VOL. VIII.
RINGRULE
The Shackled Delegates to the Re
publican State Convention
Fight in Vain.
Fleeing From the Farmers' Friends
to Fall Into the State
House Ring,
Which Seeks to Perpetuate Its
Power by the Nomination of
A. R. McGill.
The Throat of the Convention
Tightly Clutched by the Hand
of the Pillsburys,
And Tree Sentiment is Stifled in the Pow
erful Presence of the Ma
chine.
A R NP6H-1
k Thrilling Triumph for the Wheat, the
Elevator and the Eailroad
Kings.
The Convention's Work Accomplished in
the Midst of the Wildest
Disorder,
And Scenes of Bitter Wrangling and
Deadly Bickering New to
Party History.
Tlie Ticket the Very Incarnation of
tlie Triumph Over Honest Polit
ical Methods.
The Labor and Alliance Conference
Welcomed in a Scene of Slobber
ing Effusiveness.
Jinsllng, Meaningless Platitudes and
Plagiarisms jumbled Together
for a Platform.
The Ticket.
Sovernor A. R. McG'LL, Nicoilet
lieutenant Governor- -A. E. RICE, Kandiyohi
Secretary of State. HANS MATTSON, Hennepin
\u000dr W. W. BRADEN, Ramsey
Treasurer JOSEPH BOBLETER, Brown
\ttomey General- • • M. t. CLAPP. Otter Tail
:ierk Supreme Court, J. D. JONES, Todd
, nfomorjlll , i MITCHELL, Winona.
sUp i^ O c h DICKINSON, Ramsey.
Judges, VANDERBUFIGH. .Hennepin.
THE AlflES ROOSTER.
He Steps to the Front and Crows
Loudly Over McGill's Nomination.
HE great day is ended
md the Republican state
convention is over. Upon
the extraordinary pro
ceedings of that extraor
iinary body comment is
unnecessary. The tale is
told in the detailed report
jf proceedings, perhaps
ft itliout a parallel in the
political history of the
The convention
legan in ill-feeling and
n'ded in diseust and dis
tppointment. A bare
majority of the delegates
1
will leave the city in conscious triumph and
consequent jubilation, leaving the remainder
to return to those who sent
them, insulted, defeated and despon
dent. After fourteen hoursof inces
sant warring of ansry factions, the conven
tion concluded its labors in the dark hours
before dawn, and escaped to make the best
of it, torn, ragged and disappointed.
CO\ViL>TlO.> SKETCH.
A History of the Great Ring: Con*
vcntioai Graphically Told.
Suppressed emotion was perceptible in
every intelligent face when the convention
came to order, and in the eyes of the lead
ers on the east side of the platform, where
the head of Knute Nelson reared itself,
gleamed tilings unutterable. What it meant
was evident when the name of Dr. Wedge
was presented for temporary chairman.
Mr. Nelson, with an aggressive spirit born
of long congressional experience and habits,
leaped to his feet
and viciously charg
ed the followers of
McGill and Gibbs
with a studied insult
to the Gilman men
in ignoring them in
the caucus of the
morning. He resent
ed the insult and in
liery language hurled
it back upon the in
sulters, while his
Fifth district henchmen made the hall ring
with their supporting applause. A breach
seemed imminent, but the oleaginous Loren
Fletcher tapped himself and in buttered
accents poured out the oil of conciliation.
The bland tones of John A. Lovely then
611 ed the building and his dexterous hand
imoothed down the fur which ruffled the
oack of the Northland wildcat. The inci
dent was over aud the convention
made Dr. Wedge chairman, though
the choice was * without any
special significance. Koutiue work of ap
pointing committees was hurriedly dis
patched, when a half dozen men jumped to
iheir feet with one intent. The sarcastic
Bmiling face of J. P. McGonghey was seen
on one side and explained this unani
mous eagerness. Senator Langdon, of
tteuuepiu, got the benefit of his size and
DAILY ST.PAUL GLOBE.
moved to hear the delegates of labor. J.
11. Burns, of 41ie Labor Echo, determined
to be prominent in this work and elabo
rated the motion.
OF CODXSB IT PREVAILED
and with eager emotion the convention
opened its anus and folded to its heart, tho
horny handed grangers and laborers of the
state, us represented by the joint confer
ence. When: the stage had absorbed
McGoughey, the aisles opened and the
dumpy form of Ignatius Donnelly ap
peared. All doubt had disappeared from
his tace. and a holy radiauce of hope and
victory illumined it with a latter day glory.
Bark in the heart of the party of his
choice, he felt perfectly at home and his
look, as he sat and faced the delegation,
wore a look of perfect peace and content
McGougbey made his speech and read the
resolutions, while the convention mechanic
ally applauded. Then came Donnelly,
with his persuasive voice and old
time speech to the "old Re
publican party." His stereotyped
platitudes on watered railroad stock fell
dead in the ears of the assemblage of stock
holders below him and his tiresome, tirade
on monopolistic corporations fell stillborn
on a convention which could not sympa
thize with them. In everything else, the
sage threw off the mask and again assumed
his place in the Republican ranks, after an
unsuccessful effort to better his condition
and after the decided repulse to demagog
ism given by the Democrats. The conven
tion overdid the enthusiasm and showed
TUX HOLI.tIffXK.SS WITHIN.
The garland was thrown out. but like tho
thyrsus of Bacchanals, the point of the
spear was visible.
