Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-09
AT DENVER.

ic National Convention IS HldihliS
time SO far as the nomination OF can
didates and the adoption of a platform
is concerned, and is passing through
the stages of organization and the
throcs of frenZied demonstrations. To
day has been marked chiefly by turbu-
lent enthusiasm and the bitter strife
of party leaders, the essential develop
ments of the day being these:
Two sessions of the convention were
held, the first at noon producing
BRYAN demonstration breaking all rec
ords in duration, the second at 8
o'clock tonight being the elimination
of the struggle over the credentials OF
the Pennsylvania delegation and the
supremacy of the Pennsylvania Lead
ers over Col Guffey, who has been de-
nounced by Mr. Bryan.
outside of the convention the COM
mittees have proceeded with the va
rious work of preparing the way for
convention action. The credentials
committee unseated eight of Col. Cuff
fey's anti Bryan Pennsylvania dele
gates, thus reversing the complexion OF
the Pennsylvania delegation from anu
Bryan to Bryan and precipitating the
controversy which is being fought out
before the night session of the con-
vention.
The platform is still in an incomplete
condition and will not be presented
until tomorrow, but its essential TEA
lures arc agreed upon and little re-
mains but the details of phraseology.
The early meeting of the convention
| today was productive of little pract-
| cal progress as the principal commit
| tees were not ready to report. But IL
| had the effect Of exploding the long
| pent-up Bryan enthusiasm which TOOK
| the signal from Senator Cores elo-
ouent reference to the Nebraska lead
| err, and burst into whirlwind of en-
| thusiastic tribute lasting ] hour ana II
minutes with seven minutes more OF
| the expiring echoes or clamor, estab-
| fishing the convention record OF ]
hour and &c minutes, or full 80 minutes
| in excess of Roosevelt'S demonstration
| at Chicago. which held the record I'M
| til today.
II was a decisive exhibition or the
overmastering strength of the Bryan
| column and one of the most dramatic
convention pictures ever presented as
| the standards of the states were torn
| from their mOorings and borne through
| the hail. until they stood together on
| the PLATFORM like an army of banners,
proclaiming their united allegiance 10
| BRYAN. Amid this storm of Bryan en-
| thusiasm the six standards of New
| York, New Jersey, Delaware. Georgia,
Minnesota and Connecticut stood
| rooted in their places the rallyin9
points of little groups unmoved by the
| frenzied scenes about them.
Throughout the hour and 10 minutes
| the deafening uproar continued, ebbine
and flowing in enthusiasm, women join
| ing with the men in bringing the Bry-
an standards aloft while the whole as
semblage of $4,000 people Joined in the
| tumultous demonstration.
The early session lasted three hours
and then worn out with eXertion ano
| lacking the material to proceed with
| business the convention recessed until
| tonight.
While it is still the general belief
| that Mr. Bryan will head the ticket,
| and that only an extraordinary change
| of sentiment can prevent his nomlna-
| ton on the first ballot, all predictions
| on the subject of the Vice Presidency
must be mere cOnjectures.
There is a large number of candi-
dates in sight-Gray of Delaware
| Mitchell of Illinois; Kern of Indiana
| Towne ard Harrison of New York
Howell of Georgia, and host of 9TH
| erS
A gavel will be presented to Chair
man Clayton which came from the
| old home of Andrew jackson in Ten
nessee 1t was sent to William j. Bry-
an by Former Gov. Benton c. Mlll1n OIL
| Tennessee, to be used at the Demo
| cratic national convention. The gave
was sent by Mr. Bryan to Denver,
| Last night was a wild night in Den
yer, the Western exuberance giving
flavor and vim to the growing enthu-
siasm of the convention crowds. The
people of the Colorado metropolis are
leaving nothing undone IN the way OF
entertainment Of the visitors. The
| crowds were on the streets
singing, laughing and full Of good
natured fun until far into the morn
ing, and a half dozen bands. some OF
them travelling about in illuminated
street cars, filled the night with mu-
sic which sometimes got pretty com
plicated.
At the night session of the conven-
ton, after an hour of speech making
the committee on credentials reported
on the Pennsylvania and other con-
tested cases. A minority report on the
Pennsylvania case. resulted in ar
hours acrimonious debate. after which
the convention rejected the minority
report, favorable to the Guffey faction
by the decisive vote of els to 3s7.