Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-07-07
}. HAMILTON LEWIS, WITH THE
PINK WHISPERS, FROM CHI
cAeo, ARRIVES AT coNvEN-
TioN CITY TODAY
ATTEMPT MADE
TO BALK BRYAN


DER UNIT RULE - ALLIES
CLAIM DELEGATES WOULD
THUS FULFILL INSTRUCTIONS
Denver, Colo, July 4.-The latest
vice presidential candidate to reach
the city is Col j. Hamilton Lewis of
Chicago, who while making no extrav-
agant claims admits he would not de-
cline the nomination if his friends
who are pressing his candidacy,
should succeed in landing the prize
for him.
He says he will have supporters in
and other states. Lewis came in to-
cally for Bryan.
Would Top off Vote.
Plans are being made, intended to
top off the Bryan vote in the conven-
ton to such an extent as to prevent
his nomination on the first ballot ii
possible, through the application OF
what Is known as the unit rule of vot-
ing. With the first ballot out of the
way, the opponents or Bryan declare
all the instructions will then be off
and the convention can proceed to the
nominating of ticket free from the
obligations to the Nebraska leader and
in the true spirit of Democracy in con-
vention
| Just how this plan is to be worked
out and into operation, just what will
be it's effect on the official roll call,
are questions to which no definite
answer can be given, even by those
advocating the plan.
Regarding Unit Rule.
The operation of the unit rule has
heretofore been imposed by state con-
ventions, and where such conventions
have failed to impose the unit rule, it
has been held the delegation could
not, by its own action, impose the
rules on itself. Notwithstanding this
ruling there are those here who main
tain, should the delegation by ma
jority action decide to vote as a unit
in the convention the convention
would have no authority to renew that
action.
In accordance with this idea, it was
stated today that Chairman Guffey,
the Pennsylvania delegation contem.
plated calling meeting Of his deelga-
ton for the purpose Of taking action
on this question.
With the machinery of the conven-
ton in the hands Of the Bryan forces
it is stated by his friends that 1t will
be impossible to carry out this plan
should there be objection to 1t.
Starts Fight.
Notice that it was being considered
however, had the result to start the
Bryan leaders to figuring, and should
it develop, in their opinion, that the
result would be a gain instead of q
loss to the Lincoln leader, 1t might
be decided to make no interference
In this event, precautions would be
taken to make sure that those states
where Bryan would make gains by
the plan, should hold the necessary
caucus on the question, as well as
those where the losses to him might
occur.
Is Only Theory.
The suggestion that the instructions
are fulfilled and may be abandoned
after the first ballot, is also declared
by Bryan's adherents to be a theorr
and not fact.
Instructions which has been giver
delegates to vote froB ryan, they
contend mean that they will continue
voting for him until nomination il
made The Bryan people regard the
conception of the plan to be rather ar
evidence of forlorn hope or for effect
than as opposing the moevment
fraught with danger, to their success
in the convention.
The Fourth at Lincoln.
Lincoln, Neb., July 4. Echoes o
bursting firecrackers, the music o
brass bands and shrieks of numerous
locomotives arriving or passing
through with special trains for Den
: yer that rolled family out to w. J
Bryan's home, four miles away, to
day, indicated that this city, with it
presidential candidate to lend inter
est today, had an idea of celebrating
, a sane" Fourth.
. With delegations from Alabama
:, North Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi
Oklahoma, Massachusetts, Chicago
! Omaho, expected, during the day
: A reception committee, headed b
i. Mayor Brown, greatly augmented TO
, the occasion, was early astir. Takin
). advantage of the holiday, people froI
9 rural districts and neighboring town
a flocked to Lincoln. Many of them too
@ a trolley ride to Bryan's home. Man
n embraced the opportunity to shak
|. hands with the man whom they bt
lieve will be the Democratic nomine
for president.
Iob Ntcifs Prvap
r Tom L. Johnson, mayor of Clev,
p land, early this morning had half a
e hour conference with Bryan, durin
t. which they discussed certain plank
Y. Rof platform, and Johnson gave Br.
s. an first hand information of the ia
l. tional fight in Ohio.
1t is this fight which makes it a