The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1905-10-31
TWO Conventions
EACH AS DIFFERENT AS DAY
FROM NIGHT HELD FORTH
And Each styled Itself the Interstate
Commerce Law Convention
Exciting Scenes.


Chicago, Oct. 26.--Two conventions,
as different as day from night, held
forth in Chicago today, each styling
itself the Interstate Commerce Law
convention One convention was COM
posed of the friends of the Esch.
Townsend bill and all its delegates
were sworn to uphold the hands OF
President Roosevelt in his efforts
to secure effective rate regulation. The
other convention was composed of
railroad men and favored shippers
who came to Chicago for the purpose
of capturing and controlling the reg
ular Convention.
Good order, intelligent discussion
and fidelity to the purpose for which
the meeting was called marked the
sessions of the regular convention.
Wild scenes of disorder, bad temper
and violent abuse, with an ever pres
ent determination to make DISTURB
ance, marked the meeting of the
rumps. One convention met with the
purpose of lending aid to the effort
of President Roosevelt to secure leg
islation extending the powers or the
Interstate Commerce Commission
| The other met only to convince the
public that there was opposition to the
presidents program. The regulars,
determined not to have their meet
ing turned into a side show for the
railroads, required Of every delegate
that he sign pledge to support Pres
ident Roosevelt's program before they
were given badge admitting them
to Steinway Hall, and then called upon
the police department to keep out all
delegates not wearing proper badges.
The rumps followed the Instructions
given out at last nights caucus, ami
marched in body to Steinway hall
and demanded admission. They fash
ed credentials from various organ
izations and tried to force their way
into the hall but were met by the
police and forced out. s.
The regular convention chose for its
permanent chairman, w. E. Hughes
Of Colorado, millionaire banker.
"The senate has blocked the presi
dents program for rate regulation
he said I'VE shonld go right after the
senators. IL they are with the presi
dent and with the people we want tc
know it. And If they are with tho
corporations we want to know it. Nov
is the time to make this fight"
d. M. Parry, of Indianapolis, presi
. dent of the National Manufacturers
association, headed the rump conyen
tion. And 1t was the address of Mr.
Parry which disclosed the fact thal
the only pufposx of the feinp con
vention was to- lei 1t be known tina
there was opposition to Presiden
, Roosevelt's program. 1t was Mr.. Par
ry's address which also disclosed tn,
source of that opposition, He de
) nounced all effort at governmental
regulation Of railroad rates as sociai
, istic and populistic and thorough.
/ dangerous.
: The regular convention was ad
: dressed by former Governor Van San
of Minnesota and State Senator Jas
/ A. Frear of Huson, Wis, in addition
} to number of other short speeches
3 Governor Van SAINT said this move
/ ment for rate legislation was no
headed by the enemies of the rail
> roads. "Time will show that we ar
) their friends" he said. II am one o
5 those who believe that if the Inter
! State Commerce Commission is no
] given power to control the rates O
y railroads, government ownership VIII
e follow"
y Senator James A. Frear reviewe
the fight in Wisconsin and told Of tn
action Of the railroad lobby. The sin
ilarity of the conditions he describe
In Wisconsin with what occurred her
today provoked laugh.
4 One of the features of the regula
g convention was the continual refer
a ence to President Roosevelt as tn
friends of the people and the man G
courage to stand up for what is righ
and clean, the square deal" Chail
q man Hughes referred to the presiden
: as the best friend and advocate of IL
!. dividualism there is in all this cour
try. Senator Mason of Virginia, VIII
said that he had followed the rebe
army four years, declared:
When an old bourbon takes up tn
cause and fights for Republica
. president, there Is thunder in the ali
: But l am for the man who has tn
!. courage to say to the corporations
You must obey the law"
y Late in the afternoon the rump col
vention sent committee to the re,
ular convention with claim that tn
rumps were in the majority and tbs
d therefore the regulars should jol
:, the rumps. The rump committee wa
l. still prating Of free speech and wer
loud in their assurances that if tn
Regulars would join them free discu
sion would be permitted.
r The regulars appointed commi
o tee to receive any communicate
II which the rumps might make in Wri