Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 June 1912 — DEMOCRATS OPEN FIRST SESSION OF CONVENTION [ARTICLE]

DEMOCRATS OPEN FIRST SESSION OF CONVENTION

Big National Meet Called to Order by Chairman Mack in City of Baltimore. PARKER FIGHT STURTS Question of Who Shall Be Temporary Gavel Wielder of Body a Mooted One. PROGRESSIVES MAY CONTROL ' y r Colonel Bryan Takes Leading Part In Affairs of Big Meeting—His Personality Said to Dominate the Surrounding and Cries of “Bryan for President” Are Frequently Heard — Auditorium Is Crowded to Its Utmost Limitations When National Chairman Norman E. Mack Pounded the Gavel Calling the HistoryMaking Body to Order. Baltimore. June 25.—Democratic presidential nomination battles, famous in the history of the country and the party, were recalled by the line-up of candidates whose supporters met today in Baltimore to fight for the nomination to the presidency on the Democratic ticket. I The immense auditorium was packed ! from floor to roof when National Chairman Norman E. Mack pounded the gavel calling the convention to order. • Seated on the platform and among the state delegations were men famous in the history of the party, men who have been in the forefront of its battles for years and whose names are known all over the land. It may be that this convention will be the means of /naking others famous as has been done in the past. The call for the convention was then read by Secretary Urey Woodson. This was followed by an opening prater and invocation by Cardinal Gibbons, who spoke fervently and with deep feeling. Chairman Mack announced the selection of Judge Alton B. Parker as the national committee’s choice for temporary chairman of the convention, and the fight was on. Fight on Parker. Colonel Bryan immediately took the floor in opposition to Judge Parker. The Nebraskan discussed Mr. Parker’s fitness for the position of temporary chairman, and pointed out that if he did not know whose agent he was, he lacks the intelligence necessary for a presiding officer, and if he does know, he did not deserve the support of any Democrat who had a right to call himself a delegate. Parker Men in Caucus. Supporters of Judge Parker held a caucus at the Belvidere hotel and perfected plans for forcing his selection as temporary chairman. Some of the more prominent who attended this conference were Norman E. Mack, Urey Woodson of Kentucky, Roger C. Sullivan of Illinois, Col. J. M. Guffey of Pennsylvania and E. L. Jones of Maine. "Judge Parker is an eminent Democrat,” said Mr. Jones, “and I am going to support him for that reason. He Is good enough for me.” Kern Is Reticent. Senator John W. Kern of Indiana arrived at the convention hall at 10:30 o’clock. He had been generally accredited with being the selection of William J. Bryan as the opposition candidate for temporary chairman. He said: "I have not been advised that I will

6e expected to make the race, and I do not care to say anything about it. Before my arrival I had no communication with anyone preparatory to such a performance on my part.” In the marter of candidates the field is rich. Today the New York delegation added the name of William J Gaynor, mayor of New York, to the list. His picture was thrown to the freezes and his workers got into action . The Underwpod people announced a meeting of all the supporters of the Alabama congressman fo.r this evening. It is a meeting not only of the delegates who are instructed for Underwood, and those who, uninstructed; favor him f but of all of his friends and workers. A monster demonstration for Champ' Clark, the Missouri candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, was held today. The demonstration took the form of a parade in which fully 10,000 persons were in line. The parade wound up at the convention hall a short time before the convention was called to order. Bryan For President. “Bryan for president.” This was the cry that was started and taken up by scores of delegates when it became almost certain that William Jennings Bryan had seized the whip hand from the reactionaries in the Democratic party and would probably control the national convention. - Committee Vote on Chairman. Ollie James' name was presented to the national comm'ittee for temporary

chairman of the convention against his will by National Committeeman Ewing of Louisiana; James announced that he was not a candidate for the office. Parker won for temporary chairman by A.votes. James received 20 votes and O’Gorman 2. Total 53, all voting. Roll Call on Parker Vote. The vote on the temporary chairmanship was announced as follows: For Parker. James Weatherly, Alabama. A. J. Mlchelson, Arizona. Guy B. Tucker, Arkansas. Nathan Cole, Jr., California. Homer S. Cummings, Connecticut. T Albert Jennings. Florida.

Clark Howell-, Georgia. Simon P. Donnelly, Idaho. Roger C. Sullivan, Illinois. Thomas Taggart, Indiana. Martin J. Wade, lowa. Urey Woodson, Kentucky. E. L. Jones, Maine. > J! Fred C. Talbot, Maryland. Edp-in O. Wood, Michigan. C. : jj.- Williams, Mississippi. J. Bruce Kremer, Montana. Eugene E. Reed, New Hampshire A. A. Jones, New Mexico. Norman E. Mack, New York. W. T, Brady, Oklahoma. J. M. Guffey, Pennsylvania. George W. Greene, Rhode Island. R. E. L. Tennessee. R. N. Johnstone, Texas. Thomas H. Browne, Vermont. J. Taylor Ellyson, Virginia. A. J. Daly, Alaska. Edwin A. Newman, District of Columbia. Gilbert J. Waller, Hawaii. D. M. Field, Porto Rico. Total—3l. For Ollie James. Alva Adams, Colorado. Willard Saulsbury, Delaware. William F. Sapp, Kansas: Robert Ewing, Louisiana. F. B.* Lynch, Minnesota. Edward F. Missouri. P. L. Hall, Nebraska. John Sunderland, Nevada. Robert S. Hudspeth, New Jersey. Josephus Daniels, North Carolina. William Collins, North Dakota. A. A. Jones, New Mexico. Harvey C. Garber, Ohio. W. A. Miller, Oregon. B. R. Tillman, South Carolina (bv proxy). E. S. Johnson, South Dakota. Frank K. Nebeker, Utah. W. H. Dunphy, Washington. Joseph E. Davies, Wisconsin. John E. Osborne, Wyoming. Total—2o. The national Democratic committee appointed Thomas Taggart, Indiana, chairman; R. M. Johnston, Texas, C. H. Williams, Mississippi, subcommittee, to consider the District of Columbia contest cases. When the committee met Mr. Tag-

gart asked to be excused and E. E. Reed of New Hampshire was appointed the third member. Regulars Are Seated. The Democratic national committee upheld the regular Illinois delegates and seated the 26 % embers whose places were contested by the Carter Harrison faction. The national committee seated the Newman delegation from tjie District of Columbia. ' The committee also seated the following six uninstructed delegates from the Philippines: A C. Derkum, A. B. Kelly, L. M. Kirby, L. J. Lambert. R. E. Manly and J. P. Powell. In every case the contestees won out. In Rhode Island the Greene delegates retained their seats; in Alaska, A. J Daily retained his. In the District of Columbia, where three factions warred, Edwin Newman was seated; in the South Dakota contest ten delegates, Wilson men and contestees, were seated, and in the Philippine con-’ test, the Texas contest and, the Vermont, the result was the same. In the Porto Rican quarrel a compromise was reached by seating the six contesting delegates and giving a half vote to each Rainey and Sullivan Clash. The hearing of the contested seat cases in the Illinois delegation developed almost into a fist fight between Congressman Rainey and Roger Sullivan. The lie was passed "back and fdrth and pbysicial violence was enly averted by the interference of friends. It was learned here that Clark Howell will be proposed by the Georgia delegation for the vice-presidential nomination.