The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, July 22, 1896, Page 1

VOLUME LXXX.—NO. 52. STRAIGHT POPULISTS ARE NOT T0 BE SOLD., Claim to Have Enough Votes to Nominate Candidates. THEREFORE BRYAN MAY NOT BE INDORSED. Determined to Stand By the Omaha Plat- form and Select a Ticket of Their Own. Peculiar Characters That Cause One to Think That St. Louis Is the Scene of a Rev= olution *ional Instead of Two Na- Conventions. “THE CALL'S” HEADQUARTERS, HOTEL LINDELL, ST. LOUIS, Mo., July 21. Ninety-five Texan Populist delegates came cavorting up Broad- way to-day and took up their headquarters in the Southern Hotel. They are middle-of-the-road steers and will not allow any Bryan man to *‘shoo” them off the track. The straight Populists claim 700 of the 1300 delegates. They will stand by the Omaha platform and nominate a ticket whether they are in the majority or not. The bimetallic delegations from California and Nevada arrived this morning, headed by Sam P. Davis and ex-Senator Frank J. Mof- fitt of the programme wing of the Oakland Democracy. Sam did some literary work under difficulties, but spared no . xpense, because he did not want to fall down on his colleague, Ned Hamilton. Senator Moffitt tackled the 'I'exan delegation with an indecent proposition to desert their platform and declare for Bryan. They drank all his wine, smoked all his cigars and exclaimed *‘ Nit,” whereupon the Senator was grieved. £ The National Reform Editorial AsSociation adopted middie-of-the- Toad resolutions and nailed their colors to the mast. All the hotels are crowded, prices have gone up and the noise and discord of debate on political economy afflict the ear in all quarters. Some remarks are also heard concerning a French revolution and an American Charlotte Corday. JOHN PAUL COSGRAVE. 1 ———— IS IT A REVOLUTION? Pecullar Aggregation Gathered at St. Louis to Battie Before the Conventions. THE CALL's Hzmqun:m% HoOTEL LINDELL, St. Louts, Mo., July 21. “Is the French revolution of 1798 about to be repeated in America in 18962” is the question which one paturally asks as he surveys the tumultuous mob of orators, wild-eyed Populists and bronze-cheeked silver men in the lobbies of the hotels here in 8t. Louis. Cheers were civen several times yester- day when the name of Eugene V. Debs was proposed for the Presidency. Some delegates are wearing a button on which epates, alternates and champions and 2400 silver convention delegates and alter- nates are now on the ground, a most for- midable army. There is no music of brass bands, no flaunting of rich silken, golden embroidered and golden tasseled banners, no flags bearing the portraits of candidates of the different factions for the two highest offices in the gift of the people, not any of the paraphernalia of the ordinary polit- ical convention, but the simple badge worn on the coat forms the stage setting for these two ever-to-be memorable zather- ings, while the voice of argnment pitched high and ferociously and the waving of hats and the shaking of clenched fists are the only music and beating of time tlat would harmonize with this strange over- ture of political discord. FREDERICK L. BAILEY of the Kansas Delegation, Now Shoutin for Bryan at St. Louis. - A is engraved a portrait of Altgeld of Ilhe nois, and much of the argument that is being made in the lobbies is in a strain similar to that advanced by Herr Johann Most, Mr. Altgeld’s pr:ceptor. For the purposes of an American French revolu- tion Debs would make a good enough Danton, Most would acceptably fill the role of Marat, and Altgeld would make a sufficiently good Robespierre for all prac- tical purposes. The Charlotte Corday would be furnished by the people next November; her dagger the ballot, which wou!d wipe out the revolution, ot as that of France was washed out in a bath of blood, but by the all-availing potency of a sovereign people. « Two thousand six hundred Populist del- It is a strange rumbling of inconsisten- cies. Debs, the man who two years ago led a class revolution against the laws of the United States and against the recog- nized right of every man to earn‘his bread by the sweat of his brow, is being urged for the Presidency of the Nation whose foundations he had attempted to under- mine. Altgeld, the man who placed the gubernatorial seal of approbation upon the actsofthe bomb-throwing anarchists at the Chicago Haymarket by striking the shack- les fromthelimbsand the stripesfrom the clothing of three of those murderers, is one of tke acknowledged leaders of the party which is filling