Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-07-12
PARKER
CREATES
A PANIC
CONVENTION THROWN INTO CON.
FUSION BY CANDIDATES. Ac-
TIoN ON MONEY QUESTION.
NEARLY WITHDRAWN N
NEARLY WITHDRAW w N
Leaders Had Much to do to Hold
Delegates Together After Receiving
Message From Nominee-Davis Of
West Virginia for Vice President.

st. Louis, July ll.-Judge Parker'S S
ideas on the money question nearly
caused him to lose the democratic
nomination for president after it had
been rendered him and it threw the
convention into panic which nearly
caused the whole affair to break up in
a row.
Despite every attempt on the part
of the bosses, of the party to forget
the free silver fight and make the par
ty admit that the gold standard Is the
only logical money scheme, Judge
Parker was not content to let we'll
enough alone, and Saturday night he
sent message to William F. Shee-
han, of New York, stating that the
convention must understand that he
is a gold man. Rumor says he sent a
message previously to friend, stat
ing his position on the money ques-
tion in a much more pointed way.
Whether this is true cannot be learn
ed but at any rate the convention, af-
ter thinking it's work was nearly fin
ished, came near calling it all off and
going back again to the place of be-
ginning.
Davis Nominated.
1t was after o'clock Sunday morn
ing when reply to Judge Parker's
message had been agreed to by the
convention and candidate had been
nominated in the person of Henry G.
Davis. of West Virginia
The first news of the message came
to the delegates from local evening
paper, which said Parker had refused
to accept the nomination unless a
gold plank should be inserted in the
platform. This set many of the dele.
gates wild and it was an angry lot of
men that gathered at the Coliseum
for the session at $50 o'clock Satur-
day evening. After little discussion
Parkers managers secured an ad-
journment until $50 and Immediately
several state conferences were held
and the all-important event was dis
cussed. Many were for withdrawing
Parkers name and nominating anoth-
er man for president. Others, who
were most conservative, saw what a
blow such unprecedented action would
be to the already slim hopes of the
democracy and these finally triumph.
ed over the radical element
Parker's Message.
When the convention met mes
sage. said by some to be the one orig
inally sent by Judge Parker and by
others to be one sent later, when the
judge learned what furore the first
had caused, was read to the conven-
ton from the stage. 1t follows:
81 regard the gold standard as firm
ly and irrerocably established and I
cho11 not ,olu ho
the convention today is ratified By
the people inasmuch as the platform
is silent on the subject I deem it nee.
essary to make this communication to
the convention for it's consideration
as should feel it my duty to decline
the nomination except with that un.
derstanding"
Williams VS.. Bryan.
J. S. Williams addressed the conven-
ton, saying that the platform had been
made silent on the money question
because it was realized that this was
no longer an issue He said the plat
form was one upon which all demo-
Gratis could stand and asked that the
convention send message to Judge
Parker telling him thar inasmuch as
the money question is no longer an is
sue the party cares not where he
stands on it. The message which had
been prepared by the leader, was read
to the convention. 1t was as follows:
Conventions Answer.
"The platform adopted by this con-
vention is silent on the question of
monetary standard because it is re-
garded by us as possible issue in
this campaign, and the only campaign
issues were mentioned in the platform,
Therefore there is nothing in the views
expressed by you in the telegram Just
received which would preclude a man
entertaining them from accepting a
nomination on said platform"
w. J. Bryan, i'll and showing the ef-
fects of his physical collapse, dragged