As long as tiie door was open and every
thing was welcome, the anti-saloon men
Y^ If
\ve:e ushered in —
ten real nice looking
gentlemen, in black
clothes and white
ties, headed by Rev.
S. G. Smith, of Ram
sey county, with Gen.
A. B. Nettleton, of
Uenuepin, br i n giug
up the rear. Dr.
Smith presented the
resolutions and deliv
ered a Republican ser-
inon, which was received in ominous silence
by the delegations from the two m»tropoli
tan counties. Wheu he said: "We are not
Democrats in disguise and do not borrow
the livery of heaven to serve the devil in."
it was doubtful whether he referred to the
delegation which preceded tiiem or not.
He certainly plagiarized Whidoin's Chicago
speech, in referring to the Democratic can
didate, and wound up with a dramatic ap
peal to the convention to down the Colum
bia society and its SIOO.OOU and receive the
organized aid of every church and tireside
in tlie state. The black-coated procession
tiled off the stage in sombre silence. There
was a marked difference in the reception of
these two delegations. The labor delega
tion promised votes and support and was
welcomed with fulsome enthusiasm; the
temperance men threatened the loss of lib
eral votes and were simply coldly tolerated.
The real temperof the convention could not
have been better exempiiiied than by these
two incidents. They ended the morning
session.
THE AFTF.RXOOX SESSION
was the regulation period beliiud time and
tlie delay told of contesting delegations and
warring over resolutions. During the recess
Gibbs ■ stock shot up amazingly and the con
cession was generally made that Nelson's
warm, but untimely, athletic exercise with
that insult, had injured the prospects of the
occupant of his band wagon. Fletcher's
suavity and Lovely's child-like blandness
were "construed into evidences of confi
dence, and the friends of the Fifth district
candidate were visibly depressed. The
delegates assembled with apparent calm
ness and impatiently awaited the report,
without which nothing could be done. The
lobbies improved the opportunity and cries
for Davis were alternated with howls for
Langdon and hoarse calls for Donnelly. A
deep twilight shrouded the hall, making it
difficult to distinguish faces across the
room, while the countenances of Kamsev and
Hennepin comity leaders, in the front row,
loomed up dimly through the chiaroscuro of
floating mists of tobacco smote. The wait
was a long and tedious one, unbeguiled by
speech or song, though the lights were
finally turned on at the earnest
solicitation of the bevy of news
paper men. It was nearly 4
/clock when the convention took up its
business and listened to the mellow voice
<>f M. H. Dunueil as he read ttie list of
delegates. The little ruffle in St. Louis
county was so small as to scarcely produce
;i riffle, and the committee's list went
through sailing. The- announcement that
the temporary organization was to be made
permanent had anything but a pleasing ef
fect, as Wedie was a palpable failure as a
presiding officer. His voice was poor, his
inauuer vacillating aud his decisions weak.
That he was the creature of clamor was
evident, and he lacked sadly the force and
vigor of the chairman of an unruly conven
tion.
When the announcement was made that
the committee on resolutions was ready to
report, a hubbub ensued aud
THK CHAIIJ WAS CAPTUEED.
C. A. and John S. Pilbbury sat in the
front row and dictated proceedings there
after, the chairman proving obedient to
their desires. First, the committee on res
olutions was pushed to the wall, ou motion
of one of the Pillsburys, until after the
nominations, and next, a secret ballot was
decided upou, on motion of the other
Pillsbury. The galleries howled out their
disapprobation of this plan, which indicated
the fear of delegates to expveiis fieir honest
BOSS PHXSKCBT.
preferences, but Boss Pillsbury had the
convention by the throat and refused to re
lax his hold. This decision confirmed the
reports of a secret deal, which the partici
pants were ashamed to permit the public to
gaze upon. Motions to come out boldly and
announce the vote by counties were
slaughtered before they grew cold, and by
an overwhelming majority the convention
elected to cast that stealty, secret vote,
which could never hereafter be fastened on
any delegate, or for which any individual
could not hereafter be made responsible. Boss
Pillsbury "s hat was brought into use. and
he checked the delegates off. one at a time,
as they io ked step and marched up to de
ix)sit their ballots. Not a speech was made.
Though each candidate was given ten
minutes in which his friends might pour
out burning words in triDute to his eminent
fitness, not a voice was raised, not an emi
nent fitness was even dimly suggested, but
the delegates, in grinning silence, clutched
heir ballots and
FACED THE MUSIC.
A crowd gathered about the table as the
tellers counted the vote, which was an
nounced by C. A. Pillsbury. The result
surprised no one, and bore out the predic
ST. PAUL,* THURSDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 23, Itfcb — TWELVE PAGE&
