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The Commoner
VOL. 16, NO. 6
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The Democratic National Convention
President Wilson and Vice-President Marshall
woro nominated by acclamation Thursday, Juno
15, by tho democratic national convention in
session at St. Louis. Tho nomination of Wood
row Wilson aroused tho crowded convention
hall to tho grcatost enthusiasm that has been
scon in a national convention for many years.
Below is a summary of tho threo days pro
ceedings as reported in tho Associated Press
dispatches:
FIRST DAY'S PROCEEDINGS
Tho democratic national convention was called
'to order a few minutes past noon Wednesday,
Juno 14.
At 11:20 o'clock, forty minutes before time
for tho convention to bo called to order there
woro not moro than twenty delegates on tho
floor, only a few officials on tho platform and
the galleries were Ailing slowly. Thero was
llttlo excitement, and bands that marched with
delegates from downtown furnished tho only
amusement for tho crowd.
At 11:45 tho official band began playing tho
opening selection in accompaniment to a male
quartotto that sang a new song about America
through megaphones. Tho song brought tho
first applause of tho day.
Just boforo the convention was called to or
der, tho bank struck up "Columbia, tho Gem of
tho Ocean," and tho delegates rose, joining in
tho chorus and Waving American flags. "Dixie"
brought a roar, interrupted with tho rebel yell.
William J. Bryan was cheered as ho took his
scat in tho press section. Tho applause for him
started in tho galleries and then spread to the
delegates. Mr. Bryan smiled his appreciation
and got out his pencil and prepared for his rep
ortorlal ditties.
A "Woody tiger" was sent to Chairman Me-.
Combs' desk by a New York delegate.
Tho crowd was patient, orderly and quiet as
it waited for tho convention to begin. A half
hour after tho time set for the start the dele
gates were still coming In.
Chairman McCombs took his placo at his desk
at 12:30 p.m. amid applause.
When National Chairman McCombs called the
convention to order 13,000 delegates, alternates
and spectators packed tho big coliseum to the
roof.
Members of tho national committee, members
of President Wijson's cabinet, and party leaders
from all over the country had places on the
platform. Plaster medallions of Washington
Jackson, Jefferson and Cleveland looked down
upon the delegates from tho docorations, which
consisted uniformly of nothing but the Ameri
can flag. Tho only picture of President Wilson
in tho hall huhg in front of the speaker's desk
inscribed "America First." '
Down under tho speaker's stand direct tele
phono and telegraph wires to tho White house
carried momentary reports of the proceedings in
tho hall.
One vdrse of "America" was then sung by the
entire cr'owd with tossing flags keeping the
rythm.
This was followed by one verse of the "Star
Spangled Banner.".
1 Tho Rev. James W. Leo, Mothodist Episcopal
clergyman of St. Louis, offered prayer.
Tho call of tho convention was read by Mr
Kremer ,'secrotary of the national committee'
and Chairman McCombs then delivered tho in
troductory speech. At the conclusion ho an
nounced the temporary officers, and Governor
Glynn of Now York bogan an extended address.
After -hearing tho keynote speech, the con
vention adjourned until 11 o'clock, Thursday
Juno 15. Committees then went into session to
. prepare iheir work for tho session
The big coliseum, holding about 12,000 peo
ple, practically was filled on the opening day
and despite a constantly rising temperature it
Was comfortable. On their way to the conven
tion hall, tho delegates passed between lines of
uffragists spread along twelve blocks on Locust
street, the most traveled route to the coliseum
The suffragists, seated on chairs ranged along
th curb, were arrayed in white and yellow and
held yellow parasols. Tho waving lines of yel
low gavo tho demonstration tho popular name,
"golden lane."
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SECOND DAY'S PROCEEDINGS
Eleven o'clock, Thursday, June 15, the hour
for the convention to bo in order, passed with
the Coliseum only partly filled. Very few of
tho delegates were in their seats, and none of
the leaders had, arrived. The band entertained
the small crowd while tho rules committee had
a meeting to talk over the proposal to proceed
to nominations at Thursday night's session.
The committee on permanent organization
meanwhile formally named Senator Ollie James,
of Kentucky, as permanent chairman; J. Bruce
Kremer, of Montana, permanent secretary; E. E.
Britton, of North Carolina, permanent associate
secretary; John I. Martin, of St. Louis, perma
nent sergeant at arms, and recommended that
all other temporary officers of the convention bo
made permanent.
William J. Bryan got his usual reception when
ho took his placo in the press stand. Delegates
and galleries joined in cheers and applause. A
soloist in tho stand sang "Wake up America,"
a preparedness song, as Mr. Bryan was taking
his seat.
It was 11:46 when Temporary Chairman Glynn
called the convention to order. The delegates
still bubbling over with enthusiasm from his
speech of the day previous, gave him a rousing
reception.
Archbishop John J. Lennon, of St. Louis,
then offered prayer.
Tho credentials committee then reported on
tho delegate contests from Washington, D. C,
Porto Rico and Hawaii. The delegates from
tho District of Columbia and Hawaii were recog
nized as placed on the rolls by the national com
mittee. Porto Rico was divided between the
contesting delegates.
The report of the committee on permanent or
ganization was adopted. The announcement of
names of permanent convention officers, Chair
man Ollie James, Secretary Kremer and others,
were cheered.
Delegates Norman E. Mack, of New York city
Gov. S. V. Stewart, of Montana, and Senator
Pliolan of California, composed tho committee
which escorted Senator James to tho chair.