the hotel lobbies of 8t. Louis with shouters for the election of PRICE FIVE CENT IGNATIUS DONNELLY, Scholar and Author, Who Stands by the Populist Colors and Demands an Independent Course. In outlining his policy to a CArL correspondent at St. Louis Mr. Donnelly said: to il the people of the world on other questions than that of silver. ““We believe the People’s party is important 1t we move all our forces into the Democratic boat and the Eastern wing of that party gets possession of that boat and scuttles it and we all go to the bottom together it would require diving- bells and derricks and grappling-irons to ever put the People’s party back where it now stands. We are ready to pat our Demo- cratic friends on the back and call them good boys and tell them that in four years more they will be as enthusiastic over the demand for Government ownership of railroads as they are for free silver, and when they resolve (in the language of the Omaha platform) that wealth belongs to him who creates it, and that every dollar taken from labor without an equivalent is robbery, and that if any man does not work neither shall he eat, then we wili talk about dissolving the People's party and joining their crowd.” Bryan—he a pet of the revolutionists raised by the breath of a disloyal mob to the head of the ticket of a great party be- cause he happened to be a good elocution- ist and wept crocodile tears over the crucifixion of & man of straw upon a cross of gold. Johann Most is not being cheered, nor has his name been placed upon the Democratic ticket for & high position in the councils of the Nation, bat that is be- cause he happens to be a native of a for- eign country and has not sworn allegiance either to the Democratic or Republican In fhe midst of &It this turmoil, In the midst of this turbulent mob of wolfish in- terests, whose yelps disturb the quiet of this city, stand the Pecpulists, their ears besieged with prayers, pleadings, cajoles, wrath, imprecations, promises of bribes and threats of ruin—all this noisy conten- tion being for the purpose of loosening their house on the platform built by the loyal men of the party at Omaha, and of inducing them to put their shoulders to the wheel of the party which they repudi- ated years and years ago in disgust, and to lift it out of the quicksands of defeat and despair. Loyal Populists cheered when ninety- five sturdy Populist delegates from Texas came into the city carrying aloft the ban- ner of their faith and shouting, ‘“No com- promise; keepin the middle of the road, for principle and country.”” Magniticent specimens of manhood are the Texans— tall, sinewy, sunburned, without an ounce of superfluous flesh, vigorous and as wiry and as bardy as the pouies which they ride in t.eir own country. If they don’t like a man or a thing they blurt out their dislike with the candor of an Indian in his native wilds. A Texan will share with his comrade his last dollar, will divide his coai in two to keep the cold blasts from the shoulder of a needy friend. He fights like an Indian, he loves like an Indian and he hates with the intensity of a say- age. They came here whooping from the cars to the aristocratic Southern Hotel into their quarters, a large parlor on the ground floor, to the great surprise of the slow-going St. Louisans and to the great joy of the middle of the roadsters who saw these strange wild men troop. Each' man wore a white badge bear- ing as its prominent embiem a single star —the lone star of Texas. Many of them wore the G. A, R. copper button, a badge which symbolizes honor more truly than the cross of the Legion of Honor, for it is a matter of history that the Legion of Honor has been made .sub- ject to barter and sale. Many of them had also worn the gray, and fought for the lost cause with the same enthusiasm, the same devotion, the same self-sacrifice, the same conscientiousness, the same loyalty, the same love of home as that displayed by their brothers who wore the blue. Fortne first time since the close of that bloody war these 1wo, representative of the North and of the South, march shoulder to shoulder, with all the old-time hatreds, all the old animosities, all the pangs and bitterness ot the direful past buried and forgotten in the grave of a common cause. And above it, gladdening the eves alike of the blue and the gray, grows the greenery of the Populistic faith. They are men who would fight at the drop of a hat, with- out pausing to take note of its color or fashion. They are men of the “‘ap-and-a- coming s, of the “‘get there