tion first made by the Globe, which was
of the honest sentiments of the delegates,
before any uudue influence was excited. It
stood: Albert Scheffer 1, T. H. Barretts,
111 ' •
■^ LotlElvrLrTC'-lER
J. L. Gibbs 98, C. A. Gilman 108. A. R.
McGill 1515. The McGill men sent up a tri
umphant howl, and the friends of tue two
farmer boys drew in their horns and
looked desperate. W. B. Merriam led the
Kamsev delegation in huzzaing and the
I'illsburys gave the signal for Hennepin to
cheer. A formal ballot was ordered and
the delegates resumed the marching pro
cess. In due time the announcement came:
Gilman 100, Gibbs 96, McGill 163, Scheffor
1. Tho McGill partisans again set up a
shout, while one solitary yell greeted the
solitary vote for Scheffer. It was whispered
about, however, that the one Scheffer vote
was upon a printed ballot, showing the
presence of at least a predetermined effort
for Schetfer. The result of this ballot was
a loss of 3 to Gilman, a loss of 2 for Gibos
and a gain of 7 for McGill. These 7 came
from St. Louis county, and were the result
of
A PLEDGE MADE CONTINGENT
on the seating of the Strait delegation from
that county. It was said these votes would
go back to Gilman on the next ballot, but it
wa9 also whisperedHennepiu would break to
McGill in a body and nominate him. Gil
man lieutenants rushed among the dele
gates and a great many Scbeffer ballots
were flashed up about the hall as menaces
to the McGill following. The result of the
ballot upset all these calculations, standing
as follows: Scheffer 2, Gilman 103. Gibbs
88, McGill 170. One too many votes had
been cast, and when the paper was
handed to the chair he prefaced
the announcement by saying too many
votes had been cast. Immediately the
wildest hubbub begau, and the hall rang
with angry cries, howls and yells. "The
vote is a fraud. Don't read it," yelled an
excited delegate, and a hundred voices
chorused the cry. "The vote, the vote!
liead it! Let's have it!" shouted 200 voices
together, the lobbies joining in the cry.
The chair glanced helplessly around, una
ble to grasp the situation, while the con
vention became indescribable. Men rilled
the spaces, surged through the aisles, and
even climbed half up the platform stairs,
orating wildly, waving their arms and
some shouting out incoherently. A motion
to take a recess was made and
THE FIRES OF DISORDER
blazed out anew. S. P. Snider and H. G.
Hicks, of Heunepin,S.H.Searle,of Steams,
and Knute .Nelsou,of Douglas.delivered un
intelligible speeches from the seats of their
chairs, the latter, when he could make
himself heard, moving an adjournment un
til 10 o'clock this morning. The cries
STANFORD NEWEL.
for the reading of the ballot broke out
again and started up the din. Then the
gigantic form of George A. Camp hurled
itself upon the stage and roundly berated
the convention for its sad behavior. This
had the effect of soothing the savage and
excited breasts, and the motion to take a
recess until 8 o'clock was entertained. Ofi
a call for the yeas and nays, the long list of
delegates was read, the McGill men voting
"no" and the majority of the combined op
position voting in the affirmative. So many
of the latter split, however, that the vote
could not be considered significant. The
result was: Yeas 183, nays 178. So the
convention took a recess until 8 o'clock.
The body broke up in the wildest disorder,
Loren Fletcher mounting a chair and yell
ing out, "1 want to say the McGill men
cannot be bought."
WITH THE EVENING SESSION,
which did not, begin until a full half hour
after time, the fun was taken up just
where it was interrupted by the recess.
Knute Nelson had taken a prominent posi
tion directly in front of the chair and the
moment the gavel fell he took the floor and
moved to hear the report of the committee
on resolutions. This was evidently a fili
bustering scheme and was at once
jumped upon by the McGill strength.
H. G. llicks moved to lay the
motion on the table, when Loren
Fletcher climbed the steps, and throwing
Ins arm aloft be gan an impassioned speech.
A point of order called him down, but
llicks withdrew his motion and Fletcher
made his speech, which charged trickery
and chicanery on the statesman from Doug
lass. Nelson quailed under the fury of the
Little Yillian, aud when his friends urged
him to answer the speech he declined.
Hicks renewed his motion and Nelson
promptly demanded the yeas and nays,
necessitating the long aud weary calline of
the roll. The McGiil men, with a little
outside help, rolled up 199 yeas against 159
nays, sending the filibustering resolution to
the table. Theu the third formal ballot
was ordered, and in due time reached this
conclusion: McGill, 175; Gilnian, 95:
Gibbs. 75; Scheffer, 16. The name of Mc-
Gill was greeted with the usual ap
plause, while the increase for Scheffer
was received with hilarious shouts
fiom the lobbies. There was a determined
look on the faces of the McGill men as
they marched up for the fourth formal
ballot, while the Gibbs and Gilman men
wore a very funereal aspect. A great many
Scheffer ballots were seen glancing through
the ranks of the delegates aud the friends
of the St. Paul banker were perceptibly
agitated as the count began. As the McGill
ballots began to pile up, his friends became
boisterous, and before the count was com
pleted, one cheer went up; it touched off
the convention— or at least the McGill
part of it— and a storm of applause was
sent out. It was hushed up promptly
and the result was announced: Whole
vote 358; necessary to a choice. 180;
McGill 190, Gilman 60, Gibbs 42, Scheffer
66. The applause was renewed, but it
was noticed that the Gilmaii and Gibbs par
{ tisans failed to participate to any remark- i
able' extent. S. P. Snider hastened to j
, make the polite motion that the nomination j
; be made unanimous, but, to the surprise
of all, ■ ...»
x STORM OF NOUS
greeted the motion, Having won the vic
tory, Loren Fletcher hastened to clinch it
and send a dispatch of. congratulation* to
Blame, asking him to come over to Mace- j
donia and help them. There was a hoarse
laugh when he mentioned Elaine as the ;
friend of the farmers and workingmeu, and j
again the storm of noes . came, when the
motion was put. A • committee was sent
to bring in the Chevalier, while the Gilinan
and Gibbs forces settled down in their
chairs with all the inspiring energy of dead
men. Subsequent proceedings seemed to
interest them no more, and the
remaining hours of the great
convention was comparatively tame. But
the result had 80 enthused the MeGill men
that they bubbled over with life and
energy. Gov. Pillsbury sharply moved to
proceed to the nomination of lieutenant
] governor, and Loren Fletcher gayly nom
inated Senator A. £. Kice, of Willmar.
