Thomas E. Barkworth

Pursuant to cali of the comroittee the second district democratie convention met in Adrián Tuesday, tor the purpose of nominating a candidate for congress. Most of the delegates from a distance arrived on the ground the night before and proceeded to reconnoiter the field. In the morning when the remaining delegates arrived and joined forces with those already on the ground, the hotel lobbies became scènes of animation and the air surcharged with old time democratie enthusiasm. Among the delegates were large numbers of the rank and file of the party who had journeyed to Adrián to consécrate themselves anew to the democratie faith. One and all were jubilant and confident. Everything indicated that democratie blood was up and that democratie hopes were running high, and that the campaign that will be put up for the control of the second district will be a red hot one. Vlingled with the crowd of faithful were to be seen a number of repubican politicians and candidates for county offices, eagerly alert for any stray crumbs of comfort which might perchance fall to them as a result of possible democratie discord. Among these was the shapely and commanding figure of Uncle Charlie Redfield, attired in a faultless suit of taylor-made clothes; his fatherly face wearing the benignant and dignified expression of the supreme judge, the United States senator, or the three-card monte man. There, also, was Doe. Smith with his fine shock of hair, ecclesiastical face and general bearing of a doctor of divinity which would instantlv win the confidence of any sinner, and lead him to trust his soul, his pocketbook or any other possession to Doc's keeping. LeRoy Mills, a would-be county clerk, Henry Stevens who has long longed to keep the county ja.il, and various others, too numerous to mention, were on hand. The Jackson delegation was filled with enthusiasm and made the headquarters of their candidate lurid with good cheer. Genial Clarence Bennett was at the head of the Jackson people and it is therefore unnecessary to say more of thetn. The Lenawee delegates went into caucus at 10 o'clock with Senator Morrow in the chair. They were unable to agree in their deliberations and the caucus carne to naught. Had this delegation united on some candidate, Salsbury for instance, the result of the convention might have been different. As it was Salsbury refused to permit the use of his name and when it came time to proceed to the convention hall everything seemed to presage the nomination of the Jackson man without opposition. At ii o'clock the delegates proceeded to Dean's opera house where they filled the body of the house, the backseatsalready beingoccupied by on-lookers. At 11:30 the convention was called to order by Nate Schmid, of Manchester, chairman of the second district committee. He did not made a speech but at once called Hon. Chas. R. Whitman, of this city, to the chair. Mr. Whitman in his usual happy and forceful style addressed the convention in a short speech. It possessed the genuine stamp of democI racy. He handled in a facetious way the efforts of the republicans to charge any ill with which the country was afflicted to the democrats. But he said the people would not bedeceived. They would not travel backward. He declared that President Cleveland's letter to Wilson was the key note of the approaching campaign. A few renegade democrats, he said, could not long stay the will of the people. When republicans declaimed against democratie delay in settlingthe tariff controversy, whereby the industries of the country were kept in a state of depression, it was well for democrats to inquire what republicans had done to hasten a settlement of the question in the interest of industrial revival. He was roundly applauded. John C. Cahalan was naraed for temporary secretary. Then followed the appointment of the usual committees. The committees were composed as follows: On permanent organization and order of business - John V. Boardman, Jackson; Orin R. Pierce, Lenawee; W. P. Sterling, Monroe; John P. Kirk, Washtenaw; Myron H. Ellis, Wayne. On resolutions - Elmer Kirkby, Jackson; James W. Helme, jr., Lenawee; C. A. Golden, Monroe; Dr. Conrad George, Washtenaw; E. T. Ingersoll, Wayne. On credentials - P. Hankerd, Jackson; H. F. Barnes, Lenawee; E. Sadler, Monroe; J. V. N. Gregory, Washtenaw; Henry Roehrig, Wayne. Convention then adjourned to meet in the afternoon at i o'clock, Standard time. In the afternoon the delegates were a little slow in getting into their places, but when the convention was called to order there was no farther delay in the transaction of its business. The credentials committee reported no contests, and the committee on permanent ization ana oraer or Dusiness reported in favor of making the temporary organization permanent, and the usual order of procedure. The chairraan made no speech farther trían to say that democrats fight their battles in convention, and always present a solid front to the enemy. The committee on resolutions then presented their report, which was as follows: We, the representativos of the Democratie party of the second congressioual district of Michigan, in convention assemblee!, hereby approve, and endorse the platform adopted at the national convention at Chicago, in 1892, and the platform adopted at the state convention in Grand Rapids last June. We hereby endorse the wise, economical, patriotic and statesinan-like administratiou of Grover Cleveland, believing that the people of the nation have in him an honest, conscientious and faithful servant, who at all times and under all circumstances, labora