The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1908-05-12

with the exception of a clause written
by Michael DoughertH of Lancaster,
sympathizing with former President
Grover Cleveland in his present i'll
ness
This ambiguity or rather total lack
was observed by Charles E. Mason, of
Hamilton, an ardent supporter of Mr..
Bryan. Calling Judge Rockwell, Of
Portage, into consultation they went
over it together and came to the con-
clusion that it was too indefinite.
Later they went to Mayor Johnson,
and the three of them reached the
same conclusion.
JOHNSON AGAINST 1T.
When the proposition was made to
offer an amendatory resolution which
would cover the weak point Mayor
Johnson advised against it, saying
that it would be dangerous to attempt
any change. This advice was accept
ed. and the matter was quickly dropped
until after the convention. Yesterday
! it was again taken up by several
! prominent Democrats, who remained
over after the gathering, and all
agreed that it would require ruling
from the chairman of the national
convention to determine what the
resolution meant
Former Secretary of State Executive
! Committee William L. Finley be-
| lieves that all of the delegates are
| bound by the instructions to vote
for Bryan upon the first ballot, but
admits that their actions thereafter
is open to question. Himself victim
of the unit rule four years ago he
vividly remembers the contest be-
tween Moore and the Parker men
and the value of the unit rule clause
in the resolutions adopted in the
state convention.
The vote was close, devilish close.
Had it not been the Topping" of a
delegate from the nineteenth district,
NJ. M. Padgett, the Parker men would
have probably been defeated. Both
Judge Rockwell and Harvey G. CARRIER,
are of the same opinion as Finley.
Now, Mayor Johnson was also
participant in that memorable con-
test at st. Louis, and it strikes many
of the Democratic politicians as queer
that such an infallible person should
overlook a matter of such vital i'm
portanCe He knows the party law
from Alpha to Omega, and is a living
encyclopedia of its principles For
instance, he knew before any one
else did that Judge Harmon was not
orthodox upon certain topics. Like
Congressman Charles H. Grosvenor,
his magnificent memory enabled him
to remember things that never hap
pened.
Thus equipped the Cleveland lead
er no doubt knows that many wise
men in the United States have the
suspicion of a belief that perhaps
Bryan will not be able to get the ne
cessary two-thirds vote at Denver. 1t
is a remote prospect, but it exists new
erthelesS. 1t is also a matter of COM
mon property that if this should oc-
cur Bryan will still be strong enough
still further along this pathway Of
information, it is a matter of common
knowledge that Judson Harmon, of
Ohio, is regarded by members of
both wings of the party as available |
material for presidential candidate. |
MAY RALLY FOR HARMON
If there is a break up at Denver |
Bryan men everywhere stand ready |
TO go to Harmon if their leader gives !
but the nor. Now to return to the be-
ginning of this excursion into the |
fields of knowledge and take up hy-
pothesis. If the break should come
would all of the Ohio delegation stand
by Harmon? In other words, would
Mayor Johnson go with the majority
from this state?
If the unit rule was in existence
there is no doubt that he would. He
could not help himself any more than
he could help being voted for Park
er at st. Louis or Bryan at Chicago
in 1896.
But taking it for granted that these
resolutions do not carry the unit
rule, what then? Would there be any
bar against a delegate from the eigh-
teenth, nineteenth, twentieth or
twenty-first districts announcing the
name of that tribune of the common
people, Tom Leftin Johnson" as
a candidate from Ohio? No; by st.
Paul is it not known that Mayor
Johnson stands for the government
ownership of railroads? To be sure it
is.
Does not common report have it
that it was he who induced Bryan TO
put II into his Madison Square
speech upon his return from his world
tour? 1t does. Is he not the apos-
tie of the initiative and referendum
except for street-car lines? Certainly
There are other things to be con-
sidered in this connection. In the
state convention. after being defeated
upon the question of nominating
governor, Mayor Johnson remained
aloof from the making of the rest of
the state ticket for a time. Then he
suddenly got busy, and when the mat
ter of taking up the delegates at
large was reached he was extremely