Henry A. Castle was also nominated and
a listless ballot was taken. • The Willmar
statesman received 247 to 103 for Castle. 3
for Gibbs and 1 for John Dodge. Applause
followed and the listless work proceeded.
; In the midst of the nomination of a secre
tary of state, the entrance of McGill
was announced, and the convention pre
pared to give him an enthusiastic
reception. He made a speech, or rather he
read one, perpetrating a joke in that he had
prepared the speech, thinking perhaps he
was to be nominatec and was now glad it
was not to be wasted. It was a
singular effort, a dry, old collection of
state statistics, gathered from chamber of
commerce reports, that fell very fiat upon
that vast assemblage. . The Gilinan and
| Gibbs men sini .ed sardonically over it, as if
f PUT* 'f!^'~~S^ V* s^*
E. B. LAXGDO3;
to say: "You see th« man you
have nominated." His own friends
drew long faces when the bulky document
was first drawn from his pocket and not the
slightest enthusiasm was inspired by the
recitation which followed. What will he
do on the stump? was the question freely
passed about, and how in the world will he
meet Ames on the hustings? was also heard.
The reading was flat, stale and
unprofitable, and was generally character
ized as indicative of the caliber of the man.
The want of applause, when he concluded,
was so apparent that a feeling delegate
called for three cheers to . fill up the gap.
The effect of the paper was so apparent
that when A. E. Rice was called
out for a speech, he sarcastically said that
he had not had time to write out his ad
dress. After that everything was decidedly
tame, and the business was transacted in
the presence of delegates only, the lobbies
having been frightened away by the McGill"
essay. s^i.^V
A HOWL OP NATIONALITY.
The dry balloting was resumed and two
futile cast for secretary of state were made.
Stordock, Mattson and Stockenstrom were
the men and the votes were almost equally
divided among them. At the end of the
second ballot, Stockenstrom was withdrawn
in favor of Mattson. Then came the howl
of nationality. Loren Fletcher posed as a
bird of ill omen, and predicted all sorts of
dire things if two Norwegians and no
Swedes were placed on the ticket,
.lames O'Brien " 'hurled the studied
insult" bact, on behalf of the Swedes,
aud Col. H. G. Hicks ridiculed
his spread-eagle speech, and said it would
stand the party in no stead at the polls in
November. The scenes of the afternoon
were duplicated aud the now diminished
convention threatened to disorganize itself.
But a rain of ballots lulled the angry storm
aud Col. Hans Mattsou carried off the palm.
Then a streak of energy swept through the
remnants of tbe convention and Bobleter
was nominated for treasurer by acclama
tion. By this time it was 1 o'clock and the
saJoons were closed and the convention dry
and weary. There was no time forspeech
makiuir, and the maiden etforts of several
ambitious young statesmen were rudely cut
short by brief but expressive cries of
"Hats!" "Go print it!" and "Sit down!"
C. L. Lewis, of Otter Tail, was permitted
to eulogize M. E. Clapp, but had to cut it
short, aud it was a severe test of
patience to listen to Knute Nelson's pa
thetic plea for "something, anything for
the Fifth district." Not a syllable would
be listened to for auditor, and the pressure
of the state house ring scut Braden to a
renominationa by acclamation. The hours
dragged and 2 o'clock approached, with
several offices yet to be nlied.
THE LAST HOUBS
of the convention were dismal in the ex
treme. Yawns were startlingly frequent,
and the only life manifested was in the
rear of the hall, where several hilarious
McGill men were endeavoring to sing "We
Won't Go Home Tiil Morning." The ballots
were wearying and perfunctory, and the
casting and counting listless and uninter
esting. The closing act befitted the
convention. After applacding vocifer-
ously in the morning, that part of
the labor platform which "denounced
the infamous . tax title decision."
the convention deliberately faced about and
unanimously endorsed and renominated the
three retiring judges. Nothing was left
but the clerk of the supreme court, in the
nomination of which the ring won
its final triumph. This concluded the
tarce and the sceue ended. The victorious
remnant marched out in solid phalanx,
leaving the tattered and defeated majority
to drag its disfigured remaln3 to bed as best
it might. So, at 1 2:30 -. o'clock, the great
convention ended. .
HOW THE BALL OPENED.
Gathering: of the Clans and Their
First Attempt at Business. .
Between 10:30 and 11 a. m. four proces
sions of delegates and proxies marched up
tho northern sidewalk of Third street, : en
route from the Merchants hotel to the Ex- j
i position rink. First filed the McGill uiulti
; tude, marshalled by William Windom and
|C. A. Pillsbury. Next came the Oilman
, crowd, a motley parade, composed of tiine
testod wire pullers, and headed by Knute
Nelson and George Washington Sprague.
After these followed the Gibbs grangers,
; wending their way slowly in tho wake of
j Dr. Wedge. Finally came up a little clau,
' interested in the success of Albert Scheffer.
