The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-07-10

strains of the band turned to My
Country It's of Thee" at which rhe
entire audience as with a single voice,
Joined in a mighty and swelling chorus
Amid the billowing of flags could be
seen a tall standard bearing the in
scription: "Forcible Annexation
Would be Criminal Aggression-Wil-
liam Mckinley"
THE CLIMAX OF THE DEMON
STRATION.
1t was at this juncture tina the CHI
max was sprung upon the great as
Sembly. A huge flag had been fiung
across the roof between two trusses
n slowly it unrolled its white and
crimson folds as it fell gracefully and
swung over the platform, slightly to
the rear and south Of the speakers
desk. The banner was an enormous
affair being fully fifty feet long, and
white stripes were printed the follow
ing sentences in large letters of blue:
Unconstitutional Governments Derive
Their Just Powers From the Consent
Of the Governed"
1.-The Constitution and the Flag, One
and Inseparable, Now and Forever"
THE Flag of a Republic Forever, of
an Empire Never"
"A Republic Can Have no Colonies"
~ liz FoSI VI III (iAO
hall the flag a. an unexpected Incl
ent and it's appearance was the signal
for a frantic roar which caused every
thing that had gone before it to sink
into ins~ignificance. For full two min
utes the cords of the flag caught and
would not lower it to it's full length. 1t
was caught UP just enough to prevent
the convention from reading the in
ScriptiorS upon the banner and until
they were released and the banner
swung free, the enthusiasm increased
every se~ond. When finally every word
was VISIBLE there was a climax of
cheers that was deafening.
Senator Tillman stood surveying the
storm and awaiting an opportunity to
proceed. The chairman pounded his
gavel and appealed for order; but the
march of the delegates, bearing their
standards and banners, ran on unin-
~terruptedly for twenty-five minutes.
AS Senator Tillman was about to re-
sumo he remarked hat the thread Of
his discourse a been broken and that
down south they were in the habit of
saying Hell has broken loose in Geor-
gia." And" added the senator Vocif-
%erously, IF Mark Hanna had been
here a few minutes g he would have
thought hell had broken loose in Mis-
souri,"
There were cries of Good" Good
when the trust plank was read. When
the senator reached the re-affirmation
Of the Chicago platform, with the dec
laration for free silver coinage at a
ratio of 16 to l pandemonium again
broke loose; but the demonstration
was ain in comparison with h had
just occurred When imperialism was
announced as the paramount issue
Many of the delegates stood or their
chairs and waved flags n cheered,
but a very considerable numoer-more
than half-held their seats.
Senator Hill was among those who
maintained quiet, while Mr.. Croker
waved a flag unit. it broke, and George
Fred Williams led the Massac ausetts
contingent in salvos of cheers. One of
the New York delegates raised a stan
dard bearing the inscriptions: Don't
Think There Are no Is to l 'srS in New
York"
The demonstration lasted four and
one-half minutes.
There was an intense scorn in the
senator's voice as he read the platform
arraignment of the Hay-Paunceto-e
treaty, evoking mingled laughter and
applause. The Boer plank brought an
| other cheer and the senator received
a round of applause as he closed.
When the applause had subsided,
| Chairman Jones, of the platform COM
mittee, said he had been instructed to
move that the platform be adopted by
the convention by reclamation. The
! motion was put and amid a roar OF
cheers the platform was adopted
without a word of dissent. The an
| nouncement of Chairman Richardson
I OF the adoption Of the platform was
followed by a stunning Shout which
made the building ring from n end
TO the other.