JULY 5', 1912
' -Mack
whether Delegate Hirsch, of Illinois, had
not moved the .previous question.
"He has, and I am putting the question," said
Mack.
Senator Lea moved that each side get
fifteen minutes additional for debate. There
was a shout of noes, but Mack recognized
Cone Johnson, of Texas. Johnson began by
declaring that the votes of Texas represented
twenty democratic members in congress.
In the midst of an effective pose, following an
enthusiastic pinnacle of oratory, Johnson flung
back his black alpaca coat and bared to the
audience his "galluses," while he hitched one
side over his Shoulder.
But the Texan aroused his audience to a
thrill Whn he shouted:
"I. don't know how this fight started; and I
don't care. All I ''know, and all I care about
It is that v Bryan is on one side and Wall street
is on the, other. The fight is on. That is all I
want to know when I come to vote," shouted
Johnson amidst a perfect storm of cheers and
hisses from the opposing bide.
"The issues are plain," he said, "and the
country knows them. To put the knife of de
feat into Bryan will send a chill of horror
through 250,000 democrats of Texas, and
through the hearts of 7,000,000 loyal demo
crats in the nation. '
The roll was called, the vote was announced,
Parker, 578; Bryan, 509; O'Gorman, 4; Kern,
1; absent, 2
Judge Parker was escorted to the platform,
but was unable to deliver his speech on account
of disorder in the convention Tho conven
tion took a recess until 8 o'clock at night.
At 8 o'clock in the evening Judge Parker
delivered his address being accorded careful at
tention. The usual committees were then' provided for.
Then on motion of Bell of Indiana, the rules of
the last democratic convention were adopted for
this convention, this included the two-thirds
rule and went through without opposition.
An adjournment was taken until noon
Wednesday.
Mr, Bryan did not attend the evening meet
ing. " SECOND DAY'S WORK
On the day followng the big defeat, the pro
gressives gained several victories. Early in the
day Mr. Bryan declined the chairmanship of
the resolutions committee. Tho story of this
declination is told in another column on
page 15.
Then Mr. Bryan won a victory on the resolu
tions committee in favor of reporting the plat
form after the candidate had been nominated.
Later' the progressives won another victory in
defeating the unit rule. Ollie James was
chosen by the committee on permanent organi
zation for permanent chairman and E. E. Brit
ton, a newspaper man of Raleigh, N. C, de
feated Urey Woodson of Kentucky, for perman
ent secretary, of the 'convention. Woodson was
chosen assistant secretary.
; Following is tho Associated Press report of
the second day's proceedings: To the scattered
attendance on the floor at 11:30 a haze of heat
seemed to fill the big building and gave promise
of , a sweltering day. Floor and galleries de
cided on negligee raimant and hats and, coats .
w.ere stripped off as soon as the delegates struck
the plose atmosphere of the hall. Thousands of
palm leaf fans fluttered throughout the big
buldmg.
Warned by the disorder of yesterday, Sergeant-at-arms
John I. Martin marshalled a
squad of policemen and posted them in the
galleries with orders to eject any creating a
disturbance.
At 12:21 Chairman Parker pounded his desk
with the gavel, and the sergeant-at-arms, aided
by the police, set out to clear the aisles. Slowly
the confusion suhslded and the convention got
under way. Bishop Murray offered prayer.
After the prayer was concluded Governor
Blanchard of Louisiana reported that tho cre
dentials committee would not be ready to re
port until 8 p. m. He said he would not make
a motion to adjourn until that time, however,,
as he was sure the delegates would like " a llttlo
oratory."
Former Governor Joseph W. Folk of Mis
souri was the first speaker.
:i"The nominee of this convention will bo tho
next president of7 "the United States," he said.
Hy eulogized Bryan -at length, but tho delegates
grew restl.ess and Chairman Parker admonished
them to be quiet.
Folk's speech was very brief and Senator
Rayner of Maryland next was called on.
