The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-05-09

| crease OF QeieEatSS ana the approach
to the time Of calling the national Pop
ulist convention to order served to ac-
centuate the differences of opinion
among the delegates as to the policy to
be pursued with reference to the nom
nation of a candidate for the vice pres
idency. AS time goes it becomes more
and more evident that this is practic-
ally the only question which the con
! VentiOn will have to decide and II Is oc-
cupying the attention alike of delegates
! ana visitors SO exclusively as to render
the situation quite monotonous on that
( account. There il occasional reference
to the platform and it is understood
few of the long headed leaders have
been drawing up plans and suggesting
propositions for Incorporating in the
| declaration of principles, but while this
is true the great majority of persons
in attendance are discussing the vice
presidential problem.
Most of the delegates in attendance
held conferences this afternoon, but
none Of them which were not already
decided reached any definite CONCLUSION.
The greatest difference Of opinion
among the delegates from states is
shown in the Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa
and Missouri delegations. Nebraska
liarly delicate position because they are
especially anxious to subserve the in
terests Of Mr.. Bryan.
In Interests OF Mr. Bryan.
They held two meetings during the
day, but failed to reach a conclusion.
and Will meet again tomorrow morning
: at O'clock for further consideration.
/ Senator Allen, who may be considered
the leader Of the delegation, as he is
also the especial champion of Mr..
Bryan, is exercising himself especially
to secure that action which will most
/ certainly rebound to Bryans benefit.
A majority of the delegates from Ne
/ braska are apparently favorable to the
reference of the whole question to a
I committee Of one from each state to be
appointed to confer with the Democrats
at Kansas City and it is believed Sena-
I tor Allen is in accord with this senti-
ment. In his exhOrtatiOns to the dele
J cations he has dwen especially upon
the Importance of avoiding the com
/ plication which the noIRindtion of Wat
I son for vice president caused in 1886,
i the inference being that he believes
that any nomination at this time would
be liable to cause a similar cOmplica-
/ ton in the coming campaign.
In this position Senator Allen IS
sharply antagonized by Senator Butler
OF North Carolina, and Senator Petit
! grew of this state. 1t may be said in
1 fact that the United States senators
who are present are leading confiicted
/ opinions upon this question, and it be-
! gins to look as if they would carry their
/ differences into the convention itself.
May Be Lively Affair.
In case they do the convention viii
{ be by no means a monOtonOUs affair.
/ Thomas NJ Patterson of the Colorado
1 delegation, is a jealous supporter Of the
proposition to name a committee on
! conference and not to nominate a vice
presidential candidate. He is an ex-
/ perienced and tactful parliamentarian
and will bring much strength to that
/ side of the controversy in case it should
/ be opened up in the convention.
/ The Colorado delegation, numbering
I thiTty-eight members, held a meeting
( today and unanimously decided to
stand out for conference committee.
/ Butler and Pettigrew are uncuestiOn-
| ably eXerting their utmost endeaVOTs
in behalf of Mr.. TOwne, and while they
4 appreciate that there are still many
! Obstacles to overcome, thew express
/ themselves in private conversation as
/ very confident Of success.
One straw showing the way the wind
/ blows is found in a vote which was
/ taken on the special train coming from
/ Omaha this morning. Two cars con-
/ tanning sixty-eight delegates were can
vassed, and of the siXty-eight votes
cast, fifty-eight were favorable to Mr..
/ Towne.
Opposition to Towne.
There is, however, among those who
/ believe in the wisdom of nominating
z candidate. some opposition to Mr..
! Towne. There is a certain element, led
] by General Weaver of Iowa, which is
| advocating the nomination of a
! straight Populist ticket, while there
+ arc others still who express the Opin-
/ ion that if a candidate other than a
/ POpuist is to be nominated, he should
\ be a man of Democratic prOclivities
/ so as to make sure Of his endorsement
! by the Democratic convention.
In this connection some of the Hi
nois delegates have suggested ex-Vice-
/ President Adlai I. Stevenson. There is
! also present a gentleman from New
| York who is circulating very indus
! triOusIy among the delegates in the in
/ terest Of Congressman SulZer. He as
/ suTes them that Mr.. SulZeT is in &C
! cord with many of the Populist views
and eloquently pleads the cause of his
/ champion.
/ The friends of Mr.. Stevenson call at
tention to the fact that he has not only
! once been elected president, but
/ that he has also made a record as a
! greenbacker. Mr.. TOwne's supporters
meet these arguments by pointing to
J his record as a silver advocate and as
/ sert that ne would make a campaign
! equal to that of Bryan himself. They
are met on this point by the argument
] that the Democrats would never ae-
/ cept him as d nominee because Of his
/ Republican prOcliVitieS.
Still another proposition which has
! been made, and this is advocated by
/ Massachusetts, is that the convention
should name several persons. any one
/ of whom would be acceptable to the
Populists as a vice-presidential candi-
date, and appoint a committee to con-
! fer with the Democrats as to which of
/ them should be placed upon the ticket
Growing in Favor.
This proposition is apparently gain
/ ing in favor. but is not yet as strong
/ as either the suggestion in Towne's be
half or the one to avoid any nomina-
t ton whatever.
Some of the delegates notably those
! from Nebraska and Missouri. are ad-
vancing the idea that the convention
as a whole should adjourn Immediately
upon converting, II meet in Kansas
| City on the same c5y that the Demo-
cratic and silver Republican conven-
| tions are to assemble there.
If we are to have a committee of
conference" said a Missouri delegate,