' These tour crowds had only ceased the
' laborious undertaking of fixing up
1 combinations in the wondrously wise ways
of several caucuses. It was a parade alto
gether out of order, and now and then a
: group of delegates broke up the order of
the parade and patronized several bars,
where there were several brands of Bour
bon and rye. About 10:50 the Winona
delegation selected convenient seats ou the
right. The Hennepin and Ramsey dele
gations entered soon afterward, the former
going to tthe front of the left division and
the latter pre-empting the two front rows
on the right. Then spectators began to lo
cate themselves in the galleries, and a corps
of policemen was stationed in the rear. The
riris was about to become rather crowded
when Chairman Castle of the state cen
tral committee, a half hour after the time,
approached the chairman's table oil the
stage and appropriated two drinks of water.
It was a cold water convention, and this
act of Mr. Castle's was shown approbation
by several delegates hitting their hands to
gether.
THE OPENING.
When they ceased to smite their palms,
Chairman Castle addressed the convention:
Fellow Republicans, said be,at a meeting of
the state central committee, it appointed a
flub-comnilttee to present several resolutions
in regard to the matter of temporary orjraui
zation, and the time wool the conven
tion should be called, and several
other matters regarding: the conveation.
This committee has decided to recommend
the appointment of a committee on rules and
order of business. We all know that there
has been much confusion heretofore about
these matters and I hope you will take steps
toward the appointment of such a committoe.
Gentlemen, I feel it is due to the Republican
piirty that it should be congratulated on the
larjre gather-lag which I see here assembled
to-day. It is tho largest convention ever held
by the Republican party in the state. Here
it the official call. Unless there is some
-pressing 1 necessity the reading 1 of the list of
counties will be dispensed with. Gentlemen,
the next busiuoss is to select a temporary
chairman. What is the pleasure of this con
vention?
M. J. Daniels, of Rochester, presented
for temporary chairman the name of Hon.
A. C. Wedge, of Albert Lea.
HE HURLED BACK THE INSULT.
Knute Nelson arose from a crowd of Gil
manites on the left and interposed an ob
jection. He said, as bis voice trembled
with suppressed mortification:
Mr. Chairman, before this motion is put, on
betialf of the Republicans of the Fifth dis
trict, I desire to make an explanation. It is
a well-known fact that there have been three
candidates in the field mentioned in connec
tion with the governorship, and their
strength in this convention is prob
ably equal. Last night the friends
of McGlil and Gibbs held caucuses,
and it seems that the friends of Mc-
Glll, with a studied insult | applause and
laughter], decided to ignore the friends of
Mr. Oilman and appointed a committee to
confer wtth only the friends of Mr. Gibbs.
This much may bo said of the friends of Mr.
Gibbs, they had no intention to insult us.
[Loud applause] I want to say that we are
as loyal Republicans in the Fifth district as
anywhere else in the state. We are as loyal
to the interests of th« party as any. Mr.
Chairman, we hurl the insult back in the
teeth of the frieuds of McGill and Gibbs.
[Thunders of applause, shrieks aud cat-calls.]
Mr. Chairman, I want it to be understood
that no matter what the insult you have in
augurated against us, we will do our duty as
loyal Republicans at the polls next Novem
ber.
TRYING TO EXPLAIN IT.
A spasm of universal applause greeted
the final remark of Mr. Nelson, while muf
fled laughter gurgled in the bosoms of the
henchmen of McGill and Gibbs.
Loren Fletcher declared that the gentle
man's insinuations about an insult to the
friends of Gilinau were entirely unfounded,
and he explained that the Gibbs committee
was in waiting and a committee was ac
cordingly appointed to confer with that
committee. He called on Mr. Lovely, of
Freeborn. Mr. Lovely said:
I regret that this subject has been brought
up at all. We have enough to do to take
care of the interests of our own party, with
out tbese dissensions [Applause.] I am
sure that the gentleman is laboring under a
misapprehension. When the committee rep
resenting tbe friends of Mr. McGill were ap
pointed, they could not learn that any com
mittee had been appointed by Mr. Gilman. I
don't think there was aay intention to insult
friends of Mr. Gilman.
Col. H. G. Hicks, of Minneapolis, then
move*' th-it the nomination of Dr. A. C.
Wedge be made by ac
clamation. He was
elected against a half
hearted opp o s ition .
Chairman Castle ap
pointed Senator Lang
don, of Minneapolis,
and Judge W. T. Burr,
'of St. Paul, to escort
Dr. Wedge to the
As Dr.
Wedge's hoary head
'was seen to elevate
above the platform,
feeble applause greeted
him. He said:
Gentlemen of the Convention; lam proud
of the honor, and thank you for selecting me
for your temporary chairman. I shall do my
best to do my duty impartially. I see before
me a very intelligent body of men. You have
been sent here by your constuencios to rep
resent tv« ereat Kepublicun party of the
state. I see before me old men who have
grown grey in tbe service. I soe also a fair
sprinkling: of youngr blood. I know you have
become enthusiastic. But I wish to surest
to you that you have very earnest work to
do. You have not only to present a satisfac
tory ticket to your constituents at home, but
you must consider also the best interests of
tbe state. There are questions that have
come to the surface recently which will merit
your careful consideration. I will not take
time to say what those questions are just
now. I would ask you, however, to take
them into consideration and grapple with
them.
