The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-07-21
The National Democratic
Convention of 1908
by FRANK L. MAYES-

up to the last minute and permitted
the boys TO swing into line with the
majority only when Bryan's nomina-
ton was absolutely assured without
the assistance of New York. 1t was
simply another illustration of the fact
that New York state is no longer an
essential in political calculations
heretofore New York has always
been the big noise. 1t was the pivotal
state, both in the matter o. party
nominations and elections. Everyone
waited to see what New York was
going to do Now just the reverse is
true New York waits to see what
the rest of the country is going to
do before she acts.
All of this is no doubt humiliating
TO New York, but it is a facJ never
theless. The average New Yorker
thinks the universe centers right in
his state or city Everything that ne
eats or wears OF sees or experiences,
when away from home, is measured
by the New York yard stick and Is
or course always more or less short.
Nothing is done like they do il in
New York, don't you know" As a
matter of fact, however, the New
Yorker away from home is the most
provincial person in the world. He
has never before realized that there
IS bigger world outside of New
York than there is in il, and he is
naturally awkward when ne gets out
into the world. The trip to Denver
and what happened there constituted
terrible awakening for the New
York people, but it ought to prove
valuable TO them in the end
Georgia was another state that at
tTacted some attention q wish | could
say favorable attention) on account
of her indefinite position. Georgia
sent one of those "Uninstructed"
delegations. The people of Georgia
had no idea 90 who they wanted for
president and therefore they decided
to let the politicians decide the ques-
ton for them. A state convention Sc
lected the delegates and the delega-
ton itself was on a par with the
usual state convention product. The
result was that the Georgia delegation
was ont of joint with the sentiment
in its own state, with the sentiment
in the national convention. and with
the sentiment in the party at large
Georgia was as truly a Bryan state
as was Florida or Alabama, but the
SOphistTy of the uniuStTucted dele
CATION proposition was allowed to
prevail. with the result that Georgia
cut no figure in the convention, had
no influence anywhere, and attracted
attention simply because of the unique
and discreditable position which it
occupied The Georgia delegates ap-
pe5rej to me most of the time as
though they were ashamed of them
selves, and they ought to have been
The rest of the southern states were
ashamed for them anyway.
The waterway plank in the demo
cratic platform is largely d reflection
of Governor BrOward's ideas upon the
subject. He appeared before the
platform committee and made an ad-
dress on the subject which the COM
mittee listened to with the strictest
attention and the plank which was
adopted contained all of the PROPOSE
tons advanced by Floridas progress
siye governor.
note that the New Orleans Times
Democrat published my speech sec
Onding the nomination of Mr. Bryan
Now the fact is, l did not deliver
that speech. | intended to deliver it
and l gave the Associated Press an
advance copy of it. But my appoint
me busy from the time the conven-
ton assent led until after the roll
call for nominations commenced. and
when it seemed apparent that / could
not be there to answer for Florida,
| yielded nv place to Augustus
Thomas, the noted playwright, now OF
New York but a native of Missouri,
and he consumed the time in which
my speech would otherwise have
been made I am glad it happened
that way, Cor two reasons-frst, be
cause Mr.. Thomas made a great deal
better speech than | could have done;
and second, because, after witnessing
the treatment that practically all of
the later speakers received at the
hands of the $4,000 impatient people
in the convention hall, the man VINO
escaped them is to be congratulated.
Those people were there to see Bryan
nominated and they had no time or
patience for OTatory-and particularly
for poor OratOTy. What they wanted
was action and they remained there
until after 4 o'clock in the morning
to witness that which all of US hope
and most OF us expect TO see develop
into an election next year.
I am writing this story. not from
Denver, but from the upper story of
a pleasant home in South Dakota,
overlooking the village of Hartford
on one side and a broad expanse of
corn and wheat and pasture lands on
the other-an ocean of yerdure that
stretches away as far as the eye can
reach I shall tell YOU about this
great farming and cattle country in