rowel-deep in blood”" kind of rough riders in the race of life. Above all they are as true as steel. I asked one of those long-haired, bearded men as to how his deleation stood on the midale-oi-the-road proposition. ‘“Bolid a8 —. We have come in here with our fighting breeches on niuety-five strong and propose to make a rodeo of the traitors on the floor of that convention,’” he whooped. Then they went to the middle-of-the- road headquarters ihree blocks away and signed the roll in a chirography as is not seen on the ledger of. acounting-house, but 1t was a good, maniy fist that meant what it said and needed no indorser. So great is the crowd and so much is the confusion that the middle-of-the-road peo- ple are not yet fully organized and don’t expect to be until late in the €vening. But they all understana that they are here as —_—_— T e Continued on Second Page, 30UND ONLY BY SILVER, the Two Conventions United. ARE DIVIDED UPON ALL OTHER QUESTIONS. Three Hundred Silver Delegates Out of Thirteen Hundred Chosen in Attendance. FACTIONS OF THE POPULISTS YET FIGHTING. But There Are Rumors of a Deal by Which Bryan Is to Receive Indorsement. SourHERs HOTEL. £1. Louss, Mo., July 21. The “Siamese Twin’’ conventions which will meet here to-morrow in different halls, put at the same hour, will have as the ligature that binds them together in a settled purpose only the free-silver plank of the Chicago platform. There isno at- HeapQuarTERs UNITED PRESS, } tempt to disguise the truth that on aill other issues the two conventions will be hopelessly divided. *The National Silver party,” whose call was issued January 4, 1896, stated that the paramount issue it had to consider was “the gold standard, gold bonds and bank or prolong its session by speeches until its more turbulent neighbor has concluded its proceedings. The People’s party will assemble in the same hall which recently echoed with the name of McKinley as the Republican nom- inee. As to what its covrse of protedure will be, the claims of the two factions are to-night quite as divergent as they have ever beem: The presence of Senator Jones of Arkansas, chairman of the Democratic National Executive Committee, and his freauent interviews with prominent Popu- leles: . -naturally. given rige to rumors that a ‘‘deal” was on which would secure the indorsement of Bryan and Sewall by the convention and such a recognition of the Peopte’s party as would induce them to sink for the time being their own identity. Against this theory Mr. Taubeneck, chairman of the People’s party, interposes the strongest kind of a disclaimer, assert- ing with vehemence that the Populists intend to nominate candidates of their own upon a platform of iheir own. There bhas been all day strong talk of nominating a Southern Populist for the second place on the ticket, even if Bryan should secure sufficient strength to be in- dorsed for first place. But shrewd man- ipulators who are managing matters say that “the tail goes with the hiae,” and that if they carry Bryan through (of which they have no doubt) Sewall will follow. The middle-of-the-road men, on the other hand, are claiming to have carried everything before them. They held a meeting to-night and counted twenty States as with them in adetermination not to indorse the Chicago ticket. But their opponents assert that they counted all the recalcitrant Bryan men as repre- senting thelr States, whereas the full del- egation, if polled, would have been ad- verse to them. Both sides seem at a loss to estimate the significance of the selection of Senator Marion Butler of North Carolina by the National Committee as the temporary chairman of the convention. He has been claimed by each faction and appears not to have committed himself irrevocably to either. This may possibly explain his unanimous selection as the temporary vresiding ofticer of the convention. . That it will be a picturesque and curi- ously interesting gathering is already as- sured. Among those tc be present are General Weaver of Iowa and Mr. Streator of Illinois, both former candidates for the Presidency on the Populist ticket, and currency on the one side and the bimetal- | General Fields of Virginia, candidate four lic standard, no bonds and Governm nt currency on the other.” On this platform 8 representation of 1318 votes was proposed for the *‘National Silver Convention.” This representation wus apportioned with a basis of oue for each Senator and Representative in Con- gress, and then additional delegates added in accordance with the silver votes of the several