Newspaper Page Text
THE AMERICUS WEEKLY TIM£S--KECORDatt: FRIDAY, JULY I, 1892.
jjjVESTION ECHOES.
the BATTLE OP THE BALLOTS
jgoTOANMW.TH«S.
„„ .ml Kvente Which Const!
Cr ,„re.t National Democratic
1800-200,000 Visitor!
" .ml 10,000 111 the \Vi(twarn
.cratlo convention of
history; and It will
, most noteworthy since
democratic party went
|ptff ea ’
gins «>’
it i*“' i
L^wmp of it* enemies for a candi
J selected Horace Greely, the
the black liepttblicans, to bear
° drci of democracy. For the
.lime in twenty years democrats had
1 ,ge of their convictions, and be-
J radical reform in the tariff,
"ts and governmental administra
te boldly and openly so declared,
„ * *
f respects this has been the
at remarkable of campaigns. With a
, large minority in the south, and
\, majority in Georgia Cleveland
ot the choice, doubts of bis avail
. being the chief if not the only
tion. It i9 wel1 k “ own that the
s of Georgia opposed him; and
g’tor the fact that the cities and towns
Ltrolled the state convention, while
twnntry people stayed at home, a
anti-Cleveland delegation would
('represented Georgia at Chicago.
, « *
t west it is different. From Nash-
L to Chicago, all through Tennessee,
Btucky, Indiana and Illinois overy-
(ijj was solid for Cleveland, The Geor-
iidelegation, with Its special train of
ire cars, emblazoned with flags and
ante of the Empire State, drew
id it thousands of people at every
m, hamlet and city for 700 miles;
dthe universal shout was “give us
Jfreland." Through Indiana the Geor-
s shouted “hurrah for Gray,” and
that's the matter with Gray?" in order
Ldraw out the people; and the unva-
Wanswer was. "give us Cleveland;
jaianybody for vice president.”
* *
Iniie there were originally fifteen
Hi Cleveland men in the Georgia delc-
tdon, six ot them yielded to the tre-
Vndous pressure of public seutimeut as
town in the west, and ere the couvcn
boa had assembled, had determined to
mte for Cleveland on the first ballot.
I Ibis demand came, not from the poli-
dcians and managers; but from the
|>ork shops aud laboring masses; and
i to have prevailed iu the east as
is in the west
I Thus it was, that by the time the con-
Itnlion was called to order, it was deli-
|tlel.v understood that Cleveland’s none
ras a certainty.
But it should not be understood from
Bis that tbei e was luck of enthusiasm
pr the other candidates,
j Thousands of Iowans with banners,
pictures and badges shouted themselves
ane for Holes; and by the noise they
eat Chicago, it might have been
mght that the west war. solid lor him.
Elen the Georgians reached Chicago
|tt( found L',000 lubes men with a hr;
jhaii, ia possession of every inch of
Isanuiug room in the office, balls and
■priors of the Palmer houso, tlio head-
■Carters of two-thirds of the stiles; and
■for the next forty-eight hours they had
■possession seemingly of tho earth; and
■specially the air. All night Saturday,
■ill day Sunday aud Sunday night, the
■Iowans yelled like pandemonium broke
Ibose, Mowed the horns, and made Boies
■ •leeches; ami nominated their man by
|<cclamation every ten minutes,
Bnt on Monday the tide turned. The
Rent Tammany tiger, with a blue rib-
™ on his tail and a picture of David B.
™ in his teeth, sprung from the At-
Antic ocean across to lake Michigan’s
*estern bank, and alighting in the midst
* Presidential arena, emitted a yell
“ it m “' le every fifteen story houso in
“tiengo rock to its foundation. One
niuand strong, with banners, uniforms,
-vs and brass bands, these tigers
°o possession of the metropolis of the
* e,t ’ a,ul fen abreast and a mile long,
f }' shouted as one man to the measured
“S' of the drum; “Hill, Hill, David B.
ver lest, and he never will!"
