The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1915-03-11
DOCTOR JAMES Is. COLE TELLS
OF THE POPULIST CON-
VENTION OF 1905.

L
letter that [ wrote you some years
ago about how the st. Louis Peoples
Party Convention was manipulated
in the interest of the Democrats.
AS have learned something more
about those proceedings, 1 will write
you the story again.
l was first alternate delegate sent
from st. Joseph, Mo-, and was with
the Missouri delegation most of the
time during that turbulent conven-
ton. After all preliminaries were
settled the fight began on the ques-
ton Of fusing with the Democrats or
putting up straight ticket. The
resolution committee agreed that the
convention should nominate the Vice
Presidential candidate first. Believ-
ing from what [ could learn, that
that position was all the Peoples
Party would get, my choice for the
place was Thomas e. Watson. I was
so anxious to know what the Geor-
gia delegation was doing [ attended
one Of their caucuses at the St.
James Hotel. During this caucus
Judge Hines read telegram from
Mr.. Watson giving the Georgia dele
cation his consent to act as they
thought best. There was great en-
thusiasm over this telegram
The next morning at just sixteen
minutes to one o'clock Mr.. Watson
was nominated. When the nominal
ton was announced the lights went
out and pandemonium reigned until
they were turned on again, many
matches being struck and newspapers
burned. A motion was made to ad-
journ the convention. Car Reid
never made a more unfair ruling
than did Senator Allen in 'adjourning
that convention on the vote that was
taken. At this time Cyclone Davis
took the stand and undertook to
rally a majority of delegates to con-
tinue the proceeding, but without
avail.
1t was generally understood that if
Mr. Bryan was nominated Mr.. Sewell
would be taken off and Mr.. Watson
would be the Vice Presidential nomi-
nee Of both the Democratic and Peo-
pies Parties. When the convention
assembled the next morning with the
above understanding the nomination
OF Mr.. Bryan was inevitable. Many
speeches were made seconding the
nomination of Mr.. Bryan. An Ala
bama delegate got up on a chair and
said, "Some delegates are fearful
that the Democratic Party will swal-
low up the Peoples Party. If it
does, with Mr.. Watson on the ticket
it will have more brains in it's
stomach than it ever had in it's
head.
In the evening after the conven-
ton adjourned, I met Cyclone Davis
of Texas at the Grand Restaurant
I asked him what would be the out
come of the nominations made at
the convention. He said that Mr..
Sewol would be taken off and that
it would be Bryan and Watson, and
all the powers that be could not de-
feat them. | asked him what as
surance he had that Mr.. Sewell would
be taken off. He answered that he
had all the assurance that was
needed, and that he was satisfied
that it would be done. | frequently
saw William Joel Stone in the con-
vention and from what I could learn
the Democrats had agreed to put Mr.
Sewell off. In fact, I am satisfied
that if some promise had not been
understood, that convention would
never have nominated Mr.. Bryan. [
am convinced that if chairman Ma
rion Butler had demanded the TAX
ing off of Mr.. Sewell, it would have
been done. I always believed that
he had a selfish motive in not max
ing such a demand. | am also sure
NTr hnI