States as recorded by the Bimetal- lic Union. Not more than 300 of these years ago for the Vice-Presidency. Eugene V. Debs of railroad strike and injunction fame . tel-graphs from Indian- apolis that he will endeavor to be present to-morrow. His lieutenant, Burns, who shared his imprisonment, is one of the contesting delegates from Illinois. Mrs. Helen Goutner, Mrs. Mary Eillen Lease, “Gen ral’” Jacob8. Coxey and Carl Browne are among the other possibilities who will intermix with the grizzled wheat farmers straight silver delegates are recorded as|of the West, the cotton planters of the present in the city, and scarcely more | South and the enthusiastic new converts than that number are likely to be present | from the East and Middle States who will when Dr. J. J. Mott of North Carolina | go to make up the convention. calls the convention of silver men to order to-morrow. The representation of the *‘People’s ot SR FOR INDEPENDENT ACTION party,” or, as it is generally termed, the | paform Association Editors Come “Popnlist’” party of the United States, was established on a ratio which should have yielded 1358 delezates and 676 alter- nates—a total of 2034 Chairman Tau- Out Flat-Footed Against Fusion or Indorsement. ST. LOUIS, Mo., July 21.—The Reform beneck, who is not the least sanyuine of | Press Association, composed of editors of the executive officers of the People's party, | Populist and free-silver newspapers, met does not venture to anticipate a larger | in the headquarters of the Texas Populists atlendance than 1000 delegates and alter- | this forencon. A committee whose mem- nates 10-mMOITOW. bers were J. M. Maliett of Texas, A. P. The National Silver party is to_meet in | Tugwell ot Washington, A. G. Brown of what is known as the Music Halil. Tts| Massachusetts, Frank Burkett of Missis- course will be all plain sailing. It has | sippi, M. W. Wilkins of California and Ig- only one purpose in view—the indorse- | natius Donnelly of Minnesota, reported an ment of free coinage of silver. It will | address which was tiat-footed for inde- listen with more or less attention to long, | pendent action by the Populist conven- scholarly addresses from Franois G, New- | tion. It denounced fusion or coalition lands of Nevada, the Silverite Congress- | with eituer of the old parties, and declared man, its chosen temporary president, and | empbatically against the indorsement of from William P. St. \John of New |Mr. Bryan. York, ex-banker, who will be its perma- The reading of the address was followed nent . president. This bedy will in all | by a stormy scene. It was put through probability follow its programme, which | with a rush, however, and the Kansas is to indorse the Chicago nominees on the | members of the association walked out of silver plank, issue an address to the | the room in emphasis of their disap- poople and either adjourn in short order | proval. SILVERITES S0 BRYAN LID FOR AND SEWALL Democratic Nominees to Be Indorsed by White Metal Men. THE MONEY QUESTION THEIR ONLY CONCERN. All Other Great National Issues Now Absorb- ing the Public’s Attention to Be Ig An Effort to Be Made to nored. Influence the Joint Com= mittee to Recommend Similar Action on the Part of the Populists of the Horer LispELL, 81. Lours, Me., July 21. ‘When the National Silver Convention meets to-morrow it will present a solid front for Bryan and Sewall. There is no discord, no dissensions, no entanglements. The Silver party is a unit for indorsement. There is really no reason why the conven- tion should be held at all. Bryan and Sewall are the favorites of the silverites, and their indorsement by the convention is merely a formality. Apart from this, the convention will recite the old story of 16 to 1 and religiously ignore all the other great questions now absorbing the thought of the American people. The convention will make a strong appeal for harmony. By its united attitude it hopes to influence the Populists, and its conference commit- tee will make a hard fight to bring about a recommen dation by the jointcommittee. Temporary Chairman. Newlands is pre- paring his speech to-night. It will not be a lengthy one, but will dea! tersely with the duties of the convention as Mr. New- lands ite - Mr. Newiands will tell the convention that the surcst way for the triumph of the gilver cause is to accept the nominees of the Chicago con- vention. Permanent Chairman St. John will deliver an elaborate speech. It will review the history of our financial systems, and will be such a speech that the National Committee will