Hill: he i
would hav
the
cn Ike Cleveland men got panicky;
** aud blood couldn’t resist the wave
i enthusiasm that was rolling like Ni-
, , over Chicago; and so they organ-
e ' a band that, like Gideon’s, was to
A'tse tlie walls of the enemy’s fortresses
otter from the sheer force of the ex-
ci mg great noise they made. From
land i 10 00 tUe Hill and cleve *
o ii ' lrie * ierit niade day and night hide-
ami tlie voice of a siege cannon
1 kave souuded like a pop gun in
out. U ? roat ’ Indeed the brass horns
lea p aj int I kecause the players couldn’t
hul- v ‘ hetller thoy themselves were
"*°wiog or not.
• » a
the strikers were striking
Pa i° Akriekers were shrieking, the
t ..,/ leatl ers were at work in the secret
Atriving for the mattery. The
their ni * “ en “ w victory nearly In
•am. gra * P ' bnt th ® nomination without
been certa * ot T of election, would have
* barren victory, Indeed. New
York, as heretofore, held the key to the
situation, and even though without the
seventy-two votes of New York in the
convention Cleveland might get tlie nom
ination, yet next November success was
impossible unless the thirty-six electoral
votes were forthcoming. Wtthout New
York there could be no Democratic suc
cess, and without Tammany’s support
New York was surely Republican, and
Tammany was against Cleveland, first,
last and all the time; because of his
record in not turning the rascals out.
* * *
And now for Tammany: the most
abused and the most hated by its ene
mies; the most powerful force in politics,
the most complete organization on earth.
In all the history of politics there is
nothing to compare with Tammany in
sys^m, in power, in work, iu success.
It is the embodiment of perfect politi
cal organization, in which every man is
a trained soldier and a veteran second
in staying qualities not even to the Old
Guard of Napoleon, which died, but
never surrendered.
With Tammany, politics is a business:
by It, tens of thousands of mert tu ne
their livings, and make them legiti
mately, too. Somebody must till tlie
municipal offices of New York and
Brooklyn, whose salaries and perquisites
foot up $30,000,000 a year; and Tam
many Hall is the Democratic organiza
tion which has been perfected to control
these offices and see that none but faith
ful Democrats fill them from now until
Gabriel blows his horn. The brains and
genius of New York Democracy is in
Tammany Hall; for the control of a half
million men and fifty million dollars
patronage is the biggest thing in Amer
ican politics; and the Tammany chiefs
control all this just as tlie engineer con
trols lrs locomotive and tlie long train
of cars.
Mr. Cleveland had during his term re
nounced the true faith, as believed in
by Talumtny; he had joined himself to
strange gods and was worse than an in
fidel; for he had uot only failed to turn
the rascal, out, but had, terrible to re
late, actually put the rascals in. The
uamc of Cleveland to Tammany was as
the waving of a red tlag in tlio face of a
mad bull; and yet Tammany must come
into line to insure Democratic success in
November. How was this to be done?
And right here came] into play the
genius of William C. Whitney. Plain,
honest, blundering Grover did not un
derstand tlie first principles of political
management; but with the experience of
1S8S before him, he had confided bis
campaign to Whitney and Viias and
Dickinson and others of their stamp,
and had said in effect that Ills cause was
in their hands.
Then Whitney saw that compromise
was tire only road to success. Cleveland
must conciliate the opposing factions;
the South and West had demands that
must lie heard on the tariff and currency;
and Tammany must have a guarantee
that that the rascals would go. Tlie
geuiusof Whitney triumphed; and the
white banner of peaco floats today-
over a united Democracy, standing upon
the most advanced plat form of princi
ples ever yet presented by the Democrat
ic party In which tariff reform Is suc
ceeded by tariff for revenue only, or ul
timate free trade; where financial reform
is crystallized into the double standard
of coinago of gold and silver and free
banking, all predicated upon the unwrit
ten and yet thoroughly understood foun
dation that in the event of Democratic
success, the Administration will,to quote
the language of Tammany's great leader,
“endeavor to fiud enough good Demo
crats to fill all tho offices.”
The South believes in free trade; the
platform pronounces protection to be
robbery; tlie South and West want sil
ver restored to a parity with gold and
made equal in value, and State banks
allowed to supply the deficiency in our
circulating medium; and they are guar
anteed these reforms. The South de
mands tho death of the force bill; and
tho united Democracy joins In the de
mand. Upon this platform it mattered
not who was nominated, and having got
all these reforms guaranteed, the South
and West,who opposed Cleveland’s finan
cial views,and Tammany, which opposed
his extreme arcadian civil service record,
could afford to join hands and take Mr.
