r ?' ' 'sr vjr-jpqy ., j.
June, 1920-
The Commoner
-.
if
n m t ,:"i"" " w
ers of tlio rum god mako threats. Think of tho
homes that prohibition safeguards, of the lives
it saves from ruin, of tho jails it is emptying, of
the crimes it Is preventing. Think of tho cx
amplo we have set to those in other lands as wo
Bliako tho strongholds of the demon alcohol with
the testimony that our nation gives. And then
pity the cowardice of the representatives of tho
thirty-four prohibition states without a spokes
man when the crisis came of forty-five ratifying
states without a dole-fate bravo enough to pro
pose an amendment indorsing tho prohibition
policy or pledging enforcement of a law passed
by congress and upheld by the supremo court!
But by tho surrender of their convictions on
a great moral question and by their abandon
ment of the priceless interests of the people on
this great subject they prevented discord. Oh
harmony. I repeat, what crimes are committed
in thy name!
THE DOMINATING SPEECHES
Chicago, June 11. This has been a sure
enough convention today. The candidates were
presented in. nominating speeches. Tho out
standing feature of the day approached almost
a political scandal. Tho partisan estate of tho
late President Roosevelt was administered upon,
and lo, it was found that he was wedded to two
Republican candidates, each claiming his mantle
by a will duly executed. When General Wood's
name was presented Mrs. Robinson, Colonel
Roosevelt's sister, seconded the nomination and
her speech was one of the real hits of the day
in manner, thought, language and arrangement
of her argument. She measured up to the most
exacting rules of oratory. She left the audience
under the impression that General Wood was the
only real heir to the late ex-president, and en
titled to all his political assets.
Then came Mr. Wheeler, who presented tho
name of Senator Johnson. He quoted from a
written document to showthat Colonel Roosevelt
regarded Senator Johnson as his political next of
kin and the one to whom the progressives should
look as the successor of the sage of Oyster Bay.
The verdict has n5t yet been returned at the time
we go to press, "but; tho balloting, shows that, tuo
jury stands about two one in favor of the colo
. nel's sister's choice. , ' ..
The nominating speeches were not as a rule
a success, possibly because the speakers over
estimated the necessity for a thoro exhibit of the
candidate's record. This is not an unusual mis-,
take and it .probably has more effect on the gal
lery than on tho delegates. The, public can be -assumed
tot be acquainted with men whose names
are presented for this high office, and tho nomi
nating speech would he. more effective if it wore
more brief .. After. a few' minutes the audience
gets restless, and the speaker' is' apt to bo mter-
rupted with cries ot "name him"; even so veteran
a politician.as Governor Allen pf Kansas lessened
the effectiveness of his appeal by extending it
unnnecessarily., The Wood supporters would
have been jus.t as demonstrative had it been half
as long. ;
Mr. Wheejei who put Senator Johnson in
nomination,, aroused opposition not only by the
length of his speech, but by the tone. He pre
sented some unpalatable truths. And he did not
take the precaution to sugar coat them. He was
defiant rather than persuasive, but possibly he
felt that persuasion would be wasted on the dele
gates to whom he addressed his remarks.
Ex-Governor Willis of Ohio made by far the
best nominating speech of the day. He has a
fine voice and is an experienced speaker. He be
gan by a trick of expression that always catches
a convention'audience. He assured the delegates
that Ohio would cast her vote for the Republican
nominee no matter what his name or the state
from which he came. This is one of those pre
election prophecies which always takes with a
Partisan gathering. As Governor Willis comes
from Ohio, many probably recall that another
prominent Ohioan made a very taking convention
speech about forty years ago. Tn the convention
of 1880 General Garfield presented the name of
Senator Sherman so eloquently that he was nomi
nated himself. This kind of. history may repeat
itself at any convention.
The seconding speeches wore as a rule more
effective than tho nominating speeches, partly
due to the fact that tho speakers are more apt
to be epigrammatic when their time is limited.
