The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1908-05-12
is NOT SPECIFIED IN
OHIO PLATFORM
Although ii Looks That
Way at First Glance
Precedent Cited in Case
Of Parker Campaign.
Some Suspicion That
Resolution Was Pur-
poseIy Ambiguous.

poseIY Ambiguous.
Columbus, O., May 10-Scrutiny of
the platform adopted at the Democrat
lc state convention last Wednesday
discIoses the important fact that the
Ohio delegation to the Denver ma
tional convention is not bound by the
unit rule to vote for William Jennings
Bryan, That it was the purpose of the
convention that this should be done
there can be no question. But it is
not nominated in the bond. This is
the deliverance of the committee on
resolutions:
I'VE heartily and enthusiastically
indorse the presidential candidacy Of
William j. Bryan and instruct the en-
tire Ohio delegation to vote for his
nomination at the Democratic ma
tional convention, firm in the belief
that his nomination will insure an
overwhelming national victory at the
polls in November"
One cannot detect anything in
those lines which requires the delega-
tion to act as a unit Four years
ago when the state convention was
carried by the conservatives of that
day care was taken to have placed
IN The resi- Ttions clause authoriz-
ing majority of the delegation to
cast the 46 votes from Ohio in
block This was due to the foresight
of John A. Mcmahon, of Dayton, who
was one Of the delegates at large.
The necessity for it was shown on
the morning Of the fateful day when
Alton B. Parker was named for pres
Ident The chairman of the state con-
vention this week, Edmund H. Moore,
of Youngstown, who was a member
of the Ohio delegation and a sup
porter of William Randolph Hearst,
challenged the vote.
Senator Joseph Bailey, of Texas,
was in the chair. Upon demanding the
reason for the challenge, he was told
by Moore that a majority of the dee
gates had been selected in Ohio be-
fore the state convention adopted the
unit rule instructions and that they
were therefore not binding.
QUESTIONS THRASHED OUT.
At the delegation meeting in the
Lindell Hotel the night before this
very question had been thrashed out,
Colonel James Kilbourne, of this city,
and Judson Harmon, of Cincinnati,
had been withdrawn from cOnsidera-
ton as presidential candidates by
James Ross, and Harland Cleveland,
of Cincinnati, respectively, and the
delegation voted to support Parker
after a bitter fight and acriminious
debate.
Mcmahon, long-headed and shrewd,
had a record made of this transac-
ton. Senator Bailey demanded to
know if the unit rule had been applied.
and the proof was instantly furnished
him. A poll was then made of the
delegation by w. 8. Thomas. as chair
man, and Oscar Newman, as secre-
tsry. 1t showed that Parker had a
majority, and the ruling was made
that the 46 votes of the state must
be cast as first announced-solidly
lOI LuE -NGW lpIh SdluIudlS'
If this question were to arise at
Denver, there is absolutely nothing
to prove that the state convention in
this city ordered the unit rule. The
resolution above quoted must speak
for itself. YET it is silent on that
point.
Now comes the question as to who !
was responsible for this failure to |
make sure the Bryan instructions. |.
Mayor Tom L. Johnson was a member |.
of the committee, and his followers /.
boasted on Wednesday morning that
It was he who dictated the platform,
making it So offensive that, perhaps, F..
the gubernatorial candidate might not
be induced to accept it prior to the
balloting 1t was alsi charged in this
connection that the Cincinnati dele
gates were not favorable to Bryan, ,
and the Cleveland mayor took ap-
parently great satisfaction on Tues T,
day night in making the announce
ment that the resolutions committee .
had by unanimous vote declared for |
the Nebraskan.
If there is any deduction to be !
made from this situation it is that the /
so-called Bryan men were responsible |
for the introduction of the plank. |
More than that, the subcommittee
appointed to finally write the plat |
form was headed by City Solicitor |
Newton D. Baker. Of Cleveland, Mayor
Johnson's right-hand man in affairs /
of this description. AS a matter of /
fact the resolutions are from his pen,