He also predicted success for tho democratic
The Commoner.
party and dlscussod the division in tho republi
can party and doclarod that tho motto of tho
Taft faction would bo "Wo will react and re
trograde." Tho motto of tho Roosevelt party ho quoted
as "Thou shalt not steal."
Our motto In this campaign will bo, "Wo
shall progress," shouted Senator Rayner and
tho. crowd cheered.
After he had spokon for sovoral minutes in
denunciation of republican principles and pre
datory wealth, Congressman Honry D. Clayton
of Alabama, tho next speaker, turned to demo
cratic prospects.
"I do not know upon whom tho nomination
of this convention " ho began.
"Underwood," shouted an Alabama delegate
"Clark," shouted a man from Missouri.
"Wilson" camo in answering chorus from New
Jersey.
"Harmon," came from tho Ohloans.
In a moment tho entire hall was swept by tho
shouts and cheers and songs wore started for
the different candidates.
Chairman Parker for some time made little
effort to quiet tho enthusiasm.
Mr. Clayton stood smiling at tho speaker's
desk.
Some of the delegates attempted to uproot
the state standards and the pollco began to
clear the aisles which had become choked with
delegates and many spectators had invaded tho
delegates' section.
One man from Iowa was headed off. By this
time Chairman Parker, with the sergcant-at-arms
were making energetic but vain efforts to
restore quiet.
"Gentlemen, please sit down," called tho
sergeant-at-arms.
"Missouri, please give tho speaker a chance,"
called another.
Clayton at last made himself heard above the
din. Ho declared that whoever the canclldato
was, ho would bo tho next president of (.tie
United States.
State Chairman Reilly of Massachusetts was
next introduced and spoke briefly on, gpneral
issues, making a plea for legislation for the bet
terment, of labor and concluding with an In
dorsement of Clark.
A round of cheers greeted Senator Gore of
Oklahoma who was next introduced. Tho blind
statesman was unable to proceed with 'his
speech for some time because of tho cheers.
"Let us have peace," said Mr. Gore, In tho
course of his talk. "Let us have peace at any
price, at any sacrifice save that of honor. Lot
us here put every 'democrat under bonds to
keep the peace."
1 A burst of cheers greeted this statement.
'Nothing can save the republican party from
self-slaughter except democratic suicide," said
Senator Gore. "Wo can not live half progres
sive and half reactionary. Theodore Roosevelt
endeavored to breathe the breath of life, of
modern progress into the petrified remains of
thei republican party. Ho failed. Tho mummy
would not move."
Senator Gore closed with a plea for har
mony, which called out much enthusiasm.'
"Fellow democrats," ho said, "let the candl
date of this convention be your candidate."
John Temple Graves of Georgia and New
York camo next on the long list of orators.
Former Governor Campbell of Ohio denounced
the republican party in no uncertain terms. He
was the last speaker.
An effort was made from tho floor to upset
the arrangement for tonight's session, and ad
journ tho convention until 2 o'clock tomorrow
afternoon. The attempt failed and at 2:17 tho
convention adjourned until 8 o'clock tonight.
A thunderstorm kept tho gallery attendance
down and at 8 o'clock only about half tho seats
for spectators were filled. The delegates too,
were slow In arriving. When Chairman Parker
appeared, there was a scattering round of ap
plause. Ho greeted the Rev. T. O. Crouse, of
the Mount Royal avenue Methodist Episcopal
church, who was tho chaplain of tho meeting.
At 8:32, Chairman Parker dropped his gavel,
the sergeant-at-arms cleared the aisles and se
cured order, while the chaplain began tho
prayer.
Immediately after tho prayer. Representative
Covington of Maryland, chairman of the com
mittee on rules, was recognized to present tho
committee's report.