Senator James launched into his prepared
speech. It was punctuated by applause.
Senator James departed widely from the
printed text of his speech, but the sentiment lie
presented was substantially the same. When
ho recounted the horrors of war and the Pres
ident's efforts to preserve peace William J. Bry
an, his face flushed with emotion, rose to his
feet and applauded vigorously.
When James recounted in implied terms the
President's diplomatic success in the negotia
tions with Germany the delegates wanted to
hear it again.
"Repeat it," they demanded.
James repeated his statement and the con
rHH rM UVnd broke loose cheers. In
ara'-sr118 from his prepared speech'
omT00011' wiiout orphaning a single
Sill3, VT1 widwing a BlnBe American wife!
3?n nfflPling,a ?lngle gun' without the bI
ding of a single drop of blood wrung from the
SSlSlV tant SPiHt that ever tooodfd above 2
battlefield an agreement to American demands
and a concession of American rights " s
JllQ Qbandi s,w"ng int0 "America," and the
infnaSpangle2 Banner-" Hats and flags went
wn?ain Someboar crieA, "Three elieerafor
Wilson!" the crowd roared the answer.
Standards were torn from the floor and a
march of delegates through the hall was start
ed. The aisles became choked because the dem
onstration was begun without organized ?3
ers. tkissnjr wb,le senator - Eus
Aifter demonstration had been runnimr
aken'tn"11 Se Kenty standard was
i i iJ the Platform and placed directlv be
hind Mr James It was the signal for "heers
and a t per for the speaker, while the hanS
a" "he BatUe'crf
JB;eMapPT,ause had lasted eighteen minutes
when Mr. James was able to proceed. 11I1UU3S
When Mr. James finished thero were morn
cheers and applause and calls for "Bryan."
Senator James appealed to the convention to
quiet down and hear the rules committeo re
port, but his efforts were futile until he an
nounced that Mr. Bryan had left the bulldine
and would speak in the Coliseum later. That
satisfied the crowd and they heard tho rules
report.
Chairman Glasgow presented the report of
the rules committee. It provided that among
other things no delegate shall speak more than
thirty m'nutes on any subject, that nominations
for president begin at 8 p.m., followed by nom
inations for vice-president.
Senator Reed, of Missouri, moved to delay
tho session for nominations until 9 p.m., and
explained that St. Louis business men had
planned entertainments for this evening, which
would be nullified by 9 p.m. The motion by
Senator Reed carried.
Tho report as amended -was adopted.
At 12:22 p.m. a recess was ordered until the
night session.
The night session, at which Mr. Wilson was
named by acclamation at 11:52, and Mr. Mar
shall at 11:65, was marked by the most enthu
siastic demonstrations of tho convention.
The convention convened shortly after 9.
Meantime the platform committee remained at
work.
The hall was already so packed that Norman
E. Mack and Charles F. Murphy, New York, had
to be helped in through a window. Committee
man P. H. Martin, Green Bay Wis., was obliged
to get the help of police to enter.
The first speech was that of William Jennings
Bryan, called for by unanimous consent. He
was escorted to the platform by Senator Kern
amid tumultous applause, and introduced by
Chairman James as "one of the leading citizens
of the world .and America's greatest democrat."
Mr. Bryan, in his speech eulogizing the Pres
ident, and praising the foreign and domestic pol
icies unreservedly, was more than once moved
by evident emotion and drew wild applause from
the crowd.
When Mr. Bryan had finished John W. West
cott, New Jersey, was introduced to 'nominate
President Wilson. His speech, coming as it did
after the eloquence of Glynn, Ollie James and
Bryan, was an unusual effort of oratory, in a
more serious and deeper tone than its prede
cessors. It Won the sustained attention of the
great audience. At its conclusion, When Mr.
westcott said, "I nominate Woodrow Wilson,
tne crowd went wild in demonstration.
For forty-six minutes the hall was a pande
monium, before Chairman James' gavel brought
quiet.
Ex-Gov. Judson Harmon, Ohio, who was a
candidate for the presidential nomination at
Baltimore four years ago, made the first sec
onding speech for President Wils"on.
The next was by Gov. H. C. Stuart, Virginia.
Senator Hughes, New Jersey, moved that the
rules be suspended and the nomination made by
acclamation. The motion was carried with a
tremendous roar, cutting off other seconding
speeches, among them that of William F. Wolfe,
La Crosse, Wis.
The only objection came from Robert E.
Burke, Chicago, the only anti-Wilson delegate
in the convention. He shouted "'No."
Senator James declared President Wilson
nominated at 11:52 p. m.
Senator John W. Kern of Indiana then was
recognized and placed in nomination Vice-President
Marshall. The nomination was made by
acclamation.
Vice-President Marshall was declared nomin
ated four minutes after the nomination of Pres
ident Wilson.
Ex-Governor Glynn was made chairman of
the committee to notify President Wilson of his
nomination.
Roger C. Sullivan presented a resolution ex
pressing thanks to ex-Gov. Glynn, Senator James
and other officers of the convention.
A resolution was adopted giving state com
mittees authority to fill vacancies caused by
death or resignation on the national committee.
Senator Hughes reported to the convention
that the resolutions committee had failed to
complete its work on the platform. The con
vention then adjourned at 12:32 a.m. Friday,
June 16, until 11 a.m. of the same day.
THE CLOSING DAY
The final session of the democratic national
convention was called to order at 11:26 a.m.,
Friday, June 16. At 11 o'clock, the hour set for
the convention to begin, there were not
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