A few delegates clapped their hands
when Dr. Wedge got through with a speech
that fell very flat, and Col. Hicks, of Mm-,
neapolis, nominated J, Bookvvalter, of
Blue Earth, for temporary secretary. Mr.
Bookwa'ter'a name aroused no opposition,
and Senator Sargent, of A'bert Lea. pre
sented the name of C. D. Fuller for his
assistant, which was also acceptable.
COMMITTEE ON CREDENTIALS.
D. B. Searle. of St. Cloud, moved the
appointment of a committee on credeutials,*
consisting of one from each judicial district.
The committee appointed was:
First judicial district, £. G. Rogers, of Da
kota; Second judicial district, W. B. Dean, of
Ramsey; Third judicial district, W. H. Teller,
of Wabasha; Fourth judicial district, S. P.
Snyder, of Hennepin: Fifth judicial district,
M. H. Dunnell, of Owatonna; Sixth judicial
district, J. P. West, of Farlbault; Seventh ju
dicial district, D. B. Searle, of Steams;
Eigrhth judicial district, T. S. Strait, of Scott;
Ninth judicial district, C Amundson, of Nicol
let; Tenth judicial district, C. H. Conkey, of
Fillmore; Eleventh judicial district, H. Steon
erson, of Polk; Twelfth judicial district,
Peter Hanson, of Meeker; Thirteenth judicial
district, A. G. Miller, of Nobles.
Ex-Gov. John S. Pillsbury then got up
and informed the convention that the com
mittee of the Farmers' alliance desired to
be heard. Without awaiting for a motion
to this effect by Senator Langdon, of Min
neapolis, to be put, J. H. Burns, of St.
Paul, asked that the committee represent
ing the Knights of Labor, Trades assem
bly, Farmers' alliance and Patrons of Hus
bandry be heard. Senator Langdon's mo
tion was carried in this way.
Dr. Wodee— That will be takeu as the sense
of the convention.
As the committee ascended the steps of
the platform and Ignatius Donnelly fol
lowed up the aisle, there was a confusion
of applause which exploded simultaneously
from 350 delegates and which was greatly
contributed to by the galleries and lobbies.
It lasted several minutes. The yells for
Donnelly were deafening, but were ignored
by the convention with dignified indiffer
ence at this time. Mr. J. P. McGaughey,
master workman of the district assembly of
the Knights of Labor, leaning on the arm
ot J. 11. Burns, advance to the edge of the
stage and made a speech which was
almost the same as the one he
delivered before the Democratic convention,
save that the latter half of it was oaiitted,
and instead he read the resolution/*, formu
lated by the joint conference of tHe Farm
ers' alliance and the Knights of Labor.
Sometimes during the reading there were
attempts at applause. After the resolu
tions Mr. McGaughey added the substance
of the latter halt of his speech and con
cluded with:
If you look back over tho history of the
United States you will flad that these subjects
have been met with jruus and musketry. I
desire to say that eucb has never occurred
within the bounds of the state of Minnesota.
I desire to say that I hope it never will. I
think this subject is one that should be met
with argument.
A few faint spasms of applause followed
Mr. McGaughey's remarks, until somebody
in the gallery yelled for Donnelly. Then
it developed into a shriek, and a hundred
voices yelled. Donnelly arose and came
upon the stage.
DOniTELLY HAS HIS SAY.
The Sage Repeats a Portion of His
Lecture on Watered Stock--Prohi
bitionists.
Mr. Donnelly fidgeted around on the
stage for a few miuutes while several dele
gates. intending to tantalize him, got up in
succession and made inquiries about the
committee on credentials. Then he said:
Mr. Preside nt and Gentlemen of the Con
tion: At the meeting of the representatives
of the Farmers' alliance and the Patrons of
Husbandry of this state, held this morning,
I was requested to assist in the presentation
of the resolutions which have been read to
you by Mr. McGauehey, and say one or two
things in support of them. I have no desire
to trespass upon the time of this convention,
but I would call your attention to them, and
I would passinsrly say, it is a pleasure to us
to observe the hearty welcome which these
resolutions have received. Ir is a pleasure
to us to observe the fact that we have been
awarded a reception here very different from
what we received at the hands of the Demo
cratic convention. I know that some of
us have differed from the Republican
party heretofore upon various political ques
tions, but when it comes to the question of
the alleviation of private wrongs, we can ap
peal to the great party of liberty. (Several
chestnut gougs tinkled and some amusement
was expressed by a majority of delegates.)
We feol that the party which over twenty
years ago did not turn a deaf ear to the slaves
over a thousand miles away (again the chest
nut gongs could be heard) will not fail to
hear to-day the appeal of the farmers of this
state, and their statement of the wronga
which hare oppressed them. The
vital points of this platform so far
as the farmers are concerned, are
centered around this question of the pay
ment of interest upon railroad watered stock.
This question he dwelt upon at some length.
I believe the Republican party can be de
pended upon to take from our shoulders this
ungodly burden of watered stocks, a burden
which does not represent a dollar of actual
capital, a burden which represents plunder —
profit, if you will.
Now, gentlemen, we ask you to give us a
hearty, outspoken declaration against this
iniquity. If you do, there are thousands of
independent votes which will swell your
ranks of victory. [Applause from the dele
gates.] I hope the Republican party will put
the stamp of its condemnation upon thl3 in
iquity.
