The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-09

ter of the contest from the First, Second Fourth, Fifth and Sixth districts of tn state of Pennsylvania we recommend that the contestants shall be seated ant recognized by this convention as the dul, accredited delegates and alternates iron said districts in the state of Pennsylvania to-wit:
 First district-NeiI Bonner, Michae Francis.
 Second district-Ryerson w Jennings
 Fourth district-A Raymond Raff Horace F. Fogel.
 Fifth district-Patrick F. Horan, Pau Wise
 sixth district-P. J. Hallaran.
 Tn the matter of the contest from th' Nineteenth district of the state of Ohif your committee recommends the follow ing be seated in this convention as tho accredited delegates from said district A. Powers, pr. William Watts"
 Roger Sullivan Busy.
 While the chairman was reading the re- port Roger c. Sullivan. chairman of the Illinois delegation. which state was gen orally understood to have determined t' fight side by side with Pennsylvania II behalf of the minority report, was busly running about the floor eonferrIng with number of other delegations and preparing for the fight soon to come.
 When Chairman Callahan read the de oision of the committe in favor of the contestants against Guffey in Pennsyl- vania there were a few hisses and sons applause. The interruption was of brief duration, however, and the reading of tht report was continued
 In the matter of the two lists of com mittee appointments from the state of Pennsylvania, Chairman Callahan report ed that the credentials committee recom- mended that in view of the contest de- osions the list be referred back to the delegations for further action.
 Mr. Callahan concluded by moving the adoption of the report.
 T second that notioii" shouted a dele gate from Indiana.
 The chairman stated the question and then recognized Mir l. l.. Straus of Mary land. who read the minority report, which recommended that the contestees in the Pennsylvania cases be seated, and which was as follows:
 Minority Report.
 The report recommended that the dele gates from the First, Second, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth districts of Philadelphia, holding seats in the convention, be de- clared lawfully entitled to such seats, and in support of the recommendation the minority gave the following reasons:
 T. That there was no evidence adduced by the contestants before the committee to support their claim to said seats.
 "2. That the contestants produced no credentials conducive to accredit them in any way to membership in this conven- ton.
 8. That they made no protest of appeal to any convention of the democratic party of Pennsylvania or to any tribunal or functionary of said party. or to any court in said state, as provided by the pri- mary election law of the state.
 "4. That the credentials of said contes- tees were unexceptional in every particu- lar, and that abundant proof of their right to the seats was adduced
 'fThe action of the majority of the committee is a staggering blow at the in ereign state. This convention can rest upon no other foundation than the su- premacy within state lines of the party or ganization of every state.
 We therefore recommend that the said contestees retain the seats heretofore awarded them. by. a legalized democratic party and indorsed by the national demo- cratic committee"
 The report is signed by the representa- tives on the committee from the following states: Maryland New Jersey, New York, Louisiana, Illinois, North Carolina, Geor- gia, Virginia, Minnesota, Delaware, New Hampshire, Kentucky, West Virginia.
 Blow at Democracy.
 The statement made by MT Straus that the action of the majority of the commit tee was a staggering blow at the democ- raey of a sovereign state called forth cheers. He asked the chairman for per- mission to make a few remarks in sup port of his motion to substitute the mi nority for the majority report.
 Question Taken Up.
 "Not now" said Chairman Bell. "Put your motion and I will state the ques- ton"
 "It is moved and seconded that we adopt this minority report relating to the contests" said Chairman Bell.
 Governor Haskell of Oklahoma was recognized and moved that debate be limited to 30 minutes on either side. Mir Kern of Indiana seconded the motion amid scattering cries of NO"
 The motion was put to viva voce vote and was carried, the volume of Noes" being quite small and emanating almost wholly from Pennsylvania.
 The chairman recognized Chairman Calla- han of the credentials committee as the first speaker in behalf of the majority re- port. MT. Straus claimed that as he car ried the affirmative, he had the right to open and close the debate.
 The chair ruled, however, that the chairman of the committee, as he rep resented the majority, should have the right to open and close, and he again recognized MT. Callahan.
 Mr Callahan began by saying that the time allowed the majority would be divid- ed between himself and Governor Has kell of Oklahoma, the latter closing the debate. It had been expected that Ollie James of Kentucky would speak in sup port of the majority report, but the linn iting of the time prevented.
 Evidence Presented.
 Mr. Callahan said the evidence before the committee showed that in Philadel- phai the Guffey faction brought a host of republicans to the democratic pri- mary polls. These voters, he declared. were members of the Philadelphia re- publican machine, of which "One Me- Nichol' was the head. In one congress sional district, where the normal dem ocratic vote was about 1000, the vote in the primary swelled to more than 27OO. This was but one instance of many, de- clared MT. Callahan, the evidence of which was supported by undisputed affi- davits.
 "When we consider all the evidence" he concluded, 'ft was impossible to es- cape the conclusion that the democracy of Philadelphia had been kept at home by an alliance of one element of the democracy with the dominant republican machine in that city
 We were urged that exigencIes of har- mony required that we should shut our eyes to these irregularities hut no set of