Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-07-08


america"
NO MERCY FOR "ALL,Es."
Bryan Mon Ride Rough shod over op-
ponents.
Denver, July Sit Is a great pity,
to say the least, that the first session
of the democratic national convention
was marked by two unfortunate and
even disgraceful incidents.
One was the treatment accorded to
the Pennsylvania delegation, by which
they were all practically disfranchised
by the arbitrary ruling Of the tenn
porary chairman, and the other was
the marked lack of courtesy shown to
Alton B. Parker, the last democratic
candidate for the presidency.
Neither incident was one which will
reflect credit upon the Denver conven-
ton, but the cold blooded throwing
down of the Pennsylvanians was a
thing which would not have been toll
Grated in any rough house county con-
vention and even inexperienced politic-
ians are aghast at the action.
Without trial, without even SEM
blance of an examination into the real
situation, the entire Pennsylvania del
egation was deprived of all participa-
ton in the preliminary work of the
convention and was not even allowed
representation on the most ordinary
committees.
Bell Makes Bad Mess Of Il.
The presiding officer, Theodore A.
Bell, of California, made lamentablo
mess of his first public appearance as
a parliamentarian thru a ruling which
can not be sustained by any possible
theory of parliamentary law.
1t is not believed that any such ar
bitrary action can be found in the his
tory of any national convention in the
last quarter of century. and 1t Is nc
wonder the Pennsylvania people and
all those who do not belong to the rul-
ing element are astonished that such
action should be taken at the outset OF
what was promised to be harmonious
gathering.
The steam roller at Chicago, OF
which SO much was said, the despotic
rule of Speaker Reed in the house OF
or the domination OF
the emperor Of Russia over his newly
created legislative chambers was moth
ing compared to the short shrift which
was given to Guffey and his followers.
They were run over in defiance of ev-
cry possible rule of parliamentary law
and were deprived of rights which
were given to them by an overwhelm-
ing vote of the party. All this was done
without any debate and in fashion
which does not speak well for the fair
ness of the controlling element in the
convention.
How Guffey Was Downed.
To understand the situation as II
existed after the convention ad-
journed, 1t is necessary to give little
history of recent political events in
Pennsylvania. That state was con-
tested by the Bryan and anti-Bryan
forces The result was that Bryan
carried a majority of the delegates so
far as the question of his nomination
was concerned.
There was small bunch of dele
gates, however, whose seats We're con-
tested. Upon them depended the
question of whether Col "Jim" Guffey
should be returned as a member of the
national committee or not. If the Guf-
fey delegates were seated he had an
overwhelming majority of the delega-
ton in his favor, altho Bryan also had
a majority for the nomination This
was the situation IN . nutshell when
the national committee met on Mon
day.
Absolutely the first thing which
must be done before any convention
can transact business Is to prepare a
roll of delegates entitled to their seats.
This is the duty of the national COM
mitteee. 1t makes a preliminary ex-
animation Of all contests and decides
which delegates have prina facie
right to their seats. This was the oper-
alton which aroused the stories Of the
steam roller at Chicago because the
convention in that city moved like
clock work and there was not at any
time the slightest evidence of unfair
ness in its proceedings. The national
committee examined about 200 con-
tested seats. 1t decided every case and
thus established the roll of delegates
who were permitted to participate in
the temporary organization. Subse-
quently the convention itself, thru its
credentials committee, confirmed that
roll without single change.
Committee Gave Guffey Rights.
Exactly the same methods were
adopted here. The national commit
tee met Monday and appointed sub
committees to hear the contests in
Idaho, Illinois, New York, Pennsyl-
vania, Ohio, and the District of Col
umbia. Those subcommittee consid-
cred each contest on it's merit and
made report to the full committee.
The national committee as a whole
then went over these contests in turn
and accepted the decision of the sub
committee in each case.
The result was the creation Of a
temporary roll Of delegates, each one
of whom derived his authority from
his credentials as passed upon by the
national committee. Every delegate
was the equal of every other delegate,
and every delegation as a whole was
entitled to representa-
ton on all of the committees ap-
pointed at the beginning of the con-
vention to set the machinery in work.
ing order. This was the situation
when the convention met this morning.
The national committee had recog-
nized as regular the Guffey delegates
in Pennsylvania. This gave Guffey a
complete majority of the delegation
The Pennsylvanians met in caucus, as
did all of the other states and selected
members of the committees on resolu-
+;r.,c o.,,1os credentials and nOtifica.
lions.