The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-04-20
P0PULIST CONVENTION.
A SMALL NUMBER OF DELEGATES AS
SEMBLE At RALEIGH.
BUTLER IN CHIEF COMMAND
Harry Skinner's Onslaught Upon the
Senator and Cy. Thompson-HeU Urges
tors Overwhelmingly Defeated.
Butler Rules the Convention Full
Ticket Nominated - constitutional
Amendment Denounced.
Especial to The Messenger.) }

Especial to The Messenger.)
Raleigh, April 1S.-Chairman Cy.
Thompson called the popEliss conveh-
,ticn To order, with about 250 delegates
present Senator Butler and Thompson
wee alpJs uded as they Cnt-a:ei the
hal II. +. Seawell was made te!npcr-
airy chairman, and J. w. Denmark and
r C. Rivers secretaries. After SeaWeN
had made a speech he called Rev. DR..
Baylus Cade to pray. Vice presidents
named were w. ]. Leary, w. P. Exum,
John E. Fowler, ]. j. Jenkins, S. NJ.
Johnson, George E Hunt, H. M. Well
borne and T b. Long. The committee
on permanent organization was The
opholius White, b. F. Person, D. C.
Downing, John w. Smith, J. z. Harriss
B. F. Keith, S. A -Lowrance and r. A.
Cobb. The platform committee was
Harry Skinner, J. E. Person, j. E.
Fowler, z. T. Garrett, A. ). Peace,
Angus Shaw, ]. F. Click and o. +.
Pool. The temporary organization was
made permanent.
Senator Butler spoke, introducing
Congressman Switzerland Of Nebraska,
tor Allen nor Senator Pettigrew could
be present. Bueler read letter from Sen
ator Teller to him, saying the fifth Sec
ton of the franchise amendment was
illegal; that the courts would SO hold
and if the fifth section were thrown the
remainder would stand. Butler said
there was no such lawyer in North
Carolina as Teller. Butler gave his own
views against the amendment and
q inc
adoption. He said the reason the DEM
,ocratic state convention was such a
large gathering was in great part of
office-seekers. He called attention to
the resemblance between Switzerland
and Bryan.
Switzerland spoke half an hour. He
paid a handsome tribute to Bryan. His
speech was mainly, as he said, "a
message from Nebraska" to North Car
olina populists to stand firmly by W. j.
Bryan" He was then given a vote of
thanks.
The committee on credentials report
ed. All counties save four were repre-
sented.
1t was very noticeable the populists
were desirous to make the numbers ap-
pear as large as possible and make
showing of counties represented. At
least a third of the counties We're not
actually represented. There were only
two delegates from west of the Blue
Ridge.
TILE PLATFORM
The platform committee reported $3.50
o'clock. The platform re-affirmS the ma
tional platform of 1896; instructs the
delegates to the national convention to
vote for Bryan (come applause): COM
mendS fusion state administration for
personal and official itegrity and abi1 ty
and challenges comparison with all past
administrations; condemns the last leg
islature for excessive appropriations and
for enacting an election law cunningly
planned to defraud the people of their
votes, the worst law in any state and
for blundering and careless legislation,
and for more unconstitutional laws
than were ever enacted by any legiS-
lature in North Carolina; denounceS
the democratic leaders for laying the
lash on the back of the legislature and
forcing the adoption of the constitu-
tional amendment in violation of
pledges; also for submitting meas
ure most idiouS in form and dangerous
in effect; that it mus have known the
dangerous fifth saG4on was unconsti-
tut1ona1, which 0egnifieS with suffrage
the most dangerous element of negroes:
that it SlaughterS the suffrage of a
son whose father it dares not openly
attack; declares that the amendment
ty and leaves it to the individual vot-
ers; that no one should be more anx-
1ouS to defeat the amendment than the
democrats; demands that article 5, sec
ton 6, of the constitution be amended
by inserting among the persons dis
qualified for office all negroes and all
persons OF negro descent to the third
generation; that if the legislature does
this, 1T will have the populiSt support,
| II not, that the pOpulistS vote for leg
1slators who pledge themselves to
do it.
The platform endorses the supreme
court opinion that legislature can pro-
vide one form of county government
for counties with negro magistrates
and another form for white counties
SKINNER OPENS THE BALL.
AS soon as the reading was completed
Harry Skinner walked to the front
and threw a bombshell into the con-
vention. He presented minority re-
port on the platform and cried out.
DO you want Bryan for president ?''
There were all sorts OF cries-'No,'' %
Yes" If he accept our nomination
first
Then said Skinner, ''if you are
honest you want to go by honest means
| to compass his election. / don't want
any playing politics. / think the dis
| honesty and fraud Of Marion Butler
at this convention as diSgracefui as
| the politics played by Chairman Sim
mons. Again L ask. do you want
Bryan?"
| There were again mingled cries Of
| No. Yes Yes. if he comes to us
| straight"
| Skinner continued: He is a straight
I populist. Do you want him." (Cheers.)
| Shouts Of Yes Yes
| Now, il you want him." said Skin
ner. Tets help elect him, and not let
him be confused or diffused. Endorse
him for president and name as your
electors Dan Hugh Mclean and Lee
| >. Overman" -.
There We're Kissing at this utterance.