Omaha daily bee., 1908-04-03
Credentials Committee Turns Down
Protest Against Certain Delegates.
SAY THEY REPRESENT NOBODY
Charge that Five States Did Not Hold
Conventions.
MORE THREATS OF BoLTNG
Adjournment Taken for Day without
Permanent Organization Being
EHected--Statemeut from
Nebraskan.

uelebdllOnt winch 10 mere ltglnk 10 secure
postponement OF the populist national
convention, in the interests of w. j. Bryan.
made no progress today after two sessions
we're held. at the conclusion OF which
permanent organization had not be effected
The fight is stin on undiminished and the
friends Of Bryan will continue their efforts
when the convention reassembles.
The first contest came at the afternoon
session when A. NJ. walling OF David City,
Neb., vigorously protested the manner In
which members OF the committee on cfeden-
tals were chosen. He said no man had
any right to serve on that committee or
hold a seat in the convention unless he
could show proper credentials. Mr.. Wall
ing averred that there were many delegates
who were self-appointed and had no creden-
tals from any state or organization. His
protests were fruitless and he was voted
down.
But the Nebraska delegates are deter
mined and Nhey say they will bolt II the
convention attempts to place ticket in the
field. They claim they have been assured
of support from other states and when the
time comes the delegates from these states
will leave the convention with them. Mr..
Walling said tonight
Nebraska is in earnest about this matter
to nominate Watson or anyone else. We
are not alone. for we have assurances that
Minnesota, Georgia and possibly Michigan
and Kansas. will walk out when we do
Address of Chairman Ferris.
| The convention came to order shortly
before II o'clock about 400 delegates being
present After an invocation by Rev.
Thomas Wadsworth of Indiana. the formal
proceedings were begun by James II. Fer
ris of Joliet, chairman of the national COM
mttee.
l General Ferris made an address OF some
length which he prefaced with the declara-
tion:
The peoples party is the only party with
Q membership thoroughly united, and
tlrely harmonious upon the great issues
under discussion. IL is the only party IN
which the most violent opponents OF It's
platform and its great leaders are not in
side the party itself.
The speaker then dwelt upon the history
of the peoples party, declaring that the
measures it had long ago advocated have
been now adopted by the leading parties of
the country.
The speaker declared that banks receive
loans from the government at nominal
rates OF interest, but that the men who do
this most to develop the nation cannot hire
dollar from the treasury. He favored
government ownership of public utilities,
the loaning of money upon proper security
to manufacturers, farmers and miners. He
added:
1t has become a policy of the best presl-
dents Of the nation TO loan government
funds without interest, and TO turn out
government bonds to stock jobbing pets
! whenever Wall street Is dull, but the
farmer the manufacturer and the miner,
with the best security, cannot obtain gov
ernment assistance at any price. The plat
form should utter violent exclamations on
this point
Mr.. Ferris declared himself as being per-
sonally in favor of 'the most complete
strongest, most wide spread, dea2 open and
shut plank against the manufacture, trans
portation and sale of alcohol or any other
poison for eating or drinking purposes"
He closed with the prediction Of the rise
of a great party from the convention of
today
Following the address Of Mr.. Ferris.
Jacob S. Coxey of Ohio was named as
temporary chairman of the convention.
After taking the chair, he made ad-
dress. covering the leading economical
questions of the day, paying particular at
tention to the nstionaI currency.
Chairman Coxey devoted much time 10
the advocacy of the issue of interest bear
ing bonds a means of acquiring public
utilities.
| Immediately at the conclusion Of the
chairman's address a debate arose on the
manner of appointing members OF the va
rious committees. II was finally decided
that each state should select one member
Of each committee and that the chairman
should have the right to appoint four dele
gates-at-large on each committee, except
the committee credentials.
The convention adjourned until o'clock.
WaIIinE Renews Fight.
The sole business OF the afternoon ses-
sion consisted of the adoption Of the re-
port Of the committee credentials. 1t
was understood that the committee Was
to hold its meeting during the noon re-
cess. but il failed to do so. AS soon as
Chairman Coxey had called the eonven-
tion to order following the recess, he di-
rected the secretary 10 read list Of names
of the members OF the credentials COM
mittee. Before this could be done. A. NJ.
walling of Nebraska demanded TO know
where the secretary obtained the list. He
was Informed that each state had fur
nished the name of its committeeman
Walling then asked Chairman Coxey II
the names presented were those of dele
gates sent by properly held state eonven-
tions. He Insisted that II they had not
presented proper credentials to the con-
vention, they were not qualified TO sit in
the convention and consequently incom-
petent to act members OF the national
committee on credentials.
When he had finished speakL n the con-
vention was In an uproar ke II dozen
delegates clamoring for rgtcsnition and
as many more raising tgsof voices and
points Of order" ChalgSan coxey was
about to rule ON "pog.S' when wailing
broke in;
There can be no point OF order" he
shouted because have made no motion
have asked II all those members OF that
cohmittee on credentials are properly ac-
credited, and ] want to know II you are
going TO answer my question:"
IF you don't talk all day yourself, IN