Cleveland if lie would take tho plat
form.
» » »
Tho nomination of Stevenson simply
clinched the link that binds Mr. Cleve
land to Tammany, for bis record as first
assistant postmaster-general is guarantee
enough that in tire next deal tlie mis
takes of the first Democratic adminis
tration since I860 will not bo repeated;
and that the Democratic leaven, as made
up by the Stevenson formula,will leaven
the whole lump after March 4, 1803.
As the matter now stands, the demo
cratic party is »UU bigger than its can
didates; and with the combination of
platform and candidates there is a fight
ing chance all along the line.
• • •
The master stroke of political diplo
macy during the convention, coming
like an inspiration of genius, as it did,
was the resolution of sympathy to him,
among the most Mustrioua of living
Americans, James Q. Blaine, just at the
moment when hU son wa» being laid fo
bis final rest Aa one man, the twenty
thousand democrats rose to their feet
and cheered long and heartily that
, '
greatest of republicans, to whom their
tenderest sympathies went out in that
dark hour; and from the grateful hearts
of tens of thousands of his friends ail
over the United States cape back a re
sponse that presages victory in Novem
her, for that party of the people whose
representatives were magnanimous
enough to pay to their greatest opponent
Buch » tribute of respect as never before
emanated from a'political assembly in
the history of the world
The personnel and the work of the con
vention are matters of great interest.
With tlie results all are now familiar, hut
who did the work and how are matters
yet to be written.
In a dark sweat box seating 20,000
people and with 3,000 more standing,
patience did not have her perfect work;
and a born orator and leader of men,
with the lungs of Stentor, was he indeed
who could catch and bold tho attention
of that restless, turbulent, but good
humored crowd. They were no respect
ers of persons, and unmercifully guyed
was he whose voice was weak or whose
speech was long and prosy.
With afew exceptions, in tire long list
of speakers who, from temporary chair
man to tlie last seconder of the vice-
president, essayed to wield the great
convention, it proved a note-worthy fact
that only southerners and Irishmen
could get the “hallelujah lick,” and en
thuse and hold the crowd. The two
most taking speeches were made by
McKenzie, of Kentucky, a Georgian, and
Bourke Cockran, of New York, an Irish
man. Then Wm. L. Wilson, of West
Virginia, the chairman, Henry Walter-
son, of Kentucky, Patrick Collins, of
Massachusetts, another Irishman, and
John W. Daniel, of Virginia, ranked next
in oratorical power; while Senator Pal
mer of Illinois, Hensell, of Pennsylvania
aud Neal, of Ohio, were among the few
not of the heaven favored class of the sil
ver-tongued from Dixie and Erin, who
made their impress on the convention.
* i * *
Tuesday was consumed in prelimina
ries iu selecting temporary officers and
a sopltomoric speech from Owens,of Ken
tucky, a protege of Henry Watterson,
who was made temporary chairman.
On Wednesday, Chairman Wilson, of
West Virginia, made a magnificent
speech that stamped him as an orator
and statesman of the first rank; and in
the enthusiasm that was engendered
numerous other speakers fared well at the
hands of the crowd, who had nothing to
do but to hurrah, waiting the delayed
reports of platform and other commit
tees
At 3 o’clock Wednesday afternoon,
the convention re-assembled, and all
felt that the tug of war was at band. For
two hours the skirmishers deployed.
Tlie band played “Hail Columbia,” “Star
Spangled Banner” “Dixie” and “Yankee
Doodle,” while various prominent men
were culled on for speeches.
At 7:30 the platform was reported and
read by Mr. Vilas amid the wildest en
thusiasm. Then came the first battle
on its adoption* Neal, of Ohio, attacked
the tariff straddle in the third section,
which was copied from tlie platform of
1SS4, and offered a substitute that de
clared protection a fraud and pronounced
for free trade.
Here was Henry Wattersou’s oppor
tunity, aud while the voice of tlie con
vention pointed clearly to the adoption
of the substitute, Watterson's great ap
peal fixed it irrevocably, aud amid a
tornado of cboers, the straddle was
blotted from the Democratic book of re
membrance, and the clear cut demand
for ultimate free trade was put on rec
ord.