Here he indulged in a homily against the
exemption of railroad land from taxation,
alter which he concluded by asserting that
all good and true Eepublicaus, and every
man, would do his duty, etc.
A TEMPERANCE DELEGATION".
After Donnelly's silver voice ceased its
gentle but huge satire upon his own am
bition, some 11101 c old skeletons started to
enter the great Republican sepulchre, and
William Windoiu informed the assemblage
that "there is a committee of ten here,
true and loyal Republicans, who desire to
be heard on a set of resolutions, which
they desire to present." Gen. A. B. Net
tleton and E. S. Corser, of Minneapolis.
Dr. M. McG. Dana, Rev. Samuel G. {Smith
{p- — 4^&
I HIM. -g J s^_^rf
and others, of
St. Paul,
inarched up
the steps of
the stage one
by one. Key.
S. G. Smith,
of St. Paul, as
the spokesman
of the commit
tee, delivered
t discourse on
Jie text: "We
Are Temper
ance Men,
Though Not
Democrats in
Disguise." The
labor cha m
nions aDDar-
y j I gjj X — ; jt«
ently winced m, the pungency of what
they construed into an ;' in
sult, viz: That it was an innuendo signify
ing that the doctor supposed the gentlemen
who occupied the platform before his group
were before the convention as Democrats in
disguise.
The Democratic party, be said, had made a
ticket which was the very incarnation of the
saloon element. He asked that the Repub
lican party would turn with manly brow
against the saloon element. He proceeded:
The Columbia association has headquarters
In St. Paul, and claims 75,000 votes and
$100,000 to procure them with. If the Re
publican parly would be true and do its duty,
its banners would lead to victory. Gentle
men, the saloons are gone; they are on the
other side. We can afford to lose them. I
know if you will do your duty, every church
in this land will be converted into a political
organization for the Republican party.
After flattering the Scandinavian. Ger
man and Irish elements, he concluded by
hoping he would see the day when every
woman in the laud would take a vital inter
est in the prohibition question. He was
heard patiently throughout. Ex-Lieut.
Gov. Barto, of Sauk Center, moved that
"all these resolutions be presented to the
committee on resolutions," which was not
objected to.
OX RESOLUTIONS.
On Gordon E. Cole's motion, the chair
man appointed this committee on resolu
tions;
First judicial district. Gordon E. Cole, Fari
bault; Second, Knute Nelson, Douglas: Third,
P. H. Millard, Washington; Fourth. G. W.
Sprague, Fillmore: Fifth, W. W. Hartley,
Crow Winy; Sixth, William Windom, Winona;
Seventh, William Bickel, Ramsey: Eighth, H.
G. Hicks, Heunepin; Ninth, J. Brownlee,
Martin; Tenth, J. H. Aokerman, Carver:
Eleventh. John Lind, Brown; Twelfth, C. H.
Strobeck, Meeker; Thirteenth, IL H. Halbert,
Rock.
After a motion by J. T. Williams, of
Mankato, himself. ex-Lieut. Gov. A. Barto,
of Sauk Centre, and Loren Fletcher, of
Minneapolis, were appointed a committee
on permanent organization. On the motion
of Gov. Barto the convention took a recess
until 2:30 p. m.
IN THE AFTERXOO.H
After I.onsr Delay, an Informal Bal
lot \V:i* Taken.
Over an hour was consumed in tediously
awaiting the report on credentials. Time
was called frequently, and occasionally the
name of Davis
was yelled for.
but Mr. Davis
continued to sit
silently in a chair
to the left of the
stage. The fun
commenced by M.
J. Daniels moving
"permanent or
ganization." He
discovered h i s
mistake in time to
correct into "rules
and regulations."
Finally he discov
ered that it was a
committee on rules and order of business
4T- V • * yD £A N /
NO. 2 6e
I which the state central committee had rec
; oiamended, and he made a motion to that
j effect. D. Aberle, of St. Paul, raised a
point of order, which the chaiimanover
; ruled. Dr. Wedge then appointed H. G.
; Hicks, of Minneapolis, W. H. Gale, of
j Winoua, Joha A. Lovely, of Albert Lea,
M. J. Daniels, of Rochester, and Alphonso
Barto, of Sauk Center.
The chair then announced that the com
mittee on credentials was ready to report,
and Mark H. Dunueli, chairman of the
committee, read the report, stating that
credentials were received from eighty
counties, and 361 delegates. This is ac
counted for by the fact that ltasca county
was omitted from the call, and it was en- v
titled to two delegates. By the report of
the committee, the (Graves-Gilman) dele
gation from St. Louis county, and the
Gibbs delegation from Grant county were
admitted. Hennepin county having been
omitted by the chairman, some amusement
was afforded. v
Col. Hooker, of Minneapolis, moved the
adoption of the report with the exception
of the delegation from St. Louis. Major
Camp, of Minneapolis, raised a point of
order. The motion of Col. Hooker was
amended to have the entire report adopted.
Loren Fletcher hoped the amend
ment would not be adopted, as there
was a minority report, which he desired
would be heard. Stanford .Newel, of St. -
Paul, said he would vote for the adoption '
of the report, as it was after 4 o'clock, and
the matter had been fully considered in the
committee on credentials. D. B. Searle
favored the adoption of the report, explain
ing that there was no minority report. It
was then adopted, the nays being few and
feeble. :./5-
PERMAITEKT ORGANIZATION".
