The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1900-08-04
CLOSING SCENES
Of the Democratic and POpu-
list Convention at Okla.
hOma City.
Special to The Daily Leader.

balloting began with Neff
Populist, and William Cross, Demo-
crat, the leading favorites There
were both Populists and Democrats
who hoped that either W. o. Cron-
we'll or ]. Y. Callahan would get the
nomination. There were Ala votes in
thetjoint convention, each party hav-
equal representation. Beaver had no
representatives. in the convention, and
the Populists had no delegates from
the Indian reservations and several Of
the southwestern counties, but their
votes were apportioned among other
counties. Tne number CT votes neces.
sary to choice was 276 Neither
Nef nor Cross made any headway
during the afternoon, large numb
of votes being scattered among candi-
dates in lesser prominence. Leslie
Ross Demo ,rat, for long time main
tanned balance of power,
During adjournment for supper an
attempt was made to drop Ross or
ganization and unite the scattered
votes in favor of Robert Ray, Demo
crat, of Wood ward, for the purpose of
breaking into the Cross ranks. the
ultimate purpose being to throw all
HE support to Cromwell. The Popu-
lists were willing to give Neff fair
chance TO show what he could do. If
he failad to make headway he was to
be dropped. The night session began
with the eleventh ballot, Nef getting
221 land Cross 141. which showed
scarcely any change from the last
ballot in the afternoon. On the
twelfth ballot, Grant, Potta-
watomie, Noble and Wood
ward county Democrats broke
from Ross TO Gross. Logan county
Democrats put Ray in the race on the
fifteenth ballot by giving him six
votes. Cromwell came in on the sew
enteenth ballot with three votes CAL
lahan following on the next ballot
with 46. The Cross men he d tried re-
peatedly to stampede the convention
with demonstrations of cheering, bat
the chairman was opposed to noise and
prevented a stampede getting stronger
headway. Ray soon dropped out, and
it became apparent that the plan for
Cromwell would fail Cross greatest
strength, 200 votes. was shown on the
twenty fifth ballot.
Neff stood in a remote corner intent
ly watching the voting and expressing
confidence in the outcome. He pre-
dicted the failure of the Cromwell
boom and said that the contest was be-
tween himself and Cross, Ross had
ten votes from Cleveland county that
stay ed with him to the end. Every
body was ou. of the race on the 27th
Neff jumped from 1913 In the Goth to
238 on the 27th ballot. The Populists
became greatly excited and told the
Cross men to get on the band wagon
Neff went steadily ahead, getting 241
on the 2sth, PAT on the Goth to Cross
162 and 1856. The Gross men tried to
adjourn the convention while the
clerks were preparing to take the 3Oth
ballot, but failed.
The convention narrowly escaped e
serious controversy on the thirtieth
ballot. Neff was actually nominated
on this ballot, receiving 2s4 votes to
129 for Cross. Cross frs got 139 and
Neff 274, but the Grant county Demo
Gratis switched ten votes to Neff which
the reading clerk failed to hear before
announcing the vote to be PA for
Neff. Instantly the convention was
in an uproar. Populists began crowd
ing toward the stage asking for fair
deal. 1t was thought best to take an
other ballot, which was done, with
the result that Neff got 295 and Cross
11s. Neff received the full Populist
vote of 2O6 and the following Demo
cratic votes: Dewey A, Garfield !,
Grant 10 Greer 6, Kay 13, Lincoln 6,
Logan IL, Noble s, Payne 12, Pawnee
7, Woods 10. Total Democratic, SO,
Upon motion of Allen Hall, manager
for Cross, the nominatio of Neff was
made unanimous. Speeches of good
will toward the ticket were made by
Neff aud Cross.
The convention quickly adopted a
Joint platform which contained, in ad
ditiou TO the usual Democratic tand
ponul;St fusion doctrines planks on.