The San Francisco call., 1908-07-08

nOis. New York, PENNSYLVANIA, ONO ana
The district Of Columbia. Those sub
committees considered each contest on
its merits and made a report TO the
fun committee.
The national committee. as a whole.
then went over these contests IN turn
and accepted the decision Of the SUB
committee i'm each case. The result was
the creation of the temporary roll OF
delegates. each one of whom derived his
authority from his credentials, as
passed upon by the national committee.
Every delegate was equal to every oth-
or delegate. and every delegate. as Il
whole was uuQuestiOnably entlued 10
representation on all the committees ap-
pointed at the beginning Of the con-
veution to set the machinery in work
ing order
GUFFEE HAS MAJORITY
This was the situation when the con-
vention met Tuesday. The national
committee had recognized as regular
the Guney delegates in Pennsylvania.
This gave Colonel Guffey a complete
majority Of the delegation. The Penn
sylvania delegation met in caucus as
did those of all other states, and Sc
lected the members OF the committees
on resolutions. rules, credentials and
notification. Each one Of these selec-
tiOns was made by the Pennsylvania
delegation exactly as il was made in
every other delegation in the conven-
tion. and every member Of the Pennsyl-
Vania delegation who voted for these
committee asst ignments had had his ere
deutials passed upon by the national
committee, and was entitled TO his seat
until the matter had been passed upon
by the credentials committee and ap-
proved by the convention a a whole.
This statement Of facts is a plain
one and viii be understood by every
man who has ever been a delegate TO
any convention Of any party. After
the temporary organization had been
completed and good deal Of prelimi-
nary business transacted, including the
adoption Of resolutions in memory of
Grover Cleveland, the different delega-
tions We're asked TO send to the chair
their selections for the various COM
mittees. The regular Pennsylvania
delegation, acting through its chair
man, sent up its list. The contestants,
who had been turned down by the ma
tional committee and who had abso-
lutely no standing whatever in the con-
vention, also sent up a list. The pre-
siding officer who makes a good
speech, but is wOefully ignorant of the
foundation principles OF parliamentary
law announced to the convention that
two lists had been received and asked
what the delegates proposed to do
about it.
INJUSTICE TO PENNSYLVANIA
Before the Pennsylvanians knew
what happened TO them Ollie James.
the huge congressman from Kentucky,
moved that the whole matter be re-
ferred TO the credentials committee,
and in spite Of the frantic protests Of
Colonel Guffey and the other Pennsyl-
vania people, the convention adopted
the James motion with a howl.
The Pennsylvanians very properly
demanded that the delegation be polled
on the two lists Of names. This would
have shown in an instant just what
delegates were on the temporary roll
and great political outrage would
have been avoided. Unfortunately
Chairman Bell lost his head at this
critical moment. II he did not lose his
head he was guilty of Intentional in
justice. It is an unfortunate dilemma
for him. to say the least.
Ignoring the demand for a poll of the
delegation, which was clearly the con-
stitutional right Of the Pennsylvania
members. of the convention, the tenn
pOrary chairman announced that. no
other motion was in order except one
10 refer the case TO the committee on
credentials.
Bell looks like a fair man and il is
scarcely to be believed that he did this
thing Intentionally. It is charitable TO
assume that the injustice to the
Pennsylvania delegation, so far as he
was concerned, came from ignorance
and not from desire. The convention
was in confusion and it adopted the
motion Of Ollie James without much,
# any, understanding Of what the re-
suit would be.
REELECTION ON BRYAN
Guffey stormed up the main aisle, his
white hair flying, and demanded TO be
heard. Other members Of the delega-
tiOn shouted themselves hOarse, but al
most before they knew what had hap
pened the gavel had fallen and the 6S
delegates from the sovereign state of
Pennsylvania We're deprived of all
representation in the convention
through the ill-advised motion of the
delegate from Kentucky, who had no
more right on the floor than the
Pennsylvanians had. Ollie James is a
violent Bryan partisan, and for this
reason Bryan viii be charged through
out the country with gross injustice,
for which, perhaps, he is not respon-
sible.
Those who are not acquainted with
the methods Of the convention may not
understand at first just what was done
10 the Pennsylvania delegation. They
were disfranchised as completely as If
they had never been elected, and eX-
cept for the mere question Of nomina-
tion they can have no more part in the
actual work in the Denver convention
than If they had remained at home.
The effect Of the motion by Ollie
James was 10 deprive the state Of Penn
sylvania of all representation on all the
committees. That is to say. they were
cut of from presenting their views Il
the committee on platform, as well az
upon other committees which neces
sarily lay out the work of every con.
vention. Not until the credentials com
mittee reports and the convention
adopts that report will the Pennsyl
vanians have any standing whatever.
DELEGATION DENIED RIGHTS
The resolutions committee began it.
sessions at the same time as the ere
dentials committee. Pennsylvania was
entitled TO representation while tn,
platform was being discussed, but BY
the arbitrary action of the temporary
chairman ii was deprived Of this repre-
sentation as completely as If ii haC
never been elected a delegation to tn,
convention. It could not participate il
determining the permanent organiza.
tiOn or in settling the rules, and, o.