Evening star., 1900-05-09
Sioux Falls Convention Badly Divided
on Vice Presidency.
THREE VIEWS OF TIE SITUATION
Towne Still Seems to Be Choice
of the Majority.
NEW NAMES PROPOSED
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
SIOUX FALLS. s. D.. May 9.-The pre-
vailing sentiment among the delegates to
the populist national convention day Is that
when the vice presidential matter Is brought
to test vote the convention will decide to
make nomination. A resolution will prob
ably be introduced to proceed to the NOM
1natfon of a President and Vice President
unless the opponents of the plan secure
first the introduction of resolution to re-
fer the matter to the national committee or
a special committee to be given power to
confer with the democrats and select a vice
presidential nominee agreeable to both par
ties.
Inc leaders profess themselves at sea as
to the probable outcome of this contro-
Fersy, and those who are opposed to the
nomination of a Vice President will. if the
proposition carries. place several names be-
fore the convention in addition to that of
ex-Representative Towne
Ihe leaders as well as the delegates are
about evenly divided on the question. sThe
most interesting feature of all this discus
sion Is the apparently logical deduction
that Towne meets the approval of W. J.
Bryan and other democratic leaders as a
candidate for second place on the national
democratic ticket.
butler is for Toyvne.
Gen. Butler is advocating Towne's nomi-
nation by the populists, claiming that he
Will be indorsed by the democrats in July
and Gen. Butler comes to Sioux Falls d.
rect from conference with Mr. Bryan in
Chlcago. The democrats may believe that
the nomination of Towne will be good poll
tics. as he is a silver republican and would
draW to the democratic party such follow
Ing as he might have among the republi-
cans If he was made the nominee Of the
populists he would hold that vote as we'll
The populists at this present convention
Will adopt one of three plans in the vice
presidential matter. They will nominate a
candldate' refer the matter to committee
or select the names of eight or ten men
Tor submission to the democratic convention
as examples of what they want in the hone
mat one OF them may prove acceptable to
10 consider seriously the last named
scheme, though it finds many advocates
among the delegates. Those mentioned as
being likely to appear on such list are:
DR.. H. S. Taylor of Chicago, Lentz Of Ohio
Sulzer of New York, Towne Of Minnesota
James r. Davis of Texas, E. Gerry Brown
OF Massachusetts,. Adai Stevenson of Illi-
nois and George Fred Williams of Massa-
chusetts
Fitzgerald Springs Stevenson.
Colonel Fitzgerald of West Virginia
sprung the name of Stevenson upon the
Kansas delegation at the caucus yesterday.
for the reason that Colonel Fitzgerald is a
former kansan and he tried to secure the
support of this delegation for Adlai Ste
Fenson in the convention. His suggestion
was received coldly at the tme notwith-
standing Colonel Fitzgeralds earnest plea
lhat stevenson was an original greenbacker
and a man who was obnoxious to Presi-
dent Cleveland and his branch of the dem
ocratlc party. Since the adjournment of
the caucus Stevenson's name has been
talked OF considerably about the hotel lob
bies and finds many supporters but he is
he Load
ers. and unless the sample idea prevails in
the convention his name will not appear in
the proceedings.
Senator Pettigrew is very much alarmed
over the situation in his state which would
result from lack of a vice presidential
nomination at this convention. Pettigrew
hopes, notwithstanding the republican
prediction of this state. to carry the legis-
lature and be sent back to the Senate He
fears that If the pops do not nominate a
vice president the party would be accused
OF coWardice: that it would be said they
mad no available candidate upon whom they
could agree. and also that the party had
been delivered body and soul to the demo-
Gratis by its leaders. Senator Butler Cy-
clone Davis and Senator Pettigrew are IA
Voring the nomination of Vice President
at this time. and Senator Allen. Tom Pat
terson of Colorado. Secretary Edgerton and
General Weaver are favorng the refer
ence of the matter to the national commit
tee.
Single Tax Representatives
John Crosby is here representing the
single tax sentiment. and is a delegate to
the convention from New York, although it
was but a short time ago he was running
for supreme court justice Of New York city
on Congressman Quigg's ticket
Many of the eastern states, such as New
York, are trying to have a change made
in the present method of representation to
the popuiist national convention. AT pres
ent one delegate is allowed for each . 600
az In,
this gives New York but ten votes while
a state like Texas has 141 and Kansas 81
Under the previous arrangement each state
had one delegate for each member of It's
congressional delegation, in addition to a
delegate for the populist votes cast The
Justice of the kick against the representa-
tion OF the big states is recognized by all
the delegates, and probably the next pop
ulist convention, if such convention be held
will return TO the old method of represen-
tation.
Fight Grows More Bitter
The fight over the question of vice pres
idential nomination is becoming more bitter
every moment Scarcely a delegation is a
unit in the matter. conference did not
help matters very much, as no agreement
was reached. Senator Allen and Cen
Weaver say positively the matter will he
referred to a committee appointed to meet
with democrats at Kansas City Senator
Butler goes so far in opposition as to saw
nc viii Hidhe d pea Tor nomination in his
opening speech.
cyclone Davis Is in favor of a nomination
ana the tight will be carried from the eau
Gus to the floor of the convention These
opposing nomination claim many of tbe
principal delegations. but as nearly the
full (utnety-three) votes of that convention
VIII be represented by delegates or proxies
1t Will take large contingent to carry the
proposition.
Nebraska, Iowa, Ohio. Indiana, Ken
tuchy, Colorado, Wisconsin. Idaho and Min
nesota are opposed TO nomination
The peculiar feature of the discussion il
that opposition of the Minnesota deleea-
tion to their own man Towne and his ad-
Vocacy by other states. Jerry Simpson Is
here opposing a nomination. 1t ia now
claimed that Bryan has men here begging
the popuiists not to nominate and the on
position of Towne by the Minnesota dele
CATION unless they assured of his
nomination at Kansas City may confirm
the idea that Towne is slated for the nomj-
nation by the democrats.
The whole question is in the air and will
be fought to a finish in open meeting
There is considerable feeling over the
matter, and the discussion will be rancor-
Gus. Each side is positive of victory
Made the Discovery
The fire which almost completely de-