The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-03
DEMOCRATS DESCEND UPON THE
CONVENTION CITY.
THE BALL HAS BEEN OPENED.
COMMITTEES PUT THE MACHINERY
IN MOTION.

NduSdS city, July S.-Ine thrOD ana
thrill of a great national assemblage is
beginning to take possession of this young
quantity of the Southwest Throughout
the day there has been a steady tramp,
tramp of incoming Democrats on every
train, choking the railroad station with a
struggling, travel-stained and swelterine
throng, filling the streets with slow -1nov-
ing. jostling crowds. emptying into the
hotel lobbies where amid cigar smoke and
piles of baggage, and the shout of baggage
busters" the currents of earnest and ex-
cited men eddy into groups, declaiming
the merits of candidates and issues, ar
guing, protesting, gesticulating. The del
egations have been arriving in scattered
lots, some of them with bands and BAN
ners to add sound and color to the ami
mated scene
Leaders Who Are There.
Among the days arrivals are many of
the interestings figure of the party, includ-
ing the smooth-faced, ministerial looking
Oldham of Nebraska. who will make the
speech placing Bryan in nominatio Hill
of New York. weighted with his long con-
ference with Bryan at Lincoln, and weary
with three days Of constant travel; Perry
Belmont of New York, we'll groomed and
debonair; Teller of Colorado, with his
jacksonville face, thin and worn; Sena-
tor Money of Mississippi, tall and gaunt
with a strong contingent from the Far
South; distinguished Populist trio, SEN
ators Allen. Heitfeld and Harris, here to
attend TO the cause of Towne; John p
of
under his broad-brimmed panama; Gov.
William Walter Smith of Maryland, the
close confidant of German; Arthur Sew
all, the Maine shipbuilder, who ran with
Bryan four years ago, and that other
unique figure of the Senate, who has late
ly brought excitement and sensation to
its deliberations-Wiliam A. Clark of
Montana. heading the delegation of reg
ulars," with two brass bands and an
abundance of enthusiasm.
Real Work Began,
The real work Of the convention began
to-day with the meeting of the National
Committee to determine contests and to
select temporary officers. Mayor Rose of
Milwaukee, who will be temporary chair
man. is a German-Americm, reputed to
be an orator of fine presence and effec-
tive delivery
Tonight the National Committee is
having private dinner, a sort of family
conference, the guest of Daniel j. Cam
pau, while great crowds of delegates and
spectators are centering at convention
hall. which formally opened with a band
concert.
The dominating influence of Mr.. Bryan
over the convention had been made per-
fectly manifest. causing some concern and
just a little rebellion in some quarters.
1t is not by any authoritative or formal
words or actions by him that this inf1u-
ence is exerted, but in ways none the less
effective. Its Importance, however has
not been so much in disclosing how strong
a hand Mr.. Bryan holds on the conven-
tion's course as in showing that there is
little likelihood of a modification or dilu-
ton of the silver plank.
Bryan's Attitude.
The arrival of the Nebraska delegation,
fresh from conference with their leader,
was mainly instrumental in showing Mr..
Bryan's attitude. They were hardly off
the cars before they met in caucus and
formally put forward a declaration of
principles. They expressed "unalterable
opposition to any surrender of the prin-
ciple of bimetallsm and a demand for
financial plank making a specific pledge
for the free and unlimited coinage of gold
and silver at the ratio of 16 to l, independ-
emily of what any other nation may do"
The resolution was accepted as little
short of notice to other delegations as to
the sentiment of men very near to Mr..
Bryan. Some of them had just left him,
and Judge Tibbets, head of the delegates
at large, dined with Mr.. Bryan and Gov.
Hill at Lincoln last night THE plat
form must be straight out for Is to /,
there is no question as TO that" said
Judge Tibbetts.
A like view was expressed by r. L.
Metcalfe who will represent Nebraska on
the Platform Committee. 81 will urge
that the financial plank of the Chicago
platform be reaffirmed and readopted,"
said he, mot necessarily in the same
words but in the same spirit, with a dec
lara ton for free coinage al 16 to l without
regard to the action of other nations"
They Didn't Agree.
The return of Senator Hill without tangi-
Bile results which he was willing to dis
close made it plain that his conference
with Mr. Bryan at Lincoln had come 10
naught, and it served also to emphasize
the general feeling that Mr.. Bryan would
not tolerate. any temporizing on the plat
FORM The Senator came back from Lin
coin on the car with the Nebraska dele
CATION, mingling with them and exchang-
ing views But there was no evidence of
the slightest sympathy among them for
him as the companion of Bryan on the
ticket For the reason" as Judge Tib-
belts explained, that Mr.. Hill would not
accept a nomination under the circum-
stances"
After n Compromise.
But the development OF Mr.. Bryan's
influence over the convention, and his un-
sWerving insistence on 16 40 1, has cre-
ated curious counter movement. This
is omong the practical politicians Of the
party, the leaders who run campaigns to
secure votes. They want no surrender,
and neither are they seeking immolation
al this one altar They seek compromise,
concession and such a harmonizlng that
all sections can be brought together. As
a result of this strong and growing eenti-
ment. definite and urgent representa- tions
have been made to Mr.. Bryan in the in
terest of harmony and moderation on the
platform. The bearer of these overtures
is James Kerr. secretary of the Congress
sional National Committee, who is with
Mr. Bryan in Lincoln to-day, after con-
ferrlng with the leaders here.
He certainly reflects the sentiment OF
his own state. Pennsylvania and other
Eastern localities, and Il is understood
that his mission has the sympathetic sp-
proval. II not the positive authority of
the most influential party leaders now