At 10 o’clock, hungry and tired, an
adjournment was moved. But in the
Cleveland caucus it bad been decided
tiiat not until a ballot was bad, should
an adjournment he made. The anti-
Cleveland element lacked only fifteen
votes of having enough to block the
game. Tammany had been making con
verts, and another day's delay might see
Cleveland’s doom sealed. So while
Tammany worked for adjournment the
Clevelandites forced the fighting and
voted to open the ball by nominating
candidates for president.
Governor Abbett, of New Jersey, led
off for Cleveland; and when ho reached
the namo of the ex-president in his
climax, the great crowd rose to Its feet,
waved hats, umbrellas, banners, yelled
and shrieked for 22 minutes in the ex
cess of their enthusiastic delight. Then
Abbett resumed, aud ere long in eulo
gizing the great democrats whose work
made victory sure in November, be
spoke of “the great senator and governor
of New York, David B. Hill.” Then the
convention rose again In its majesty, and
made the electrio lights dicker by rea
son of the tremendous wave of enthusi
asm, which for 30 minutes rolled through
the wigwam like the roar of Niagara.
Tbs nominations of Hill and Boies
followed; along with various seconding
speeches; and then began tbeffight of
Tammany for time. Speaker after
speaker was put .up to talk ths,crowd to
death; and one after another they went
down before the impatient Cleveland
majority. Then at 2:30 came the climax.
Senator Daniel who was speaking for
Hill against time would be listened to
no longer, and Bonrke Cockran]! rose In
his piece and announced that unless the
opposition could get a hearing, New
York would withdraw from the conven
tion. Then the Clevetandites called for
Cockran himself, the great Tammany
leader.
“Robust In stature, manly In bearing,
vigorous iu mind, eloquent in thought
and bold in utterance, the big New
Yorker is a born leader.
It was in this final act In tlie great po
litical drama that the most signal evi
dence of his oratorical power was given.
It was nearly three o'clock in the morn
ing. The convention had already been
in session for ten hours, and tbe Cleve
land majority were chafing under tbe
long delay in reaching a ballot. They
recognized the dilatory tactics of tbe
Cleveland opposition, and realized their
purpose. They were determined on
forcing a ballot before adjournment, and
had long since grown impatient over the
unnecessary delay. Orators who rose to
second tbe nomination of tire several
candidates were cut off in short order,
and nobody could get a bearing.
It was under these condition that
Bourke Cockran rose in his place in tbe
New York delegation and moved an ad'
journment until 11 o'clock next morn
ing, declaring that he was sick and tired
out and unable to say some things be
wished to Bay to the convention before
they proceeded to ballot There was a
storm of dlssont and it was plain that
no adjournment would be allowed.
Then it was that the big New Yorker
pushed his way ud to the aisle and
mounted the speaker’s platform. He
had nothing to hope for from tlie de
termined majority before him. They
were there to nominate Cleveland and
were very tired of tbe repeated delays.
AH they wanted was a chance to nomi
nate Cleveland. And yet at this late
hour, in the very teeth of tbe over
whelming Cleveland sentiment, Bourke
Cockran rose to enter the protest of New
York against his nomination, and to ad
vocate the claims of David B. Hill. It
was a forlorn fight, and there was little
to encourage the raal ing of a speech,
and yet by dint of his own intellectual
strength, splendid audacity aud charm
of eloquence, be held tbe attention of
that vast audience for more than an
hour, and commanded applause even
from the opposition,”
ft Here is what Pat Palsli wired his paper
at the time: ——«
“All eyes are ceuteredjupon him as ho
pours out sentence>fter sentence of Im
passioned argument to au audience that
he has captivated into respectful atten
tion by the cogency and eloquenee of
his speech. It is a great tribute |to an
eloquent tribune of the people—a trib
ute to tbe genius and courage] ofithls
truly great orator. In appearance, voice,
action and argument Cockran looms up
as au intellectual giant. He is winning
constant plaudits from those who are
opposed to him. He warns the conven
tion not to put them into the hands of
the mugwumps—men who revile and
denounce them on account ofji'their
democracy. He closed amid great 'ap
plause at. a quarter to four.”
