The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-08

gates whom they wanted, but when the credentials committee brought in a minor ity report they refused to consider it and refused to allow a report on 1t.
 In the hearing before the committee 1t was asked why did not they present minority report in the committee appoint ed to select delegates at large?
 Well, my friends, there was a contest in that committed Why should they ex- pect 1t, when they had already held that a. minority report was only advisory and could be put into the waste basket? We admit in the report that if they had open ly intended to substitute other men for the men selected by the districts they might have done so but to do so 1t would have to be the act of the convention. The convention never attempted it. The con vention was not asked to do It. and the evidence shows that the. resolutions is part of the record upon which they relied and was never introduced, was never passed, but Is fraud pure and simple Loud applause) Now my friends, what is the duty of this demo- cratic convention? The democrats of Illinois are not the democrats of the south. Down south the democrats have all the local offices, and they can reward their men for their loyalty to the party Up in Illinois there Is a strong republican majority, and the democrats in Illinois aA C1 III AlhilJ pdTtS or the StaIe# StTuK- gling against overwhelming odds, but they are actuated by love of principles not by hope of office.
 What Action Will You Take?
 But what will you tell those men? Will you declare the action of that con- vention is right? Will you support the methods employed? Give the democrats of Illinois something to hope for. Do not tell them that when they go to demo- cratic convention they must go armed as to war; prepared to fight their way up to the chairman of the convention. Let the republican party stand as a representa- tive of physical force if 1t will. Our party stands for government by the consent of the governed. They don't ask you to seat any one man. They don't ask you to seat any set of men. They don't ask you to seat Hearst men, Parker men, or any body's man. They ask you to seat the choice of the democrats, no matter for whom they are here. If MT. Hopkins and MT. Cable had any respect for the rights of a majority to rule, they would be ashamed to be here, and the representa- tives of a minority. (Applause.)
 But. my friends, if they have not learned to be ashamed to misrepresent a great state, you ought to teach them that they cannot do 1t; with the approval of the democratic party of the United States. (Applause.) Now, their sin rests upon three men. You do not bear it, But when you, if you do decide to seat these men, these delegates from the districts, against the evidence presented in resard to the contestants from the districts, and these two national delegates, in spite of the protests of sri members, if you do that, then take from the shoulders of Hopkins and Quinn and Gable the odium tha- they do bear and put it upon the demo- Ito o-frr f1ao gas7I nd that emblem. Applause) And 1t Is be- cause this question transcends the inter- ests of any state or any candidate, or any section that am here to present the minority report, and to ask you to do the democrats of Illinois that justice that this gang denied them, deliberately and with malice aforethought."
 MT. Bryan occupied twenty minutes, and asked to be given ten minutes to con clude after the other side. The cheering which greeted his conclusion lasted sev- eral minutes and the audience showed disposition to become unruly.
 Delegate Menzies Speaks.
 Delegate Menzies O. indiana. member of the credentials committee was then recognized in opposition to the minority report. MT. Menzies was bitter at the outset When he criticised MT. Bryan for his interference in Illinois affairs there were hoots, misses and applause in- termingled.
 Mir Menzies was apparently somewhat nettled by the Interruptions and disorder, which were rather marked in contrast to the close attention that had been given MT. Bryan.
 He shouted out that he would be heard and the audience would have to remain all the longer in this sweat box If 1t persisted in disorder. He said;
 MT Chairman and Gentlemen of the Con-
 vention:
 Tt would be vain, indeed, on my part to attempt to cope with the oratory of the gentleman from Nebraska, but in the facts in the case think I have a. peculiar advantage over him. heard the facts last night as a member of the committee on credentials. He was conspicuous by his absence. (Applause) The delegates now seated from the state of Illinois came into this convention with the credentials duly authorized by the constituted au- thority of the party in the state of I1li- nois''
 The speaker was here interrupted by cries of no" and misses, mingled with cries from other delegates of "that Is true"
 Chairman Williams: "Gentlemen. as Betsy Harris said to the other women in Dickinson's novel, Be fair whatever you do.'
 Dealt In Strong Language.
 '-rhe gentleman from Nebraska dealt in strong language and positive assertion I think unsupported by facts or evidence. I would like to know, however great as he Is, what has constituted him a. court of appeals to pass on a contest in the state of Illinois, and wherein his wisdom is superior to that of the committee on credentials of this convention. (Applause) Great as he is. he not so great that he can know a case without ever having heard 1t.
 That same convention that elected MT. Hopkins and MT. Cable delegates at large, whose seats are challenged here. nomi- hated a state ticket without protest as to its irregularity or its right to do so. That same convention chose presidential electors which the contestants here recog- nize as the valid, bona fide electoral ticket of the state of Illinois.
 No protest against the right of MT. Hopkins or MT. Cable was ever heard un- til last Saturday, when the national com mittee assembled in this city. Now, gen. tlemen, the main question, the very pith of the controversy, Is whether the consti- tuted authorities of the party, acting un- der the forms of political procedure estab- lished by the party shall be recognized here. or whether a case based on, ex- parte> evidence, upon bare assertion with out facts to support 1t, shall be recognized as a precedent in the democratic party. The gentleman from Nebraska forcibly said he believed in the great elementary principle of democracy, that the majority should rule stand behind him, and will always follow him in the advocacy of that ,,ri,oiyIa h,1t I have been taught by that