Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1903-1917, 1908-04-28
ON HAND EARLY
Democrats From All Parts OF
The Stale Are in The Elm
City To-Day
PRELIMINARY WORK

New Haven, April 2S.-Delegates
to the state convention of the demo-
cratic party for the selection of dele
gates to the Denver convention,
which will open at the New Haven
theater tonight and extend through
tomorrow, began to arrive early,
most of them having interest in the
meeting of the state central commit
tee which has been called for this af-
ternoon to hear arguments over con-
tested delegations. Predictions were
freely made that the gathering would
be an unusually quiet one as the or
der of business does not provide for
much more than the adoption OF a
platform and the confirming of choice
of eight county delegaNs, four con-
gressional district delegates and the
election of two delegates at large. AS
the opposition to instructing the dele
cation for any particular presidential
candidate seems to be very strong,
it is thought that the platfo'm adopt
ed will not commit the convention in
this respect, and should this be done
one of the chief subjects upon which
extended discussion might be precipl-
tated will be avoided The opinion Is
held that as a whole the convention
would refuse to declare for Mr. Bryan
If a vote to that effect should be Of
fered, but the plan appears to be tc
adopt some other method, in par
liamentary way, to test the strength
of the friends of Mr. Bryan, 1t is
known that the delegations in New
Haven, Bridgeport and Hartford are
favorable to Mr. Bryan, that from Wa
terbury, under the leadership of May
or w. e. Thoms, is non-committal,
that from New London, under the
leadership of former Governor Thorn
as NJ Waller, is not counted in the
Bryan column, while that from Meri-
den is the subject Of contest, the
two factions being headed by Mayor
Thomas l.. Reilly and c. N. Booth,
both Of whom want seats on the state
central committee. The meeting on
the stage of the theater this after
noon was for the purpose of hearing
the two factions and for perfecting
the temporary roll which will be read
by Secretary E. S. Thomas, when the
convention is called to order at 0 p
m. Chairman G. w .Comstock of
Norwich will be present although he
still feels severely the bruises he re-
ceived in his Sunday mishap, and he
will be introduced and will address
the convention. Recess will be or
dered until 10 p. m. SO that dele
gates may assemble in senatorial eau
cuses to select state central COM
mitteeman member each of the
committees on credentials, permanent
organization, resolutions and to Sc
lect honorary vice-presidents and Sec
retaries.
On reassembling the convention
will elect the various committees as
reported from the caucuses. Then
will come another recess until to-
morrow at 10 a. m. The county and
congressional district caucuses will
be held after the second recess for the
purpose of selecting delegates &c
the state convention. Most of the
senatorial caucuses have already been
held and those yet to be held are
mostly of districts in which the dele
gates are somewhat scattered geo.
Prior to the action of the county
there is much speculation a.
to the choice of delegates. For the at
large delegates the opinion inclines
towards Mr. Troup of New Haven
and Mayor Thayer of Norwich. both
Of whom are known to be favorable |
to Mr. Bryan. The nominations will
be made from the floor, however. and
several names may be put forward |
Indications are that the county and
districts will fight out
their own contests. If any there be |
and several seem impending, so as to
remove active discussion on the floor
In New Haven county William Ken
nedy of Naugatuck is making an ac-
tive canvass against opposition and
this may be a lively caucus. The
places of caucuses are both In the
theater and in nearby halls. the sena-
torial gatherings being grouped sc
that they can be easily resolved into
county and then into congressional
,aucuses.
As much OF the preliminary busi-
ness has been gotten out of the way
and the selection Of committee men,
bers reported 20 Secretary Thomas
The outlook is for a very short ses-
sion tonight.