New-York tribune., 1908-07-09
IRy Telegraph to The Trioune.1

IRy Telegraph to The TrbuneI
Denver, July s.
The absolute domination of all that is left OF
the Democracy by William Jennings Bryan, the
merciless grinding of the ~stone crusher" in the
committee on credentials. the consistent pursuit
in the committee on resolutions of that policy
of trucking to cranks and "isrns" which has
made the Democratic party such heterogeneous
aggregation, and monster machine made dem
onstratiou of enthusiasm for Bryan constituted
the chief features of the second day of the Dem
ocratic National Convention Only slightly less
striking has been the demonstration of incapac-
ity to transact business expedit1ously by the
members of the several committees of the
vention.
THE trouble with Democratic friends Is
that they have lost completely the constructive
ability. They talk and argue and construe the
Constitution occasionally, but rarely suggest
practical improvement in proposed law. recent
ly remarked Senator Lodge, apropos OF the
quibbling of the minority in the Senate over
measure which was absolutely non-partisan. and
he added: You see. they have so long confined
their efforts and talents faultfinding. CRITICS.
ing and qubbling that they have unconsciously
destroyed all their former ability to make laws
and enforce them
The accuracy of the Massachusetts, states
mans comment has been thoroughly demon
strated here that even Senator Stone. of Mis-
souri,. member of the full and the sub-commit-
tee on resolutions, was moved to make like
observation.
THE trouble with most of these fellows on
the committee" said the Senator in obvious dis
gust. "is that they have never attended a ma
tional convention before. that they find novelty
4oI5 80 aY,6 Con
and all their lk. and that 1t is impossible to in
duce them to get down to business"
PRECIOUS HOURS WASTED.
Many precious hours were wasted by the COM
mittee resolutions listening to the advocates
of special planks and trying to meet the de-
mands of men who said they represented 'the
labor vote" "the Pacific Coast vote" 1.-The Ger
man VOTE" "the Irish vote" and so on, and this
despite the fact that every member of the COM
niittee knew that In the end he would adopt a
platform dictated absolutely by Mr. Bryan, and
that he dare not alter or amend the production
which carried the Lincoln mandate So. too. the
meeting of the committee on credentials lasted
hours hearing evidence and quibblins over nom
essentials when each member fully realized that
he would ultimately vote precisely as Bryan
had told him to, and that the merits of the sew
eraI cases under consideration were extrane-
length of the pigtails prescribed by the Empress
Dowager of China
As q consequence a day has been wasted, an
evening session has been rendered necessary
and the leaders to whom are confided the man
agement of the details OF the convention. are
beginning to wonder If the original programme
of finally adjourning the convention on Friday
can be carried through.
There has been no change in the vice-PresI-
Dental situation, and. has been told in these
dispatches there will be none until the platform
has been disposed of. This does not mean. Of
course that the politicians are not continuing 10
build houses the sand, that men who, as
J. Ham Lewis put it, hope to go home and
capture a nomination for the Legislature, are
not cutivating their boom. The Missouri dele
CATION, for instance, has caucussed and in
dorsed Ex-Governor Francis for second place by
a vote of % to 8, but ''Gum Shoe Bill" Stone.
quickly lopes eye and says. II have not heard
from Lincoln" when asked IL the Francis boom
is to be taken seriously and Governor Folk said
in this caucus, Bryan told me when 1 In
Lincoln that he wanted Judge Gray"
The friends of Charles A. Towne deplore the
fact that he was not In the convention hall when
called on to do a little spellbindng. they
believe the eloquence OF the New YOrk-Mnne-
sotlan would have helped his boom enormously,
while the advocates OF Archibald McNeils nomi-
nation declare that the Connecticut men erred
grievousy when they refused to join in the Bryan
demonstration. But these are merely tnconse-
quential details and the fact remains that no
boom is worth taking seriously until 1t has re-
ceived the impress of the Bryan hallmark. and
that to assert that any candidate now Is in the
lead" is merely TO gamble on the fact that one
of the ..hfty-seven varieties must prove to be
the man.
BLIND LEADING THE BLIND"
Led by blind Senator Gore, of Oklahoma, the
frenzied Bryan men in the convention this af-
ternoon shouted sang, marched and perspired