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About The Hesperian / (Lincoln, Neb.) 1885-1899 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 18, 1898)
THE : HESPERIAN UnHcitteftietory and DiNffiiHtingf. THE NATIONAL CONVENTION FAILED IN ITS PURPOSE. For nearly two weeks the mock national convention has been agitating the students. All kinds of interest was stirred up among the embryo politicians. But affairs did not begin to get serious until about last Friday. The republicans lound that by the then exist ing assignment of delegates to states that the silver forces were able to control the conven vention. The silver men were equally well aware of the fact and began adding insult to injury by asking the 'sound' money men, "What are you going to do?" "Will you bolt or take your medicine like little men?" The disciples of McKinley became indignant many of them desperate. They were ready to re sort to almost any means. The silver forces were accused of gerrymandering, 'stufling' delegations and what not. The opposition led by the Palladian Boys' debating club, re jected the report of the committee on state delegations and made a new assignment of delegates. By the now apportionment, with the gains in the Maxwell club, the republicans had enough states to control th6 convention. But this was no point in their lavor unless they could get control of the temporary organ ization, as the credential committee was sil ver and would obviously not unseat silver del egations. Everything depended on which side effected the temporary organization. Here was the appointed place for trouble. The republicans planned to be in their seats promptly at seven and elect a chairman. The first trouble began when, after three times demanding their credentials and being refused, the members of the Maxwell club forced their way in the chapel without them. H. E. Dean (rep) at once called the meeting to order and H. B. Stewart (rep) was chosen temporary chairman. At 7:03 G. A. Warfieldpop, chair man of the national committee arrived and proceeded to take the chair. Pandemonium reigned. Everyone made for the platform. After the cooler heads, with the aid of a jan itor, cleared the platform, J. H. Lien and E. B. Perry, in the interest of "law and order," proceeded to suggest some one who would be satisfactory to the convention to preside merely until a temporary chairman could be elected. E. F. Warner was finally agreed upon. The first ballot for temporary chairman re sulted: G. E. Kindler 101, E. F. Warner 96. Five votes coujd not be accounted for and the chair declared no election. The silver men heaped all sorts of epithets upon the chair for so ruling. The republicans demanded a sec ond vote. It would be useless to waste space with a description of the unsatisfactory, if not disgraceful, proceedings of the next two hours. Dilatory measures and bull dog tenac ity on one side; uncontrollable impatience and disrespect for the chair on the other. Shortly after 10:30 Chancellor MacLeau ap peared on the scene and he sought to bring 'order out of chaos.' The Chancellor was chosen to preside temporarilly. Upon a rising vote G. E. Kindler was declared elected tem porary chairman. When Mr. Kindler took the chair "speech" was called for. Some, who know Mr. Kindler well, claim that ho was not at his best. It is said by some near the platform, that Mr. Kindler said something about 'fairness. ' Mr. Kindler had scarcely finished his remarks when forty republicans were on their feet demanding recognition. But according to pro gram the chair recognized a silver man who made a motion to appoint a committee. The republican side was now not merely indignant, but unruly. From this time on there were scarcely a dozen people who had the slightest idea as to what was going on. Motions, to make the temporary organization permanent, to appoint committees, etc. , were made, put and declared carried with everybody voting on both sides. A report from the resolution committee was called for. J. H. Lien and H. E. Sackett both began reading documents of some sort. Neither got beyond the third sentence. A motion to adopt the report of the commilneo it is said prevailed. The pub lic need not remain in darkness as to what this meant, as Mr. Kindler states that the motion was to adopt the report of Mr. Lien. It is generally believed that Mr. Lien still has a copy of what ho started to read and that he will be accomodating enough to show anyone desiring to know-who is not a mere curiosity seeker-just what the convention adopted. To say that the convention failed to accom plish that for which it was intended is only to say a part of what is true. The whole af fair was unsatisfactory and disgusting to all. Had partisan politics been kept out of the organization of the convention, the result might have been different. As it is, the sooner forgotten the better.