Gator spoke at length in support of the resolution. He asked if it would be safe to nominate a man like Mcguire, who had shown Himself to be opposed to an income tax. when that was one of the blanks in the platform, unless he had first been pledged to stand by the platform.
 Gillespie of San Francisco replied that any statement that Mcguire did not favor an income tax was absolute ly and unequivocally false, and that its falseness could readily be shown if reference was made to the Congress sional records.
 Mason of Santa Clara tried to pour oil on the troubled waters by offering a substitute for the resolution. which provided that the chairman and secre- tary of the convention be empowered to withhold the certificate of nomina- tion of every nominee until after he had subscribed to the platform. The substitute prevailed. but that did not satisfy the anti-Maguire men. They wanted something more binding, and another Wrangle followed.
 The breach was finally healed by the adoption of resolution providing that all candidates must sign the platform Inside of fifteen days after being nomi- mated, unless they are absent from the State. Tn the latter event the platform mn TEt he cfcr after the return of the absentee.
 Nominations for Governor were then declared in order. Cornell of Alameda caught the eye of Chairman HutChin- Son first and was granted the floor In highly laudatory speech he presented the name of Congressman Mcguire who, he said, would be indorsed by the Democratic party. Mcguire was pie tured by him as the only savior of the State and the only man who would make stern fight against the railroad octopus.
 Dittmar of Shasta followed In stir ring speech in favor of the tall syca- more of Shasta, T. W. H. Shanahan.
 If we nominate Shanahan," said he, I've can go back to our constituents and say to them. We have nominated a Peoples Party ticket While l have | nothing to say aPainst the honesty and l integrity of Congressman Mcguire. I 1
 
 will virtually mean a surrender to the Democratic party" Sprague of Los Angeles, Burnett of San Luis Obispo. Mouser of San Diego and Netherton of Santa Cruz espoused the cause of Mcguire "as an honest man and the best friend reform ever had"
 Murphy of Shasta spoke in behalf of Shanahan and predicted that a mistake would be made if Mcguire was chosen standard bearer.
 ''I know full we'll" he said, that the people in my county will not stand for fusion and Mcguire"
 Gator of San Francisco made the closing speech in favor of Shanahan He said he had no personal feeling against Mcguire They differed on po- litical questions.
 Let us stand by the principles of our party" said he in conclusion. "and nominate Populist who commands the admiration and respect of the peo- pie of the State. and around whom the Populists will rally"
 There were calls from all parts of the convention for Shanahan. who was out in the hallway while the nice things were being said about him. His appearance before the convention was the signal for cheering among the anti fusion people. He told of his record in the Legislature and of his desertion of the Democratic party when he found it false.
 T have fought hard and earnestly for the Populist party" said he, and l did not expect that I would ever be called upon before Populist convention to fight politically a candidate who does mt belong to the party. l am afraid gentlemen, that If you nominate Ma guire you will be making a grave mis- take. His nomination means nothing more nor nothing less than political suicide"
 AS Shanahan was about to with draw Monteith of Marin asked him if he would support Mcguire if Mcguire received the nomination. Shanahan hesitated for a moment Then he slowly replied:
 That is hard question to answer. If he declares himself a Populist and subscribes to our party platform I will support him."
 If you are nominated" continued Monteith, will you remain at the head of the ticket and not withdraw if given the Democratic nomination for Lieu tenant Governor?