The Savannah morning news., 1902-09-03
A GOD IN JOHNSON
Is WHAT OHIO DEMOCRATS SEEM
TO HAVE FOUND.
CONVENTION BELONGS TO HIM
MEASURES AND MEN HE FAVORs
ARE THOSE THAT GO.


ings-Expected His Initial Public
Opening of His Campaign for Pres
ident VIII Be Seen in the Conven-
tiOn-His Platform Stands by Last
National Platform and the Then
Bearer of DemOcracy's Standard.
Convention VIII he Held To-day.
sandusky, O., Sept. 2.-Mayor Tom
T. Johnson of Cleveland won a de-
cisive victory to-day in the prelimin-
arv meetings of the Democratic State
convention, which meets here to-mor-
row.
Ever since he was selected as chair
man of the convention by the State
Central Committee, it has been the
general opinion that this occasion
would be made the initial public open
ing of his candidacy for the next
Democratic nomination for the pres
idency. In that respect his success has
been phenomenal. No Ohio candidate
for the presidency ever had more I'M
animity of sentiment in his afvor
among the delegates at a state con-
yention than was shown at the meet
ings tonight by congressional districts
for the selection of officers and mem
bers of the various committees.
Committees of the convention. the
committee on credentials, permanent
organization, and rules and order of
business are almost unanimously with
him for anything he wants. One of
them gave him the double honor at
once of agreeing on report to make
permanent the temporary organization
of the convention.
Opposition Was Defeated.
The johnson men were opposed only
in the selection of the Committee on
Resolutions and members of the Com
mittee on Resolutions and members of
new state Central Committee, and In
some districts these contests were
closed and more bitter than expected.
The Johnson men secured fourteen of
the twenty-one state committeeman,
with three contested opponents pend
ing, and a greater proportion of those
on the Committee on Resolutions.
The Johnson men, during the day,
made no concessions. and in some
cases gave no quarter to their oppo-
nents. This caused the minorities on
the two committees named at first to
fight, but the fighting was soon over.
w men Tie roll OIL the on
resolutions was called, the members
from the First, Third and Eleventh
districts opposed the Endorsement of
Bryan and the Kansas City platform,
and other Johnson planks, but
the Johnson platform final
ly carried without changes, and
will be so reported to the convention
tomorrow and adopted without any
minority report or other obstruction,
as had been threatened earlier in the
evening. 1t has been customary al
ways to first appoint sub-commit-
tee of three or five to draft a plat
form, and report the same to the full
committee. but that was found not
necessary tonight, as Mr.. sJohnson
handed the full committee his draft
and the full committee soon completed
its work.
Johnson Gave No Quarter.
The tactics of the Johnson men in
giving no quarter was shown most
clearly in the organization tonight of
the new State Central Committee. Con-
tests were made on three members as
follows:
By Prescott Smith, on Lewis G. Ber-
nard in the first; by j. X. McClung,
on Capt. M. HUT, in the tenth, and
by c. S. Philbrick, on F. ]. Heer, in
the Twelfth district 1t was urged on
the Johnson men that Bernard, HUT
and Heer had the credentials duly
signed by the chairnen and secretaries
of their respective districts, and that
such contests for committee member
snip were almost without precedent,
but all appeals for Cancellation in the
interest of harmony failed, and the
new committees spent the night in
hearing these contests, both sides
fghting with unusual persistence and
bitterness.
Meantime the ovations at Johnson
headquarters continued. The delegates
called in greater numbers than ever
after the results of the evening meet
1ngs became known. MIR. Johnson re-
peatedly refused to respond to sere
hades, saying that he wanted to save
MS voice for the convention.
In the same hotel were j. L. thinner
man of Springfield; Charles W. Baker
OF Cincinnati; Charles w. Haskell Of
ottawa; Gen. A. Sanders Piatt, and
other candidates for the Democratic
nomination for Governor next year.
put none of them had large crowds
ABOUT their quarters, and none of them
We're called out for speeches. The call
ior everything was on Mr.. Johnson.
As to the johnson Platform.
Tn platform, as it came from Mayor
NO-AAANSA1' was t5ItSu " lO-IllSlL ny d
vote OF 16 to of the Committee on
RESOLUTIONS but it will not be given
out for publication until it is adopted
tomorrow by the convention.
Inc resolutions are fully in accord
with the views of Mr.. Johnson on both
national and state issues. They favor
new municipal code for Ohio cities,
with home rule as the cardinal princi-
PIE and the federal plan as second
airy, and denounce municipal govern
ment by boards. They also denounce
the proposition of perpetual fran
chises and favor such charters, sub
Ject to popular vote.
In national affairs the last national
platform and standard bearer are
strongly endorsed, and what is con-
sloered as special thrust at John
K Mclean is incorporated in a res
olution for the election of United States
senator's by a direct vote of the peo-
PIE, and until a constitutional amend
ment for the election of senators can
De secured, it shall be the policy of
the Democratic party in Ohio to en-
dorse at State Conventions the candi-
date of the party to be voted for at
the next legislative election of a sem
ator.