He made a determined’fight for Hill,
and when at last ho saw that It was
hopeless, demanded anybody but Cleve
land. But after Cleveland carried tbe
day, and tbe motion came to make tbe
nomination unanimous, it was Bourke
Cochran who swept the convention into
a storm of enthusiasm by declaring “ab
solute submission to tbe will ot tbe ma
jority” and casting New York's seventy-
two votes for the motion.
James A. McKenzie, tbe tall farmer of
tho blue grass section, who made such a
bit at tire convention at St. Louis four
years ago, arose in his chair. “Cut it
off short,” yelled a leather-lunged tudi
vidual in the gallery. A smile stole over
tbe speaker’s gray-bearded face. “In
view of conditions if I take more than
three minutes in what I have to say I
hope some good, honest democrat will
suspend|my cadaver to the ceiling.” This
was greeted with applause. It caught
the; crowd. Mr. McKennle then said
that a nomination had already been
made In a convention the hall of which
extended from Rainy Lake to Key West,
from Androscoggin to Yuba Dam. After
tbe applause that greeted his remark
subsided, Mr. McKenzie begged pardon
for tbe force and seeming profanity of
his geographical allusion. He then said
be came from a state where tlie whiskey
was bo fine that iutemperance was a vir
tue, and tbe horses so swift that the
wind was kept in perpetual jealousy and
the lightning was a puling paralytic.
Mr. McKenzie’s speech was one to be
remembered as well for effect as for its
bilgbt subject matter. It was one of
two that held tbe impatient crowd at
bay, and was tho only humorous stieech
of the convention; and at every! pause
the crowd would yell “go on!”
tors adjourned at sunrise for breasfast,
and the most memorable day’s work in
the democratic party since the Charles
ton convention of 18(10, went into his
tory.
• • *
It was a battle of giant against giant,
in which nine-tenths of the brains In the
American Union, was engaged on one
side or tbe other; but it was a battle in
which the blood that was shed has hard
ened into a cement that will bind all tbe
contestants together for vietory against
the common enemy in November.
And above and around nil, llko the
genius of victory, in the guise of
mailed warrior whose banner has never
yet been lowered to an enemy, guiding
the stumbling steps of both tbe party
and its candidates along tbe rugged
road that leads to victory in November;
whose good right arm alone in New
York can wield tbe Tammany blade that
will strike the sceptre of power from
republicanism, stands that great demo
crat, upon whom Grover Cleveland
must rely for four years In the white
bouse alter next March; he who in his
own defeat must still be depended on to
win victory for others—David Bennett
Hill, of New York.
Bascom Hvrick.
Mr. Huber’s Death.
Mr. S, P. Suber died at Andersonviiie
last Saturday at the ripe old age of 81
years. He was agent of the Central rail
road and has held that position for many
years. He was well known and popular
all over this section, and leaves many
friends to mourn his loss. The funeral
occurred Sunday.
Fine Cotton.
Mr. A. L. Beck was in the city yester
day exhibiting some large cotton bolls.
His plantation Is just out of Sumter
county over in Schley, and his crop is
in a splendid condition. He has twelve
acres of cotton waist high, bearing fruit
ns large as a guinea egg.
Southwestern Dividends.
Some uneasiness has been manifested
recently by the stockholders of the
Southwestern railroad in regard to the
payment of the setpi-annual dividends.
The dividends are guaranteed by the
Central at 7 per cent, per annum, to be
paid semi-annually. The payments are
due in June and December.
Secretary and Treasurer Brantley, of
tbe Southwestern, was seen in regard to
the prospect of tbe June payment under
the lease. Mr Brantley expressed sur
prise that any doubt should have been
manifested by the stockholders, as there
was positively no reason whatever to
fear a failure on tbe part of the Central
to meet their obligation. “They have
never failed yet,” said Mr. Brantley,
“and it is hardly possible that they
would do so now.”
The dividends will be paid on the 30th
day of June.
To Dad. Coal Bllnes.