unceasingly for what be believes to be right, auct tor the best iuterests of the whole people. We denounce the aetion of the Republican senators who, aided by a few alleged Democrats, defeated the wiü of the people as recorded in the elections of 1890 and 1891. We now bere piedge ourselves anew to carry upward and onward the banner of tariff reform and commercial freedom, and we point with pride to the fact that our representative in congress stood by his principies to the last. Resolved, That this convention hereby extends the thanks of the Democratie party of this congressional district to Hon. James S. Gorman, its representative in congress, and hereby records its appreciation of his faithfulness, his untiring industry, and the valuable character of the services rendered by him in sustaininc; Democratie principies, insteadfastly laboring to embody them in legislation, in his unswerving loyalty to our president, in his administration of the affairs of that exalted office, in his uncompromising loyalty to our party. The reading of the resolutions vas frequently iaterrupted by wild ' ;heering and shouts. When the -eading was completed they were idopted amid great and enthusias:ic applause. Three tellers having been appointed, the chair stated that nommations were the next order. Thereapon the counties were called alphabetically and Jackson being the first on the list, James A. Parkinson took the rostrum and ia an eloquent speech placed before the convention the name of Hon. Thomas E. Barkworth. Mention of their candidate's name was greeted with long continued applause by the Jackson delegation. Mr. Parkinson reviewed the life of the candidate from boyhood to the present in a forceful and telling manner. He told of his desire for an education, and how the desire dominated all his early struggles; of his career as a farm laborer, as a country school teacher, lawyer and legislator; of his work as chairman of the judiciary committee in the democratie house of 1891; his careful scrutiny of all bilis whereby they were made to withstand the search light of the su preme court; and his leadership of the democratie side in the republican legislature of 1892, as well as the particular measures with which the candidate's name was more closely connected, were skillfully and appealingly brought out. Mr. Barkworth's character as a man, his standing among his fellow citizens who knew him best and his sterling democracy were all placed before the delegates in a very forceful manner. He declared that Mr. Barkworth was a man in whom the people generally, irrespective of party, had confidence. The democrats of Jackson, he said, were not populists, but they were willing to welcome to their side any and all who desired the breaking and overthrow of Plutocratic republican control. Thus far at least the democrats and populists were in accord and the union of their votes upon the same candidate made his election doubly certain. H-j rleclared that they were all administrationists and complimented the work of the Moses of Democrary, Grover Cleveland. Mention of Cleveland's name was received with great applause. On the completion of Mr. Parkinson's speech, the roll cali of counties was continued and each responded, "No candidate." Thereupon the nomination of Mr. Barkworth by acclamation was moved and carried by a rising vote and was followed by great and long continued applause. On motion of Hon. J. S. Gorman, a committee of three was appointed to bring the nominee before the convention. The chair appointed Messrs. Gorman, Parkinson and Salisbury a committee to escort Mr. Barkworth to the platform. When the committee entered the hall with Mr. Barkworth the pentup democratie enthusiasm again broke lose and it was some moments, before it subsided sufficiently to permit of the introduction of the nominee. The speech of Mr. Barkworth was able, forceful and democratie and gave the assembled delegates who had not previously heardhim, something of an idea of the kind of a campaign he will put up. The speech was received with rounds of applause. Gorman was then called for and in his usual forceful and happy style made a most satisfactory talk. He said that he was a democrat and now and as always at the command of his party and of his party's candidates. He declared that he would give to Mr. Barkworth's dacy the f uil measure of his mental and physical strength and that his services should not cost the candidate or his committee a cent. Whitman, Salsbury, Bean, Scherraerhorn and Bennett were in turn called for, and responded in a very satisfactory manner, one and all pledging themselves to do everything in their power to elect the norainee of the convention. Then, after the appointraent of the caropaign committee, the convention adjourned, filled with inspiration for the approaching conflict and confident of democratie success on the ides of November. Warm congratulations were extended to the candidate on all sides, and the utmost good feeling prevailed. The special train bearing the Jackson delegation pulled out of Adrián for home at 7 o'clock in the evening, and upon lts arrival in Jackson was met by a crowd of two thousand people, who went wild with enthusiasm over the return of herdelegates bearing the palm of victory. The candidate was warmly greeted by his fellow townsmen, who bespoke for him a successful canvass. Nor is this to be construeë as an idle wish, when the well known disposition of the Jackson people to loyally support any of her sons who are thus honored, is recalled. Thus has the democratie campaign in the old second, auspiciously opened.