have it printed and generally distributed over the country. The Caiiforn taking an’active part in the affairs of the convention. They are working diligently to sidetrack the anti-Bryan faction. THE CALL'S HEADQ\'ARTBK&% George W. Baker and Charles D. Lane are | especially conspicuous in the silver ranks and are making an aggressive fight for silver. is kept. and when a middle-of-the-road Populist' wanders n he cores out minus the little white ribboa which distinguished him from other declegates. The Califor- nians always make a good impression at National gatherings in the East. The del- egation has a supply of California wines always on tap, and everybody is made welcome. Discussing the situation here to-day, Mr. Lane gave out this statement: “There is not enough money in this country. Silver is as much money as gold is, not only made so by the constitu- tion of our fathers, but is so intrinsically. By the most diabolical legislative act im the history of a free people and through a most damnable and selfish conspiracy the legislators of the courtry cut off half the supply of our currency. In doing this it doubled the purchasing power of the favored métal, and in the same ratio de- creased the prices of all commodities. The consequence was a general depression, produced by the scarcity of the purchas- ing power. This thing has gone on until the people can’ stand it no longer. They have got to have relief. Talk about revolu- tion! Of course there is a revolution going on and no human force can stop it. ’Ihe‘ and Nevada delegates are | At the headquarters open house | Nation. | tariff is not to be discussed. That is & dead issue compared with the demand for financial relief. ‘When historians talk about taxation without representation being the cause of | the American revolution, they mistake the fact. It was the lack of money with which to pay taxes that made the colonists rebel against England. If Enge | land “had provided them with sufficient currency we would to-day be the subjects | of Queen Vic. Then it was British | bayonets; now it is British gold, if any- thing, more unsparing and ruthless in its exactions. * No, I don’t own a cent in a silver mine. All my interests are in gold, but that does not blind me to the wants and needs of my less fortunate countrymen. We are going to indorse | Bryan and Sewall, and no power on earth can defeat them. McKinley hasn’t got all the money in the country at his com- mand. ' The people have some funds left yet. They are willing to do the right thing, and we must see to it that in their poverty they are kept free from the temptations of the plutocrats.” Senator Johin P. Jones of Nevada, who is among the late arrivals in the conven- tion city, is doing some missionary work | for Bry#n and Sewall. He says that the Populists are unreasonable and that they should support the Democratic ticket without any hesitation. Like the other silver men the Senator is an enthusiast. The Chicago convention, he said, adopted a platform that should satisfy all the Pop- ulists and all others who are in favor of the remonetization of silver. The road to success 1s to support the Democratic nom- inee. ‘I can see no other way. If we can get together now we will achieve the greatest victory that was everachieved in the his« tory of American poritics. If we cannot show these conditions to the men who don’t want to indorse Bryan I cannot see any other course but to go on ourselves and indorse Bryan. Mr. Bryan sided with the Populists in the State of Nebraska, and all the Populists of that State, I un- derstand, are enthusiastic for him, I would suggest that the Bimetals lic convention pass a resolution indorsing Bryan. This may have a great influence with the Populist Convention. If we are going lo do anything we must do it quick. We must argue with each man and show him that we can achieve greater results by unifying the forces. If each man shall make himself an agent and do everything he can to belp the great cause along, we cannot help but succeed. The quicker we act in unifying the forces now at our elbows the better. We will be sure then of not only indorsing Mr. Bryan but will surely elect him this fall,” W. O. H. Harvey 1s here helping to push the silver wave along. “The Silver party is all right,” said Mr, Harvey, ‘‘but the Populists are in bad shape. Everything is all mixed up. The middle-of-the-road fellows seem to be inm \ A. ROZELLE, Chairman of the Missouri State Populist Gommittee, & Member of the National Gommittee, and Secretary of the Reform Press Association.