J. T. Williams, chairman of the com- j
mittee on permanent organization,- re*
ported in favor of making the temporary
organization permanent, with the addition
of ex-Lieut. Gov. W. H. Yale, of Winona,
Maj. George A. Camp, of Minneapolis, and
D. B. Searle, of St. Cloud, as vice presi
dents of the convention. The report was
adopted unanimously.
A motion j was made by C. A. Pillsbnry,
of Minneapolis, to proceed to ballot for
officers at once. Knute Nelson had caught
on to the McGill-Gibbs scheme, and he pro
posed an amendment to the effect
that the committee on platform
and : resolutions be heard first. This
was lost by a loud negative vote, most of
which came from the rear gallery. Pills
bury's motion was then carried. On Gov.
Barto's motion the chair appointed as tell
ers Mai". Camp, of Minneapolis; B. F.
Lewis, of Waseca. and G. G. Hartley, of
Brainerd. A motion of John S. Pillsbury
was carried, requiring the delegation from
each county to march forward and deposit
their votes. Maj. Camp here arose and
caused a little smile by declaring that he
did not think he should be a teller, as he
had been honored with the office of vice
president. C. A. Pillsbury was substituted.
An attempt to have the chairman of each
delegation cast the vote for each county
provoked a loud opposition, and cries of
"No, no," ascended from all over the house.
John S. Pillsbury made a motion to give
the friends of each candidate for governor
ten minutes time to present the merits of
their candidate. Senator Comstock, of
Moorhead, wanted it amended to limit the
time to live minutes. Dr. Wedge put the
motion, receiving a rousing affiimative.
"The yeas have it," said be, before he
"^I.NOOrvW
called for the nays.
Lieut. -Gov. Barto
attempted a ridicu
lous proposition to
have each candi
date presented
when his turn
came, the secretary
to call the list of'
counties alphabet-^
ically. " His wind <
was abruptly shut
off. Major Camp
moved to proceed
to ballot.
Chairman Wedge
addressed the con-
vention. He said: •'You'd better mention
the names of your candidates. I will settle
the matter right here. Will the friends of
Mr. McGill present their candidate?"
Nobody responded and C. A. Pillsbury
moved to "proceed to ballot now," which
was unanimously carried.
THE INFORMAL BALLOT.
Messrs. Pillsbury, Lewis and Hartley
then held an inverted stovepipe hatnear the
edge of the platform, and while Secretary
Bookwalter read the roll of counties, each
delegate came forward and put in his slip
of paper. It was a loug while before the
last county was reached. When the last
ballot was deposited— shortly after some
body raised a noise for William Windom —
the tellers went to the secretary's table
upon the stage and counted the votes. It
was 5:15 p. m. when the vote was an
nounced as follows:
Whole number of |T. H. Barrett 3
votes cast 360jJohn L. Gibbs.... 98
Necessary for IC. A. Gilman 103
choice 181 A. R. McGill 166
Albert Scheffer... 3
C. A. Pillsbury read the results, com
mencing with the candidate who received
the least vote. When Gilman's name was
reached, a loud yell accompanied by a great
stamping on the floor ensued. When fin
ally McGill's vote was announced it was re
ceived with a deafening shout by the dele
gates, a shower of applause issuing also
from the galleries. As can be seen, there
were 360 votes accounted for. The odd
vote had been deposited by mistake for A.
E. Rice, of Willmar, for lieutenant gov
ernor. The first formal ballot was then
taken.
FORMAL BALLOTS.
The painf ulness of suspense and an eager
desire to come to a finish was apparent on
the faces of some of the delegates, while
others still looked determined as they
dropped their slips. The tellers this time
sat upon the platform conveniently near the
edge, each delegate again marching up the
aisle to the reversed tile. The result of
the first formal ballot was announced at
5:43.
Votes cast 3fiO'Gilmaa 100
For a choice 181|Gibbs 98
McGill 163iScheffer 1
A storm of shouts greeted the announce
ment of this vote.
A DISGRACEFUL ROW
That Was Stirred up When it Was
Found ITlcGill Was Gaining:. \ '
McGill lacked just eighteen votes. It
was apparent that dele
gates were beginning to
leave both Gilman and
Gibbs, while Barrett's
friends had given up
hope and Scheffer's man
was determined to still
stand by him. Hennepiu
was flopping over to Mo-
GilL Another formal
ballot developed at 6:25
that McGill was gaining
and Gibbs losing, while
Gilman had got his own
again. The result was:
Votes cast 363 | For choice 181
MeGll 170 Gilman 103
Gibbs 88 I Soheffer 3
Chairman Wedge announced that there
were too many votes cast. He asked if he
would give the result. "No! No! Yesl
Yes!" yelled the convention. It was a
scene of the worst disorder and the neatest
excitement.
Capt. S. P. Snider, of Minneapolis,
standing upon a chair, said:
Mr. Chairman, I move that we take a recesi
until 8 p. ra.
Cries of "No! No! No!" came from every
direction. L. L. Wheelock, of Minneapo
lis, jumped upon a chair amid a bedlam of
noise, and yelled:
A motion for a recess has been made. It is
out of order to call the ballot now until this
motion has beep put and decided upon.
An amendment was then proposed to
have the motion for a recess postponed
until after the result of the ballot had bee*