Mr. McNeal of Michigan, who seconded the nomi
nation ot. Senator Johnson, made a very favor-,
able improssion. Ho is a young man and,, his .
stylo marks him as an orator with a future Con
gressman Schall of Minnesota turned Is bliSS
no8 to account. By a beautiful and touching in
cident ho impressed upon tho upon the audience
fw "UDent fey which ho endeavored to show
that Mr Johnson's following was duo to heart
tics rather than to more admiration of Intellect.
rho women havo reason to bo proud of the,
record they made today. They wero in no re
spect inferior to tho men. In fact before any
fair committeo they would win a higher avorngo
than the men. Roference has already been mado
to tho happy speech of Mrs. Robinson but two
others deserve special mention Mrs. Alexander
Pfeiffor, who seconded tho nomination of Gov
ernor Coolidgo, and Mrs. J. W. Morrison, who
seconded tho nomination of Mr. Hoover. Tho
former's speech was a rhetorical gem. Tho lat
ter's speech was very impressive.
The demonstration for Mr. Hoover wan very
differont from that which followed tho presenta
tion tho names of tho three leading candi
dates. General Wood, Governor Lowdon and
Senator Johnson had friends among tho dele
gates and thoy raised quite a commotion whei
these candidates wero presented, but tho Hoover
demonstration was confined to the gallery. Tho
scarcity of delegates participating was easily ex
plained when tho ballot showed only seven votes
cast for him. But the gallery mado up for any
lack of enthusiasm on tho first floor, Tho chair
had difficulty in bringing tho demonstration to
an end.
In this connection it is interesting to note tho
preparation that is sometimes made for a dem
onstration. Whon Genoral Wood's namo was
placed before tho convention a shower of rod,
white and bluo feathers with tho name "Wood"
stamped on them floated down from the celling.
They wore eagerly caught up and many of thorn
soon afterwards appeared in hats, button holes,
and on the state standards. Somo were gathered
up as souvenirs and sent to grandchildren as
mine wero. When the Johnson boom was ready
to give vent to itself pictures of the senator rose
up from secret places and filled tho air like wav
ing banners. In like manner the Hoover dem
onstration was aided by white triangular banners
bearing tho name Hoover, which came out Of hid
ing at the proper time.
Man is a new creature when he is in a crowd
and woman also. They mako a convention inter
esting. PROSPECTS OF CANDIDATES
Chicago, Juno 12. As this report of the con
vention must bo given to tho press before the
convention meets, it is not possible to report Its
action on the presidential nomination, and that
nomination may bo .made before my words reach
the reader.
I can, therefore, set forth only tho indications
based upon the. character bf the convention, their
value depending upon whether they are borne
out by final results.
This convention seems to be very reactionary.
I have been attending national conventions for
forty-four years, beginning in 1876, if I may be
permitted to turn for a moment to personal ex-
Afthe ago oMG I attended tho convention In
St Louis, seventy miles from ray birthplace. I
knew no one, and what was worse, no one knew
m A policemen, however, took pity on mo and al
lowed me' to enter through a window.
In 1880 the convention was held in Clncinnat ,
too far away from my home for mo to attend.
I attended the Chicago convention in 1884, the
St Louis convention in 1888, and the Chicago
convention in 1892. In 1896 I went to tho Re
publican convention at St. Louis, partly to re
port it "or the World-Herald, of which I was then
the editor but oven more to encourage the silver
RepubHcans, who were conducting a losing light
aeainst the gold element of the party.
Later I attended the Democratic conven ion
it Chicago, at which I received my first nomina
L I not go to Kansas City in 1900, it be
in certain that I would be nominated for tho
2n2S I attended tho Democratic conven
K at SLLouis in 1904, but remained away
om the Denver convention in 1908, where again
my nomination was certain. I attended the
Mtlmore convention in 1912 and the St. Louis
fonvenon in 1916, the last named convention
jir i member of the press.
I shallbe a delegate at San Francisco later in
this month! From tho above it will be seen
that Ihave attended every Democratic conven
tion during the last forty-four yearsexcepting
throo, tho ono la 1880 boforo I wan grown up, and
tho onos in 1900 apd 1908, when I wns In clom
communication with tho convention by wire.
