The silver state news. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1907-1909, 1908-07-09
CONTEST RIBBED UP IN
PENNSYLVANIA DELEGATION
Committee on Credentials Promptly
Gust the Guffey Delegates-Reno
Democrats Make Prompt scram-
BILE for the Band wagonn

Democrats Make Prompt Scram-
BILE for the Band Wagonn
The feature of yesterday in the Den
yer convention was the unhorsing Of
Colonel Guffey, who for many years
has been the undisputed boss of Demo
cratic politics in the keystone state.
The colonel had been elected national
committeeman by the Pennsylvania
delegation, and then, becoming gay,
committed the crime of ''lese majestic"
by sharply criticising the "peerless
one. 1t then became necessary fo-
Bryan to show the redoubtable colonel
who was boss around the convention
hall, and orders were presumably is
sued to put him out of business. The
following Associated Press dispatch
shows how it was done:
DENVER, July s. - The supreme
fight of the day ranges about the con-
test of the Pennsylvania delegation
and the displacement of Colonel Jas.
NJ Guffey Of Pittsburg, for years the
leader of the Pennsylvania Democracy.
Intense interest has been awakened
over this all-night fight which culmi-
mated at 10 O'Clock this morning when
the element friendly to Mr.. Bryan Sc
cured complete victory before the
committee on credentials.
This was but the prelude to con-
test of intense bitterness on the floor
of the convention today, as Colonel
Guffey and his heutenants Immediately
announced their determination to fight
to the last ditch. 1t was not alone a
personal contest, but one to some es-
tent involving the presidential nomina-
ton itself, for if Guffey should be
finally and decisively unhorsed before
the convention today it would mean a
victory for the Bryan forces.
Colonel Guffey was fairly stunned
when the word was brought to him of
the action of the committee.
'Can it be possible?" he said, that
this Acknowledgement Of men repre-
senting the sovereign state of Penn
sylvania, men holding certificates un-
der the great commonwealth, has de
liberately taken placef'
The report of what had been done
was laid before Colonel Guffey by John
NJ Garman, former Democratic state
chairman of Pennsylvania. Mr.. Gar
man later said:
Eight of our Philadelphia delegates
have been unseated. Prior to
this action the Pennsylvania vote stood
80 IL for Guffey to 26 1-2 for Kerr,
but taking off the eight Philadelphia
delegates and adding them to the con-
testants gives Kerr "a 1-2 votes to
Guffey's "a 1-2 votes.
The selection of Colonel Guffey as
chairman of the national committee is
referred back to the Pennsylvania del
egates, which means that if the ere
dentials committees s report is sustain.
ed, the anti-Guffey forces will make a
new selection for national commit.
teeman from Pennsylvania.
| Immediate steps were taken to carry
the contest to the floor of the conven-
tion and Colonel Guffey issued the fol
lowing formal protest:
Pennsylvania Is delegates came to
this convention elected under the stat.
utes of Pennsylvania, their election be-
ing certified not alone by the commits
sioners of the district, but by the sec.
retary of the commonwealth of Penn
sylvania. Not shadow of complaint
was made to any of these delegates
This delegation was certified to the
national committee by the chairman
and secretary of the state central com.
mittee of Pennsylvania. Notice of con.
tests in few districts was fled with
the national committee. A sub-com.
mittee of the national committee was
appointed and full and absolute hear.
ing given these contests.
"The subcommittee reported unan
imously in favor of the certified dele,
cation. The national committee as q
body unanimously adopted the repor;
imouslyof the subcommittee and this
action made the right of Pennsylvania
in the preliminary organization abso.
lute.. Nothing could question theil
right to sit and participate in the
business of the convention. The del
egation prior to the meeting of the
convention caueused for the purpose
of organization AZ of total of 6s par.
ticipating.
81 was named chairman of the daI.
egation and members of various com