Tho report as read by Mr. Covington would
place the nomination for president and ,vlce
president on the program of the convention im
mediately after the report of the committee on
credentials and before tho adoption of tho
platform. - '
3
"This is contrary to tho usual custom," said
Mr. Covington, "but while tho committco on
rules was in session today, three distinguished
members of tho committco on resolutions, Sona
tor Rayner, Governor Vardaman and another
distinguished member of tho resolutions com
mittco camo Into our conforonco. They in
formed tho committeo that tho resolutions com
mittco, by a voto of forty-ono to eleven, had de
termined that tho exigencies of tho present
democratic situation mado it wise to have this
convention proceed to tho nominations beforo
tho adoption of tho platform.
"In recognition of tho distinguished members
of tho resolutions committco, tho committee on
rules has omhodicd it in tho report. I now
move the adoption of that report."
Tho report, much to tho surprise of tho con
vention, was adopted by a viva voce voto with-',
out opposition.
Mr. Covington thon presented tho majority
supplemental report, making the "unit rulo" .
of the convention. As reported tho rulo would
mako a unit instruction by a state convention
binding on a delegation if a majority of tho
delegates favored any particular candidate.
Representative Henry of Texas presented a
minority report which would except from tho
operations of tho rule such delegates as are
elected under state primary rules by congres
sional districts.
After both reports had been presented, Chair
man Covington opened tho dobato in favor of
tho majority report. Mr. Covington's argu
ment was brief and its conclusion was greeted
by scattered yoas.
Representative Honry thon opened tho dobato
for tho minority report. Ho said this would in
no way interfere with the operation of tho unit
tuIo, as It has obtained heretofore.
"Let this convention make no mistakes to
gratify the whim of any man," concluded Mr.
Honry.
"This is no time for tho democratic party to
blunder. Lot us say to tho states: 'Go on
with your presidential primaries write theso
primary laws on tho statute books of every
state.' That is tho stand, wo would take for
progressive principles."
John W. Peck, of Ohio, was given twenty
minutes of time to support the majority report.
Ho said Ohio was tho state most affected by tho
rulo.
"It is proposed by this minority report," ho
said, "to tako away from "Ohio the right It has
always been accorded to unified action in tho
national convention."
Peck referred to Governor Wilson of New.
Jersey, and the name started a demonstration.
"This," he said, "is the position taken by tho
groat progressive governor of New Jersey."
And tho storm broke. The Now Jersey dele
gation began the uproar. A dozen pictures of
Wilson appeared and wore scattered through
tho hall. Senator Williams of Mississippi, who
was on tho platform, swung his hat above his
head as ho led cheers for Wilson. A big whlto
Texas banner, Inscribed, "Forty for Wilson,"
with a Wilson lithograph attached, appeared
and an attempt was made" to start a parado
through tho aisles. It did not materialize.
From tho galleries a shower of Wilson litho
graphs fell on the delegates and galleries .and ,
tho floor joined in tho cheering, delegates and
spectators climbing on chairs. In tho center
of tho hall tho big block of Now York delegates
sat unmoved. An enormous orango and black
banner, over thirty feet long, inscribed, "Staun
ton, Va., Woodrow Wilson's birthplace," was
carried through tho galleries.
A black and white banner Inscribed, "Give
us Wilson and wo'll glvo you Pennsylvania," apr
peared over tho Pennsylvania delegation and it
started another cheer.
"Let tho band play," shouted an excited New'
Jersey delegate, dashing to the foot of tho
platform.
Tho band did play and tho cheering increased
for a time. Finally tho band swung into tho
"Star Spangled Banrior" and out of the roar
emerged a murmur as many of tho delegates
stopped cheering to sing. But when tho song
was over tho shouting was resumed and tho
band played "Maryland, My Maryland" bring
ing tho Baltimoreans and the galleries to their
feet with cheers.
The Underwood people tried to appropriate
part of tho demonstration. They distributed
lithographs of Underwood and raised a huge
banner with the inscription: "What is, the
issue. The tariff. What is the answer. Under
wood." . .
"Dixie," from the hand, added volume to the
uproar. ' '
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