The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1904-07-29

t throng-and ten thousand is vas
3 throng, such as assembled on the grea
t hills of Germany in days when tn
savage clans gathered to name thei
3 chiefs and make their laws; the cheer
ing at st. Louis, over band tune. o
a trivial incident happening IN the pi
beneath the eyes of the crowd, wa
high keyed and almost hysterlcal
The crowd was gradually lapsing
under the spell of suspense, into al
earlier state of civilization, the cen
turtles were slipping of the crowd with
every FIVE minutes it lasted. The
drums and the screaming horns called
back to ancient ceremonies, and the
humping rhythm fell upon the nerves
of the multitude whose situation was
fixed on the battle outside. The under
consciousness of that mob was SLOWLY
rising; it was primitive and barbaric.
Suddenly the figure of Bryan ap-
peared in the hall going toward the
Nebraska delegation. The man who
saw Bryan yelled, and in an instant
| the vast throng was looking at the
/ pit. 1t saw Bryan. The savage lin
men, bent under their humdrum lives
for years, stood erect and began to
howl. The mob went mad in the
twinkllng of an eye. The yelling was
deafening. One did not think human
creatures could make such a fearful
sound. There was bass tone in it,
but the body was sh1ill and f1enzIed,
ard big and brutal. Ten thousand
decorous American citizens cheering
and clapping their hands, pleased and
happy-even decorous-is common
thing. Joy may be loud yet decorous.
but mob of ten thousand by waiting
wrought to frenzy, sloughing off civ
ilization and believing out all the
horrible honks and cries that can come
out of the human throat, is another
matter. Mount these ten thousand on
chairs, set their arms to waving and
their bodies to swaying with hints of
some almost atrorhied passion for a
dance, and there is picture for the
sociologist.
After the emotion had passed, the
session OF the Convention opened and
was matter-of fact enough for any one.
The. Resolution Committe was not
ready, but Bryan had come in with
the Credentials Committee. After an
hour of parrying he came forward with
the minority report and made his fight.
Probably seven-tenths of the dele
gates agreed with Bryan. Yet. look
ing at the faces in the pit, the crowd
saw that the men there were not in
sympathy with the Bryan cause.
There was absolutely no spontaneity in
the Convention. The most apparent
thing, during the entire life of the
Convention, was the fact that the dele
gates had come to st. Louis deter
mined not to be stampeded. They
we're seemingly sensitive on the SUBJ
ject. They were like men who had
been stark mai, and the fear OF it
coming back was in their hearts,
md at any hint of the old delusion
hey gripped their consciousness
lightly and shut their eyes to every
hing save the path before them. One !.
Ilmost felt that they were willing to
ccept new deluslon or any fancy
ather than let the old mania return.
hey were never sure when they were
xactly sane, and always seemed to be
skiing themselves if they were entirely
afe.
Bryan's Fight Against Gold.
After leaving the Convention Thurs
ay afternoon, when the credentials
eht was done, Bryan worked all night
18th the Resolutions Committee. He
'as the only one making the silver fight.
ill had been refreshed by Wednesdays
eep while Bryan was fighting for his
redentials report; and besides Hill on
re Resolutions Committee we're a dozen
trong gold standard men. Against
,ese came Bryan, weary and beaten
fter hard contest in the Convention
b ursday night, to fight the platform
ght 10 the committee. Hill threatened
god plank. Bryan counter-threaten-
/ with free silver plank. A night
lie wrsnglng continued. Hill and
ryan and John Sharp Williams were
ade a sub committee, and they carried
Ie fight over from night into the day.
When the Convention met Friday
orning, there was nothing to report.
was short scene soon shifted. end
e audience was merely irritated. 1t
leered for Bryan loudly enough and
rs insolently rough to others. But
q crowd desired action, and would not
at until it came.
When the curtain went up on the last
Il of the drama which had held it's
,ditors three days, they were too tired
cheer much; they were mad at the
~ the story was running, and they
sre ill.bred in the extreme. The plat
RIM was but few hours old when IL
me to the Convention, and not dozen