Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-06-29

Denver, June 2S.-This city took to-
day it's last political Slumber for at
least q fortnight to come. The Demo-
cratic politicians of prominence who
have already arrived for the national
convention of next week left this
morning for a pleasure trip into the
mountains. BY the time they are all
on the ground once more tomorrow the
advance guard of the state delegations
will be here or on their way and there
| vii, be an ever-increaSing activity I'M
til the curtain has been rung down on
the final scene of the Democratic Ma
| tional convention.
The Bryan men We're today highly
| pleased with the ease with which
| Theodore Bell of California was yes
terday named temporary chairman.
| There We're reports before Mr.. Bell had
been selected that a fight was to be
made on him by Thomas Taggart,
| chairman of the national committe,
and Roger sullivan, the national COM
mitteeman from Illinois, but the prom
| Used struggle did not materialiZe. This
fact was taken by the Bryan men to
mean that all opposition to the wishes
of their leader had disappeared, or at
least will be of only comparatively
slight influence throughout the con-
| vention. They are now counting con-
| fidently on the selection of Henry ID.
| Clayton of Alabama for permanent
| chairman.
No particular opposition has been
made to Mr.. Clayton. Other names
| have been mentioned, but none from
| the South, save that of Senator Jo-
| serh H. Bailey OF Texas, and it seems
| to be practically certain that he will
| not be able to attend the convention
| because of i'll health. 1t is known that
| Mr.. Bryan desires a permanent chair
man from the South and the Bryan
| men believe that with Senator Bailey
| eliminated no other man than Clay
| ton will be considered.
Very little talk has 50 far been heard
| from concerning the platform. It is
generally understood that in the event
of the Bryan people securing control
of the resolutions committee the decla
ration of principles will follow close
| ly the pankS of the Lincoln platform.
The Vice Presidential situation from
the present outlook offers the greatest
encouragement to that class of dele
gates VINO is looking always for excite
ment at a political convention. Unless
the nominee for the first place on the
| ticket should demand of his friends the
selection of a running mate on whom
he may have set his heart. the indica-
| tons would seem to point to numerous
| ballots in the completion of ticket.
| That frequent balloting and spirited
contests are wonderful features in Gre
atinc enthusiasm is asserted by DEM
| Ocratic leaders now here and they are
looking forward to a scramble over
| the Vice Presidency. particularly if
nominate for the Presidency is made
| on the first ballot
A well-fought contest to the finish
over any question which interests the
delegates, it is asserted, engendrrS
good feeling and harmony. The dis
| position of the party leaders, there
| fore, is to invite rather than discour-
| age prominent Democrats to enter the
| race for second place on the national
| ticket
The present prospects are that there
will be no dearth of candidates for the
Vice Presidential nomination. Some
of the names now heard are those of
| SIRE or would not take second place.
| They will have warm friends in the
convention. nevertheless. who are like
| ly to make friends for them if Mr..
Bryan should be named and fail to
voice his preference for n running
mate Among those are Gov Johnson
of Minnesota, and Judge George Gray
of Delaware, both of whom will figure
| a
That both of these men would prefer
not to be thought of in connection with
the Vice Presidency and in fact might
go so far as to positively decline in
advance to qualify if nominated APP
parently has failed to eliminate them
from the list Of possibilities.
The argument in favor of both John
son and Gray is their unquestioned
popularity in the communities where
they live and the fact that they could
be expected to appeal to conservative
business interests. Gov. Johnson is
serving a second term as the chief
executive of his state. He was the
editor and publisher of a newspaper
in his state when he entered public
life and is not a lawyer. 1t is well
known that Judge Gray would much
rather not enter upon a campaign for
the Vice Presidency.
The names of five New York men
are looming up conspicuously in the
pre- convention gossip over the Vice
Presidential situation. These are Nor
gan J. OBrien, former chief justice
of the New York supreme court. Her
man L. Metz, city comptroller Of
Brooklyn, former Representative
Charles A. Towne. Lewis S. Chanler,
Lieut. Gov. and Representative Francis
Burton Harrison. The two latter are
young men and have been successful
in politics.
Mr. Towne formerly of Minnesota,
has made a reputation in the East and
West as a strong campaigner. Judge
O'Brien is an intimate friend of Judge
De-, II H.