Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-30
ON THE FIRST BALLOT
Aim of Parker Men to Push
His Nomination.
TRYING TO WIN VOTES
EFFORTS TO GAIN TWo-THIRD
DEMOCRATIC DELEGATES.
Southern Movement for Cleveland
Started-Division Of Opinion Re-
garding Platform.
TRYING TO WIN VOTES

Parker on the first ballot"
That is the word being passed about
among Parker men as the Indication Of the
course which every loyal follower of the
New York jurist should pursue. There has
been SO much talk Of the instability of
the Parker support that the Parker men
have taken alarm. They are counting with
confidence on the loyalty of all the pledged
delegates on the first ballot. A failure to
vote ior the candidate for whom they are
instructed would be a breach of faith on
the part of delegates of which none of them
would care to be guilty. But after the
first few ballots they will nearly all he
practically at liberty to vote as they please
and can hope to justify their action with
the claim that their favorite met opposition
that could not be overcome
Efforts Of the Parker People.
The Parker people who are endeavoring
to nominate the New York jurist on the
first ballot are putting out very great
claims Of strength and are endeavoring
to obtain additional votes from states
pledged to favorite sons. 1t is these
favorite sons themselves whom they
are trying to win over to support their man
The vote on the first ballot could be turned
to Parker by Olney in the case Of Massa-
chusetts. by Cockrell In the case OF Ms-
souri,. by Wall in Wisconsin and by Gray
in Delaware. There are unpledged south
ern delegates who will be labored with
when they reach St. Louis in order to have
them realize the glory that would come to
them by voting .on the first ballot for the
successful candidate and Judge Parker will
be the man held up as sure to win. They
will be told that 1t Is to be merely a ques-
tion Of privilege to vote for the man to be
nominated on the first ballot as the result
is sure.
The necessity for this prompt selection OF
the New Yorker is the known fact that he
is surer Of definite support on the first
ballot than on any~other. Col. Guffey,
national committeeman for Pennsylvania.
has announced that the sixty-eight dele
gates Of the keystone state will vote for
Parker on the first ballot, according to
their instructions. but that after that they
will vote as they please-not necessarily
against Parker, but not necessarily for
him. Tammany will be ready to bolt its
instructions at the first opportunity.
Movement for Cleveland.
The New Orleans Picayune, which has
all along supported Parker, is advocating
the nomination Of Cleveland on the ground
that whether the south loves him or not
they know what they would be getting II
they accept him, and secondly that they
have faith in him as standing in powerful
opposition to any change In the congress
sional apportonment of the southern
Cleveland appointed more southern men to
Office than any other President, which Is
not surprising, as he Is the only recent
democratic President.
There Is a movement in Mississippi for
turning the Parker vote over to Mr. Cleve-
land, which is what the Picayune wants
the Louisiana delegates to do as soon as
they can do SO with decency.
Mr.. Cleveland himself is keeping his ear
close to the ground. He Is now having a
Telegram phi wire run a distance Of fifteen
miles in order that he may receive in his
summer home full and prompt returns from
the convention. He is not afraid Of losing
the support Of Olney. He Is depending on
Gray. Wall of Wisconsin has no special
re ason to be unfrendly toward him., No
one suspects that Mr.. German loves Cfeve-
and any better than he did when he arose
In his place In the Senate and declared that
he had gone through the mire'' for him in
the campaign which he mana ged. This was
while Mr.. German was singing under Mr..
Cleveland's imputation cast on democrats
who toned down the Wilson tariff bill, their
act being characterized as one of 'perfdy."
Mr.. German will not only control the vote
OF Maryland, but that of West Virginia
also, besides having great influence which
he may exert on other delegates. The
Parker people are looking to Mr.. Gorman n
with a great deal of hope based largely on
his old dislike of Cleveland and also on the
fact that he has in many quarters been a C.
counted favorable to Parker. No one pre-
tends that such favor would in the least
embarrass him If the convention should
swing around in his own direction.
Platform Little Thought Of.
There has been such widespread discus
sion of presidential candidates at the st.
Louis convention that little thought has
been given to the matter Of the platform
to be adopted by the democracy. The tariff.
finance and the trusts are the chief sub
jects for a division of opinion. 1t is said
that David B. Hill will have a tariff plank
In his pocket when he goes to st. Louis.
and 1t will be just what Parker will want.
That means that Parker will want what
ever Hill proposes.
The difference of opinion that will take
place over the financial plank is already
showing itself. Free silver and the reas-
sertion of the planks of 1896 and 1900 are
considered out of the question. Bryan and
those who would sympathiZe with any re-
assertion of those pla atforms will not be able
to command a fourth of the votes in the
convention. The question at issue in rela-
ton to the financial plank Is whether there
is to be a declaration favoring the gold
standard in terms one In mild form de-
claring that the money standard of the