Uosldo reporting tho Republican convention
of 1896, I acted In tho samo capacity nt tho Re
publican convention of 1912 and 1916. i was a
delognto to the Democratic conventions of 1896,
1904 and 1912. In tho Republican convention
of 1912 the Taft and Rooscvolt foroos woro so
evenly matched that tho real fight was over tho
seating of dologatos. Tho Taft machine was dt
rectod by tho skilled hand of Senator Root.
In 1916 there woro two conventions, and I
divided by time hotweon tho two halls, Tho po
litical tomporaturo was so differont in tlin two
gathering that I oscillated botwoon freezing and
sunstroke.
.This convention Ih tho moat reactionary that
I havo had tho privilego of attending, a fact
made manifest la many ways. Tho chairman
of tho resolutions committeo in Senator Watson,
who will feel complimontod whon I call him a
standpatter of tho standpatters. Ho had no pro
gressive rivnl for the position and received nlno
tenths of tho votes as aKainat a Now York rival.
0 tho candidates boforo this convention Sena
tor Johnson and Senator La Follctto aro tho only
progressives, tho formor receiving 148 votes,
about one-fifth of the convention, and tho latter
24 votes. Tho difference in tho applause that
greeted tho reactionary candidates and that
given to tho progressives was quite mnpkod,
Tho convention oven wont so far as to mani
fest disapproval by groans when Senator La
Follctto's namo was mentioned, notwithstanding
the fact that this battle-scarred champion of
many reforms is in a hospital recovering from a
sorious operation. Ills vote was necessary In or
ganizing the Senate.
Senator Smoot of Utah, ono of the outstand
ing leaders of extreme conservatism, has his
hand on the throttle. Ills delegation showed its
knowledgo of practical politics by dividing lis
voto between Wood, Lowdon and Harding.
At this writing it seems unlikely (remember,
this is only a guess) that tho leading candidate
will bo nominated. Tho largo expenditures dis
closed by the Investigating committeo would
seem to bar his progress toward tho White
House. lie is also handicapped by tho fact that
tho convention failed to indorse tho compulsory
military training policy, of which he had been
tho leading champion. His voto has risen from
287 Vis on the first ballot to 314 on the fourth
a small increase for a leading candidate.
Governor Lowdon would probably 'bo tho
choice of the reactionary element if thoy dared
to risk his nomination. But his financial con
nection with big business added to the largo (turn
that he admits having Jnvcsted in his campaign
makes his nomination highly improbable. Hlfl
vote has risen from 211 on tho first ballot to
289 on the fourth, but his increase has already
commenced to slow down.
Senator Johnson's vote rose from 132 on
tho first ballot to 148 on the third, and then felt
to 140 on tho fourth. There seems no likeli
hood of his vote reaching a much higher figure.
If Mr. Hoover bad not entered tho California
primary, he might have had a chance as a com
promise candidate, but there seems to bo no en
thusiasm for him among the delegates.
Governor Coolidgo and Dr. Butlor may be con
sidered for the vice-presidency if a western man
should receive the first place. Prltchard ot
North Carolina and Governor Morrow of Ken
tucky may havo a chance for tho second place
if the convention decides to go south for the vlco
presidential candidate, but no southern state Is
near enough to Wall street to give ono of. Its
citizens much of a chance for either place la
this convention,
We shall soon know the worst. -
SENATOR HARDING CHOSKN
Chicago, Juno 12. Senator Harding in
nominated: ho fits the platform. Ho was
ono of tho three prominent reactionaries
before the convention. Big business would
have preferred Lowden, but the investiga
tion showed so large an investment of his
own money In tho campaign and such a reck
less use of it that a convention made up of a
lot of representatives of the corporate class, even
as bold as those in this convention, fcard to
risk the issue before the people. Senator
Harding's record Is consistently stand-pat. It
will be rememberd that he bolongcd to tho Taft
Bide of the controversy with Roosevelt and pre
sided at tho convention which nominated- Justice
1'1
w.
i ..
m
, :
m
,v
J&k
kC&A'i WfeH. ' -"V.