Mr. Gus Starnes, son ot Capt Bill
Starnes of Atlanta, left Amerlcus yester
day with seven prisoners, for Dade coal
mines. The ptisonere were ell convicted
at the present term of court, and are as
follows:
Major Anderson and Jim Shines, con
victed of murder and sent up for life;
Jim Moore, voluntary manslaughter,
fifteen years; Wiley Harbin, assault with
intent to murder, five years; Jake Brown,
Jesse Newkirk and Nathan Clark, burgla
ry, eight years,
Gus Starnes is the youngest officer of
the kind In tbe state, being only 17 years
of age. However, Hb Is one of tbe best
and bravest, aud whenever be has had
trouble has come out on top. He
couldn't be otherwise and be a son of
Capt. Bill Starnes.
Died.
Mrs. J. R. Williams, of Arlington,
died yesterday at her home in that place.
She Is a sister of Mr. U. O. Loving, of
this city. Mr. Loving went down on the
1 o'clock passenger, and will attend tho
funeral there today.
for Infants and Children.
'■OaMorlalsmwen adapted to children that
I recommend itaacuperior.to any prescription
known to mo.” H. A Aacnxa, ML D..
lit So. Oxford St, Brooklyn, N. T.
“The use of 'Castorla' Is so unlveraal end
Its merits so well known that It seamsawork
of supererogation to endorse It Fewaretho
intelligent families who do not keep Castoria
within easy naoh.”
Cxslos Hxsttx.D. D.,
New York City.
Late raster Btoomlnsdalo Reformed Church.
Oastoria ores OoUe, Constipation,
Sour Stomach, Diarrhoea, Eructation,
Kills Worms, sires sleep, and promotes di
WItfiouttnjurlous r
"For several years I hare recommended
your * Castoria.' and shall always continue to
do so as It haslavartably produced booefldal
results.” *
Edwik F. Pudss, If. D.,
“ Tbo Wlnthrop,” USth Stress sad 7th Are,
New York City.
Tas Csktadb Cobmst, 77 Uuauv Snuotr, NSW You.
Then as the roll call of states pro
gressed a thousand tally sheets were
ept, and the suspense was broken only
by the cheers that burst forth os inch
by inch Cleveland’s majority rolled up
to the two-thirds mark; which wae only
gained when a half dozen territories
with two votes each at the end of the
roll had been reached. 605 votes were
necessary to a nomination and Cleve
land had 014|. Then a motion
from Gorman’s Maryland contingent
to make the nomination unanimous was
made; Bourke Cockran’s voice seconded
it amid a storm of applause, and amid
one of tho wildest scenes that ever
characterized a convention of Americans
tho great battle was ended, and Cleve
land bad won. The nine hundred dele
gates and the fifteen thousand specta-
Shorthand and Typewriting Work
-BY-
WALTON CALLAWAY.
Office with CLARKE & HOOPER.
Trial. Why nufler from the had effect* of the LaOrippe, Lame Back*
Kidney aud Liver Uiaeaae, Bheumatiam. ludlseatlon, Dyspapaia* any
kind of weakneM*, or other dl$ea*e» f when Kleetriclly will cure yon
and keen you lu health. (Headache relieved iu oue minute.) To
rriiSKDR. JUDO’S ELECTRIC belt
Prices, 8:1, SO, SlOand tlS, It satlflW. Also, Electric Trussee aud Box
Batteries. Co*ts nothing to try them. Can lie regulated to suit, ana
guaranteed lo last tor years. A Belt ami Batterv combined, and pro
duces sufficient Electricity to shock. Free Medical advice. v> rite to
(live waist measure, pr.ee and full portlculara, _ _
Agents Wanted. Address DR, C. B. JUDD, Detroit, Mich,
mar 26 sat A wkly. lyr.
M. Callaway
REAL ESTATE,
FIRE INSURANCE,
Office: Oliver Bros. Book Store.
W. H. B. SCHROEDER.
J. T. MAHONEY
NEW
SCHROEDER & MAHONEY,
Plumbers, Steam and Gas Fitters.
619 JAOKSONSST., AMERICUS.ICA.
1 have associated Mr. J. T. Mahoney, late of Atlanta with tue; and we will be
ptopared to give the publ ,rt *he tinestjla** of work aud.at the lowest pricea^
W*E. R. SCHROEDER