Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-04-16
WATSON PUT Up AGAIN.
Populists Name Georgian for Pres
ident, Williams for Second
Place.
BRYAN MEN START A BOLT.
Nebraska Delegation Fights Des-
perately for the Democratic
Leader, but in Vain.
St. Louis correspondence:

The national convention of the Popu-
list party was called to order here shortly
before II o'clock Thursday. about 800
delegates being present After an invo-
cation by the Rev Thomas Wadsworth
of Indiana the formal proceedings were
begun by James II. Ferris of Joliet. H.,
the chairman of the national committee
Gen. Ferris made an address of some
length, which he prefaced with this dec
laration: THE Peoples party is the only
party with a membership thoroughly unit
ed and entirely harmonious upon the great
issues under discussion. 1t is the only
party in which the most violent opponents
of its platform and its great leaders are
not inside the party itself" The speaker
then ~dwelt upon the history of the Peo-
pies party, declaring that the measures it
had long ago advocated have been now
adopted by the leading parties of the
country. The late financial panic was ex-
tensively discussed, Mr.. Ferris declaring
that 1t was caused by general distrust
OF well-known rascals.'
Following the address of Mr.. Ferris.
Jacob ). Coxey of Ohio was named as
temporary chairman, and the convention
then adjourned until o'clock.
At the afternoon session, as soon as
Chairman Coxey had called the convention
to order, he directed the secretary to read
list of names of the members of the
credentials committee. Before this could
be done, A. NJ. Walling of Nebraska de-
manded to know where the secretary OBJ
tanned the list. He was informed that
each State had furnished the name of its
committeeman. Mailing then asked
Chairman Coxey if the names presented
were those of delegates sent by properly
held State conventions
When he had finished speaking the con-
vention was in an uproar, half a dozen
delegates clamoring for recognition, and
as many more raising their voices and
points of order" Chairman Coxey was
about to rule on point when Walling
broke in.
There can be no point of order he
shouted, because [ have made no motion
l have asked if all those members of that
committee on credentials are properly &C
credited, and L want to know if you are
going to answer my question"
Il am of the opinion that the question
is one for the credentials committee
alone" said the chairman
There are men here as delegates"
Walling declared, "who are self-appointed
They were never sent by any State con-
vention, and we have right to know
why they should be given votes in Popu-
list convention. I want to know if they
are accredited and if so who accredited
Them
Chairman Coxey held to his former rul-
ing and the committee withdrew to pre-
pare its report. In the committee room
Walling renewed his fight, claiming that
Pennsylvania. New Jersey, South Dakota
and California We're not entitled to rep
resentation in the national convention be-
cause no State conventions had been held
and no votes cast for Watson in 1904 |
He also said that men were acting as
delegates who were not even members of
the Populist party but who came from
various reform organizations. The Wat
son men completely dominated the COM
mittee, however, and voted Nebraska
down steadily. The committee reported
that the list of delegates was correct,
and the report was adopted. Nebraska
did not vote.
Watson Is Named.
On Friday Thomas E. Watson of
Georgia was nominated for President of
the United States and Samuel Williams
of Indiana for Vice President by the
Peoples party convention, after two
stormy sessions, throughout which the
Nebraska and Minnesota delegations,
working in the interest of William J.
Bryan, strove desperately to bring about
an adjournment of the convention until
after nominations had been made by the
Democratic and Republican parties.
Hopelessly outnumbered and without
any chance =. gaining their object, the
Nebraska men fought desperately to the
last, and when Jay w. Forrest of AL
bany, n. Y, mounted the platform to
place Watson in nomination they with |
drew from the convention, attended by the
Minnesota delegation, which consisted,
however, of only one man, L ]. Weighan.
If Bryan is nominated at Denver the
men who walked out will support him,
and they declare that the Populists of
Nebraska will do so to a man.
The platform adopted declares for the
out the intervention of banks; for gov
eminent ownership of railroads and all |
public utilities which in their nature are
monopolies for the abolition of sweat |
shops, child labor and the importation of |
pauper labor for work on public improve
ments to give employment in times of de-
preston, and for a law prohibiting courts
from declaring unconstitutional any law
passed by Congress and approved by the
President.
Thomas E. Watson, the presidential
nominee, is well known throughout the
country and his political life is familiar |
history. Samuel W. Williams, the candi- |
date for Vice President, is a resident of
Vincennes Ind, where he has practiced
law for many years. He is 81 years of
age and has always been more or less Of
an active participant in politics. He was
at one time a Democratic member Of the |
Indiana Legislature but has been identi- |
fed with the Populist party since its Gre
alton.
The new national committee reflect.
ed J. II. Ferris of Joliet, H., chairman.
The American ship, William P. Frye,
Captain Murphy, arrived in New York |
from San Francisco, after having drifted
around Cape Horn without shipping a
drop of water until within four days of |
New York. 1t was the lightest weather |
experienced by the skipper in sixty voy- |