Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-08
Chairman Bell Laie in AS
sembHng the Gathering.
MARCHING CLUBS PARADE
Bryan Men Appear in the Best Of
Spirits.
GUFFEY'S FIGHT THE FEATURE
'rDide" Relied on by the Bandmas-
ters to Keep the Throng in
Good Humor.

CONVENTION HALL, DENVER. July
8. p.m--The democratic national conven-
ton held a brief session today, but will
meet again tonight, when stirring scenes
and highly colored Incidents are expected.
The delay was made necessary by the
inability of the committee on credentials
to have It's report ready for the convention
before o'clock in the afternoon. The
resolutions committee, too. was making
slow progress, and ii being certain that
the delay must come at some time, it was
decided it should take place today.
The chief interest of the day centered
around the action of the credentials
committee in declaring against Col.
James NJ. Guffey of Pennsylvania, and
the vigorous preparations made by that
skilled and veteran political warrior to
organize his forces for a battle in the
convention. which he was determined to
carry to the utmost In this fight New
York. for the first time. gave an indica-
tion of where it's colors will fly in any
contest that may come up, 1T having, in
company with thirteen other states,
signed the minority credentials report.
The aggregate voting strength Of these
states is 376, but that figure is not an
exact statement of the votes that Gut.
fey will be able to call to his side. as
not all of them are acting under the
unit rule.
CONVENTION HALL. DENVER, July
S-With the assurance of another perfect
day. and the promise Of an interesting
fignt over the report of the committee on
credentials. which Col. Guffey and his
Pennsylvania friends were generally ex-
pected to contest, the crowd commenced
early to move toward the democratic con-
vention hall. AL progress toward the au-
ditorium was, however. impeded by
great parade of Tammany men from New
York, who, headed by a band and num-
ber of eaudily attired Indians, wound their
way around the business section OF the
city. About 1000 men were In line, among
them leader Charles F. Murphy and other
big men Of Tammany. 1t was by far tho
largest parade which has so far occurred
during the convention.
With Tammany out Of the way, the
crowd was able once more to proceed
toward the convention hall. and by
80. a half hour previous to the time
set for the opening Of the proceedings.
all the sidewalks were choked and the
police were struggling with the eager
crowd which was pressing toward the
entrance.
While the day outside was very warm,
the empty convention hall. when the
doors were opened. was found to be fif-
teen or twenty degrees cooler than the
street temperature.
Bryan in Good Spirits.
The Bryan men came tramping into the
Auditorium with cheerful faces and much
laughter The events of the night and
early morning in the committee on Gre
dentials were much to their liking and
they were more confident than ever of the
ultimate success of their candidate. The
Georgia men, anxious still, in the face OF
apparently overwhelming odds. were late
in arriving, as they had held another
caucus early today for the purpose OF
establishing a rallying point for the fight
against Bryan. When Georgia arrived 1t
became known that the Georgia delegation
was unable to reach conclusion regard
ing the democratic candidate for President
whom they will support.
Another caucus will be held tonight &c
further consider the question. As con-
stituted the delegation stands twenty
three against Bryan and three for him.
The seats of Pennsylvania were also
sparsely filled Col. Guffey and his fol-
lowers being locked up at the Adams
House considering their best line OF &C
ton in the face of the adverse report
which the committee on credentials was
preparing to bring against them.
Call for Labor Leaders.
Four times before the convention was
called to order q gray-haired reading
clerk with a stentorian voice demanded to
know from the platform II Samuel Com.
pers. John Mitchell or Mr.. Duncan was
in the house.
They are requested to come forward y
he said at first, but there was no re-
Next time the clerk announced that the
labor leaders were wanted by the COM
mittee on resolutions. and lastly he ap.
pealed that they report report 1mmsdiateiy mn1ns al
The reading clerk caused some merri-
ment by announcing in all seriousness
that II 'Mr. Jones is in the house he is
requested to call up phone main 400.
Temporary Chairman Bell reached the
rostrum just before noon. while the band
was playing "The Red. White and Blue.
and there were combined cheers for the
patriotic selection and for the first officer
OF the convention.
Southerners Cheer "Dixie."
Dixie came next from the band and
drew out the usual burst of cheers from
the southern delegates
Among the early arrivals was Represen.
tative Clayton of Alabama. soon to be
named by the organization committee as
the permanent chairman of the conven-
tion. He occupied seat in the last row
of chairs reserved for members of the ma
tional committee. His eyes were covered
by heavy blue glasses and he was some
what less fashionably attired than was
Temporary Chairman Bell. who spoke yes
terday. Mr.. Clayton was the constant
center of a group of men who called te
pay their respects to the officer who is t6
WELD the gavel through all the stormy
scenes and all the periods of calm tha
lie before the convention after the strug
gle over the credentials reports has beer
decided
Col Guffey walked down the center
aisle to his place in the Pennsylvania
delegation at 12:lO. and got a cheer from
a number of the delegates in his vicinity
He was also surrounded for some littl,
time by a group of friends. who apparent
ly wanted to know what plan of actor
CONTINUED on Second Page.)