The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-15
Democrats Angered by n "Middle-
Road" PopuIist, Whose Resolution
Was Supposed to Attack Bryan.
RIOT OF WORDS FOLLOWED
IN WHICH ALL THE LEADING DEL
EGATES PARTICIPATED.
Other Resolutions Also Prolific Of
Disturbances-Platform and Plan
of Organization Finally Adopted.

CHICAGO, Feb. H.-Stormy scenes char
acterized the sessions of the national anti
trust conference preceding the final ad,
journment tonight. The climax came when
Delegate Joseph Parker, a middle-of-the-
road Populist, surprised the conference
with a resolution p~ledging the delegates
to vote for no party that does not stand
for government ownership and the principle
of direct legislation.
The Democratic leaders interpreted this
as an attack on w. ]. Bryan and were
on their feet in ar instant TO block the
move. A score of delegates took the floor
and all tried to talk at the same time.
You must not stife free speech here"
was shouted.
warning that came from a delegate in the
gallery.
~Ignatius Donnelly got the floor and
pleaded with the delegates to do something
tangible. The desired movement, he said,
would not be brought about by leagues.
He called on the conference to now form
a new party and call for a national con-
v%ention. Unless that was done, he as
serted, the conference would not amount
to as much as a last years birds nest"
The middle-of-the-road Populist faction in
the convention cheered these sentiments
wildly.
Jerry Simpson, of Kansas, followed. He
challenged the statement of Mr.. Parker, Of
Kentucky, that this convention has fallen
into the hands of a lot of cowardly poi
ticians." He declared that no delegate had
asserted rarty preference. but every one
-.- -.s1l I'D n ~.
Mr.. Parker apologize for his statement
instead of attempting to align the confer
ence in a partisan movement. Simpson was
cheered repeatedly.
Representative Sulzer denounced Donnel-
ly as seeking personal support. saying this
conference stood for principles and not
for men. He faced Donnelly and shouted:
you are doing more than any man here
to help Mark Hanna" Tammany, which
had been denounced by Mr.. Donnelly, was
declared by Mr.. Sulzer to be doing more
Tor municipal ownership than any other
organization In the world to-day. He
closed with another plea for the adoption
of the committees report.
% THE OLD PARTIES"
Delegate Parker. of Kentucky. was then
recognized as a question ot personal privi-
lege. He utterly disregarded the opinion
of Jerry Simpson, he said. and he did not
propose to take back a word he had ut
tered. Any one could see the hand of the
politician in the hall. This statement was
greeted with mingled boots and cheers.
After five minutes of disorder Mr.. Parker
was permitted to proceed. He defended his
position at length. concluding: LET us all
unite for the people and let the old ballot
box stufing parties go to the d."
Judge William Prentiss followed. He
deprecated partisan feeling. I'VE are
here" he said, for but one purpoSe-that
is, to fight trusts General Weaver scored
Parker and his resolution as IAN evident
attempt to bind the delegates to support
the middle-of-the-road platform"
Mayor Jones, of Toledo, hoped every
delegate would be true to his own best
principles. The resolutions already adopted
were the best that could be framed. He
favored this convention because 1t was
educational. I'm the word education" he
said, lis our only hope"
Chairman Monnett was in doubt as to-
what to do. Disorder reigned for ten min
utes and then Chairman Monnett used the
gavel and temporarily adjourned the con-
%vention.
Another whirl of excitement took place
after the reading of the report of the COM
mittee on resolutions, when Delegate
Qulilu, VI lllltOlc, OllClCu oil aiAClluillCllI
to the declaration of principles. calling for
the repeal of all laws sustaining the right
of citizens to private property, with a view
to giving every citizen a free home. A
long wrangle ensued over the disposition
Of the amendment. Capt. w. p. Black,
Tom l.. Johnson and others appealed to
Quinn to withdraw the amendment, but he
refused. After much discussion, during
which Quinn was denounced as a disturber
by delegates on the stage, Chairman Mon
nett put the motion to adopt the report.
He was in doubt and two ballots were TAX
en-. Finally he declared the report of the
committee adopted and the ruling caused a
thunder of -disapproval. Delegate Quinn,
during the uproar, appealed from the de-
cision Of the chair, and his motion was Sec
onded. The vote was put and Chairman
Monnett was sustained by a large ma
jority.
MOMENTS APPEAL.
A strong attempt was made at the con-
ference to-day to offset the partisan eff
feet of the resolutions adopted yesterday
~denouncing the pending currency bill.
Frank s. Monnett, permanent chairman Of
the conference. made a speech. in which
he declared that the movement for public
ownership of public utilities was being
carried On by the Republican party. as
well as by the Democratic party. "In the
Republican Northwest said he, "65 per
Will Va liz RaoAlS IN oAO III w
the public, whereas, in many Southern
Democratic States less than 5 per cent. are
so owned. ] would remind the convention
that Ohio, which is the State of the Presi-
dent, Is also the State of the author of the
Sherman antitrust act. If we have an At
torney General Griggs. We also had an At
torney General Olney."
The convention was enlivened also by an
attack by Professor Bemis on 'Universi-
ties Whose Come from Trust
Magnates." The professors in these insti-
tutions, said the ex-professor of political
economy at Chicago University. do their
best, but cannot overcome this handicap.
As a remedy, he advocated the establish
ment, through the state Legislature, Of
chairs in state universities devoted to the
study of the trust question. A number Of
set speeches were heard at the morning
and afternoon sessions, and the night ses-
sion, which wound up the three days con-
ference. heard as many of the remaining
speeches as could be read I'm the time that
was left.
During the day a plan for national or
g~anization was adopted, as was also the
platform agreed on last night. NJ. l.. Lock-
wood, of Pennsylvania, was unanimously
elected president of the national organiza-
ton. Franklin II. Wentworth. Of Chicago,
was elected secretary. c. 7. Bride, Of
Washington, L. c., was elected treasurer,
and w. b. Fleming, of Kentucky, financial
secretary.
The conference adopted with enthusiasm
an amendment TO the resolution offered by
John r. Sovereign protesting against the
passage by Congress OF the anti-scalping
bill.
At the night session a resolution by Mr..
Sulzer pledging the members of the league
to boycott goods sold by trusts was read.
Mr.. Ridgley and others objected to the
rasor,,tfo, Thou tharpbf the bOycoft nm