The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-10

th7 tHOfnin8 naking their final canvass
 on the coming ballots, and 1t was f1:40
 before the session actually began. The
 feature of the opening hour was the
 speech of the permanent chairman,
 Congressman Henry D.. Clayton of Ala bama, sonorous presentation of party
 aspirations and . severe arraignment
 of President Roosevelt. Frequent dem-
 onstrations of wild enthusiasm came
 from the listening thousands. suggest ions of the name of Bryan being the un-
 failing signal for tumuituous clamor.
 The platform Is practically complete
 as an entirety. and will be presented
 to the convention later In the day.
 John Mitchell, the labor leader, ap-
 peared before the Alabama delegation
 during the morning, ard formally de-
 ciared that he would not be candidate
 for the Vice-Presidency The Missouri
 delegation called on ex-Governor Francis of Missouri. and announced
 their intention of presenting his name
 to the convention for the vice-Presi-
 dency.
 The convention is likely to provide
 several sessions during the day, with the probability of night session of necessary for the adoption of the plat form and in all likelihood the noniina
 ton of the Presidential standard nearer.
 The name of. former Governor David R. Francis of Missouri, 1t was later learned. will not be presented to the Democratic convention for the Vice. Presidential nomination. Governor Francis, learning of the activity in his behalf by the Missouri delegation. for
 bade his friends to continue their ef- forts, and out of deference to his wishes. they agreed not to urge his name.
 Yesterdays strenuous proceedines At the morning session of the convention and the late session of last night, had a marked effect on the delegates today, and they were slow in reaching their seats This was particularly notice- able of the larger States, such as New York. Pennsylvania, Illionis and Ohio. The men of the Keystone State had, in addition to the fatigue entailed by the work of yesterday, series Of confer. eaces to delay them. They had planned to meet before the convention assem- bled, but this idea was abandoned in favor of an election for National Com mitteeman. to be held after all the delegates had reached their seats in the convention hall. This plan. too. was given up and 1t was finally agreed that the caucus should be held immediately after the adjournment of the first ses- sion of the convention
 nfr Clayton Takes Charge.
 At Il o'clock. the hour set for con- vening, scarcely hundred delegates were in their places. and it was evil dent of delay in bringing todays pro- eeedfngs The Committee on Perma- nent Organization had been ready with it's report ever since Tuesday night, holding 1t for ratification after the Credentials Committee had completed its work
 Anticipating . long session. many of the delegates doffed their coats soon after arriving. During the wait for Chairman Bell to cali the assembiage to order before finally relinquishing his gavel to Congressman Clayton of Ala baraa. the permanent chairman the cow boy band, which had earned a wide reputation both for it's endurance and the quality of it's music. kept up . lively fusiiade Of patriotic selections with songs of the South interspersed from time to time. and calling out the enthusiasm.
 At l1;S0 o'clock. Chairman Bell be- gan the ten minutes of hanlmering with his gavel which he has thus far found necessary in calling the convention to order. He kept up a rnonotonous ham nering like that of a cooper driving hoop on barrel. but after time he gave up and retired. He then came back to the front and drove on another hoop and followed this with another brief rest.
 A third period of rapping. however. began to produce some effect and the temporary chairman was able to make himself heard as he. ordered the aisles cleared and repeated the sentence which is constantly on hisriungs. Gentlemen, take your seatss' v
 At if:4o the chairman announced that the prayer would be made by Rabbi Samuel Koch of Seattle Wash The innovation was as follows
 Great God; Weakness is arrogant, but strength Is modest. Piety treads on the heels of earnestness. Propor- donate to the task is the consciousness of Thee. Assent lakes charged with a mission potent with the possibilities. need Thy guidance much. And So we who are assembled here in the inter est of Democracy. once again begin our sessions in prayer to Thee.
 A glorious past confers no present moral lein on the future greatness. In every present moment, nation must vindicate its right to live. If the aver age of the individual citizenship be high. if civic righteousness be strong, progress is sure- Partisanship may hasten this progress, partisanship may retard this progress. but partisan ship can not undo this. Beneath our tenn perAmental difference in politics Is em- bodied the foundation stone of charac- ter on which national strength rests alone .exhalteth a nation.
 "Vounchsafe. Oh God that we. who are here in convention assembled, may that noble action Is the greatest praise we can offer Thee. is not always patriotism. Liberty is not licensed. The bursting of bombs need not mean a battle, not the waving of flags a victory. Shout Ing is no proof of a cause nor of it's oaseness. Loyalty to convention relies not on meretricious means. Long aft sr the delegates here shall have been thy helped proclaim shall live But the specious in their afterglow of the day. One hundred and thirty three years of notable history are looking down upon us. The makers of'our nation in the past century pass party afiliation. they had this in com mona representative Americanism. Grant Oh God, that our political selves l may be touched to higher issues by those National memories. Lest we for get be these the monitors that tell us of the magnitlcience of political life. | of fealty to principal of honor and | character and sincerity in manhood. 1 In keeping close to these when the | 1ay's work Is ended. be ours the con sciusness that Thou tdge of notions. l lrt with you yet.
 When the prayer was concluded | Chairman Bell announced all members l Df the National committees would meet 1 ate in the afternoon at the Brown | Palace Hotel. As chairman of the Committee on Permanent Organization, l Senator Mccrary, of Kentucky. present. | sd the report Of that body. It recom- nended Henry D. Clayton of Alabama |