Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-07
THE CONTESTED SEATS
ACTION OF THE COMMITTEE ON
CREDENTIALS.
With One Exception the Action Of thu
Democratic National Committee
is Sustained.

ST. LOUIS, July with one exception
the contest in the twenty-first Illinois dis
trict-the credentials committee OF the ma
tional democratic convention followed the
lead of the national committee and seated
the delegates recommended at the tempo
rary roll Of the convention. This result
was accomplished after a session lasting
all night
The feature Of the session was the dec
laration of William J. Bryan, who paid the
committee a call at 8 o'clock am, that he
should make the Illinois contests an issue
on the floor Of the convention.
Mr.. Bryan explained to the committee
that he had been busy on the platform
committee during the time the Illinois con-
tests were being considered. All he asked
was the right to make minority report to
the convention. This was granted.
DIR. Mary Walker Gives UP.
The committee gave patient hearing to
every contest presented except that of DR..
Mary Walker, claiming a seat in the con-
vention as the woman representative of
| the democrats Of New York. Dr. Walker
| waited patiently the indulgence of the COM
| mittee until late hour and then gave up
| in despair. The committee took action re-
garding Porto Rico, the Philippines, the
District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, New
Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota
and Indian territory.
| The Maine contest, involving three seats,
! was decided against the Hearst delegates
and in favor Of those on the temporary
| roll.
The New Jersey contests were decided In
| the same way. The contests in this state
| involved the first and second districts, and
! the arguments presented by both sides
| were heated and involved unpleasant per-
| sonalitieS.
Mr.. Bryan's Request.
| It was 3 o'clock when the New Jersey
matter was disposed of. Mr.. Bryan had
been waiting in the committee room for
some time. He at once took the floor and
requested that the Illinois contests, which
had been disposed Of by the committee
| earlier in It's session, be reconsidered, that
| a record vote might be had on which to
| base minority report.
| The chairman explained that such a
| course would not be necessary that any
member Of the committee had right to
| make a minority report. TO make the mat
| ter regular, however, the committee voted
| the privilege Of MAILING such report to
such of It's members as desired 10 unite IN
one.
Mr. Bryan again took the initiative, as no
| member of the committee Indicated oe-
| sire to make min0rity report. he stated
that he wanted to make such report, and
| asked all members Of the committee VINO
| would sign his report 10 stand up Re-
| spending to this thes members from OKLA
| homa, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Rhode
island arose Mr. Bryan thanked the COM
mittee and then withdrew with the state
ment that he would draw minority report
and make the fight On the floor OF the con-
| vention.
The Ohio contest, involving the twelfth
congressional district, was next called Ex-
| Representative John q. sLentz presented
the argument for the two contestants. The
bout was short one. and Delegates Ross
md W had
the hands Of the national committee re-
tained them.
The sitting member in the Pennsylvania
contest was retained without argument on
either side.
Charge Against Pettigrew.
H. H. Smith of South Dakota contested
the seats of the sntke delegation. He
charged Mr.. Pettigrew with being opposed
to any butt Hearst or Bryan man, and
quoted language he said Mr.. Pettigrew used
in the state convention In answer to a
question as to wherhee-he- would bolt the
| national convention, as follows:
DO you suppose 1 would pledge myself
to support the nominee of the st. Louis
convention? 1 put tire question to you
gentlemen. Suppose they nominate /Cleve-
land or some other man in the Cleveland
Hill ring of the democratic party: Sup
pose they reorgantze US and nominate a
republican on a republican platform, de-
claring for the trusts and the money power
tell you that would bolt the ticket and
do everything in my power to defeat 1t al
| the polls
4 The committee did not disturb the sitting
delegation. of which Mr.. Pettigrew is the
! head.
| plea for Indian territory by a member
of the committee resulted in the adoption
of a motion by the committee recommend
ing to the national committee that in the
democratic convention Of 1908 Indian ter.
ritory be given eight delegates instead oi
six, as at present
The eemmtttse addoafnAd at 4:3o O'Clock