Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-07
MEETING HELD
IN EFFORT TO
DEFEAT BRYAN
FRIENDS OF C0MM0NER NOT
ALARMED
NEW YORK REFUSES TO TAKE A
DECIDED STAND
Consensus Of Opinion Is That Nebras-
kan viii Be Nominated, Prob
ably on the First
5alIor
By Associated Press.

| BY Associated Press
DENVER, July 6.-Tonight the anti
Bryan men made another effort to con-
centrate opposition against the nomin-.
alton OF the Nebraskan, and claim that
they are now encouraged for the first
time since the delegations began to ar
rive.
The movement is not, however, taken
with deep seriousness by any Of the
Bryan leaders.
| The greatest effort was made today
to keep the meeting secret, those who
were present being summoned by small
cards which were quietly passed around
The cards stated the place where
the meeting was to be held which was
in the Equitable building, away from
the hotels and far from the headquar-
ters and far from any regular delega-
| ton.
The names of the men present was
| also kept secret to a large extent, but
1t is known that among those present
were Daniel r. Cohan and William f..
Sheehan of New York, Col. James Nj.
Guffy of Pennsylvania, former Senator
James X. Smith of New Jersey, A. r.
Cox of Georgia, c. L. Straus of Mary
| land. Josiah Marvel of Delaware and
| Frederick B. Lynch of Minnesota
night have not been mentioned as op-
| ponents of Mr.. Bryan.
| The meeting was largely directed by
| Mr.. Sheehan, who declared the only
| way to focus the opposition to Mr.
| Bryan was to give 1t standard around
! which it could rally. 1t was the con-
sensus of opinion among those present
| that If New York will declare against
Bryan and stand firmly by it's dec1ara-
tion there exists chance of defeating
him. 1t has been clearly understood
| from the first that the New York dele
| cation would not cast its vote for Mr..
Bryan if it believed that decisive re-
suit could be obtained by casting 1t for
another candidate, who met the favor
of the Empire state.
L Some of those present at today's
secret meeting pointed out that they
still had two days in which to work up
| opposition to Bryan, that there was a
chance of bringing New York bodily to
| their aid, inasmuch as 1t has not yet
| declared its position and that Georgia.
1t is generally understood, is ready to
go against Mr.. Bryan If New York will
do SO.
II DENVER, July 6--Above the hub
bub of this last strenuous day before
| the Democratic national convention
the main developments stand out
prominently. The wave of Bryan SEN
| timent has increased to apparently
overwhelming and irresistible propor-
tions and the nomination of the Ne
| braskan seems now assured beyond
| any reasonable doubt unless some un- ;
looked-for reversal of present condi-
| tions occurs.
! All efforts to unite on a vice presi-
Dental candidate have proved futile,
and the convention will begin its delib-
erations tomorrow with the contest for
second place wide open. A majority of
| n In
Gus, named Col. James M. Guffy as
national committeeman. in open de-
| fiance of Bryan's demand for his dis
placement and on the heels OF Guffy's
singing public arraignment of Bryan
as a "hypocrite, migrate and falsif1er."
A minority of the Pennsylvania dele
cation held a rump caucus which
sought to depose Guffy from leadership
and install James Kerr. a Bryan man,
as Pennsylvania leader.
The New York delegation appointed
committee of ten to draft a plat
form, and named Judge Alton B. Par
ker, the Democratic standard bearer Of
| 1904, as the New York representative
on the platform committee.
The New York caucus was silent on
the presidential and vice presidential
situation and New York still fails to
show her hand.
Sullivan Wins Out
| The Democratic national committee
held it's first meeting to consider con-
tests, which resulted in the dismissal
of Senator McCaren's New York dele
| cation and the seating of Roger G.
Sullivan's Illinois delegates.
The foregoing are only the main feat
ures of an eventful day-a day marked
| by the elimination of that noisy din
which ushers in a national convention
with delegations and their hosts of
| Fnll fY1fn wit
bands and marching clubs vieing in
! turbulent demonstration and with
streets and hotel lobbies filled with
| surging crowds
| Amid all this confusion the men of
action have worked INCREASINGLY. Most
of the states effected their organiza-
tions, electing members of the COM
mittees which will serve tomorrow.
| Aside from the many private confer
ences over candidates and platform
the day has been one of preparation
and business detail for the coming
assemblage.
| The arrivals during the day and
tonight have practically completed the
roster OF state delegations and have
| given a clear idea of the aggregate
strength commanded by the Bryan
forces. 1t has been one continuous
swelling of the Bryan chorus, with only
scattering accessions for other candi-
dates. This has become so apparent
that the nomination of Mr.. Bryan
seems assured, not only by the re-
quired two-thirds vote of the conven-
ton, but by practically a unanimous
vote, except that of Minnesota and
Delaware, whose representatives stiil
insist they will be steadfast to the end
for their favorite sons, and scattering
anti-Bryan votes froLl Georgia, New
York. Pennsylvania, Maine and several
other localities-a scattered opposition
dwarfed by the magnitude Of Mr.. Bry-
ans total.
Murphy Is Silent
While this steady tide of Bryan
strength has been setting on, the all
lied opposition has been looking intent
ly but vainly toward New York. for 1t
has been recognized that Chief MUIR
ply. the political genius of the dele
gation, held a key which might un-
SContinued ON Page Twel