Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-03
POPULLS7S'
CONV VENTION
IN SESSION
ADJOURNMENT MOVE IS FRUS-
TRATED
BOLT THREATENED BY THREE
STATES DELEGATES
Bryan Men Aiege Call Was illegal
and Fight Hard to Delay Meet
ina Until After the Other
Parties Nominate

BY Associated Press.
ST. LOUIS, April 2.-The Popultst
national convention, which was called
for 10 a. IN. today, was somewhat oe-
hind that hour in commencing proceed
ings. 49,
newed efforts of the Bryan men TO
secure an agreement for an adjourn
1nent until after the Republican and
Democratic conventions.
They made strong arguments before
the members of the national commit
tee and also before the committee on
credentials, but with no apparent ef-
fect. save to delay the proceedings.
They backed up their demand for an
adiournn1ent by the claims that some
of the delegates present had been I'M
properly chosen and that the entire
call for the convention was lliegeI.
Tbev cited the case of Pennsylvania.
which has seVenty-nine votes IN tne
convention, while Watson In 1904 dld
not receive a single vote in the state
other alleged inquiries in the system
of reDresentation were mentioned, but
the Watson men stood firm ana re-
fused to listen to any proposition Ior
an adjournment.
The determination OF Nepraskd'
Minnesota and Michigan to oolt the
convention if the program OF making
nominations is carried out was unal-
liOHlilaAiOil7 -
tered today.
p. A. Walrath, secretary of the Ne
brasta state central committee, said
today:
viii Put Up Fight
'I do not propose to be trampled on
and we are going to fight Tor our
rights.
I'VE claim to represent more simon
nure Populists than any other state.
we will not be party TO any nom
inations. and if they are made. and If
an adjournment is not taken, we VIII
leave the convention.
The convention came to order short
ly before II o'clock, about 300 delegates
being present.
After an invocation by Rev. Thomas
Wadsworth of Indiana the formal pro-
ceedings were begun by H. Ferris of
Joliet. the chairman of the national
committee.
General Ferris made an address of
some length, which he prefaced with
the declaration:
"The Peoples party is the only party
with a membership thoroughly united
and entirely harmonious upon the
great issues under discussion. 1t is
the only party in which the most vio-
lent opponents OF its platform and It's
great leaders are not inside the party
itself"
Goes into History
The speaker then dwelt upon the his
tory of the Peoples party, declaring
that the measures 1t had long ago ad-
vocated have now been adopted by
the leading parties of the country.
The late financial panic was extern
sively discussed. Mr. Ferris declaring
that it was caused by general d1strust
of well-known rascals."
There can never be permanent con-
~ 10 HI If1
ownership, because under government
ownership there can be no juggling of
securities, no buneoing of investors,
and the public will then have reason
for faith, hope and the spirit of CO.
operation.
with the government behind the
deposits and the currency distributed
through ordinary business channels
rather than favorite banks, there
would be no panics. With the gov
ernment ownership perfect confidence
in railroads, less rotten politics,
cheaper rates to shippers and many
other public benefits would ensue."
The speaker declared banks receive
loans from the government at nomi-
nal rates of interest, but that the
men who do the most to develop the
nation cannot hire a dollar from the
treasury.
He favored the loaning of money on
proper security to manufacturers,
farmers and miners. He added:
Old Policy to Loan
1T has become d policy of the best
presidents of the nation to loan gov
ernment funds without interest and to
turn out government bonds to stock
jobbing pets whenever Wall street is
dull; but the farmer, the manufactur-
er and the miner with the best of Sc
nhtaiu
sistance at any price. The platform
should utter violent exclamation on
this principle"
Mr. Ferris declared himself as being
personally in favor of 1.-The most COM
plete, the strongest and most wide
spread dead open plank against the
manufacture, transportation or sale OF
alcohol or any other poison for eating
or drinking purposes"
He closed with the prediction of a
rise of a great party in the convention
of today
Jacob S. Coxey of Ohio was named
as temporary chairman Of the conven-
1ion. He made an address covering the
leading economical questions of the
day, paying particular attention to the
national currency.
Committee Appointments
At the conclusion of the chairman's
address a debate arose on the man
ner of appointment of members of thc
various committees. 1t was finally de-
Cided that each state should select one
member of each committee and tha
the chairman should have the rgh
to appoint four delegates at large OF
each committee except the committee
on credentials.
No progress was made at the after.
noon session.
The fight is still on undiminished
and the friends of Bryan will continue
their efforts when the convention re.
assemblies.
The first real contest came at tht
afternoon session. when A. NJ. Walins
of David City Neb., vigorously pro
tested against the manner in which
members of the committee on Creden.
tials were chosen.
He said no man had any right tC
serve on that committee and hold a
seat in the convention unless he could
show proper credentials. MI Walling
averred there were many delegates who
were self-appointed and had no Gre
dentials from any state organization
His protests were fruitless and he was
voted down
But the Nebraska delegates are de-
termined and they say they will bolt
if the convention attempts TO place
n ticket in the field. They claim they
sf