The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-03-07
For the Democratic Presi-
 dential Nomination
BY MINNESOTA DEMOCRATS
Bitter Fight at Democratic State
 Committee Meeting.
xhe Bryas Faction are Not satisaed With Result and win Carry Essht to tAs stats
 Convensien.

Ht
 st. Paul. Minn.. March e.-rhe Dem ocratic State Committee of Minnesota. this afternoon, after a bitter fight. adopted a resolution endorsing Cover nor John A. Johnson, of Minnesota, for the Democratic Presidential nomination and recommending that he be named Dy the National Convention at Denver next July.
 Asth meeting of the committee was provided over by Frank A. Day, private secretary to the Governor, and who vot- ed for the Johnson resolution on every test and on the final ballot. the action of the committee this afternoon is nsid by political leaders as placing the Governor formally in the race for the Democratic Presidential nomination.
 The Johnson resolution was carried by a vote of sg to g, after the Bryan adherents had forced two test votes. on both of which they were defeated. The Bryan men insisted on roll call on every vote and gave notice in their speeches on the original resolution that they would not be bound by the action of the State Commfttee. but would make fight throughout the State for delegation from Minnesota to the Nas tional Convention instrueted Tor the nonnination of Mir. Bryan. Moreover. meeting of Bryan adherents, held at the Ryan Hotel immediately after the ad- 1ournmenk of the State Committed. formed a Bryan organization which proposes to carry the contest against Johnson into every precinct of the. State.
 The state Conventia@.
 The State Committee this afternoon besides adopting the Johnson resoin- ff0n, voted that the State Convention elect delegates to the National Ccnver- ton should be held in St. Paul on May it- The matter of calling ecn- vsnfEon to nominate state oficers was lest sfo s consnaittes of five to be ap- pointed by state Chairman Frank e. bay. The meeting Of the committee today wA stfe most largely attended in the history of the Demoeraklc Party in BEinh1eotp word having been sent te s7f s8@1vsssSf3 4fAf m s68eaukion enM1989 Ing Johnson would probably be offered: ! Of the 102 members. nTuatgStwp were present. or were represented by proxies.' Several proxies were thrown out on a technical point. though on only one proxy. contest was there any tndica- tlon of the Johnson-B Bryan fight. This was on the proxy held by James Man ai1an of st. Paul. who Is conducting the. suit before the Interstate Commerce Commission against Pullman rates.
 MT. Manahsn is a personal friend of Mir. Bryan and is recognized as one of the Bryan leaders In this State. He came to the committee holding proxy for the membe from Itasca County, which he had received from T. T.. Hud- son of Duluth, Democratic National conanlitteeman. Mir. Hudnon had re- eeived the proxy by wire from the Ttasca County member. The commit tee on proxies ruled that proxy could not De transferred. Thus Mir. Manahan was prevented from taking ; part in the meeting.
 The State Committee was called to order ahortTy. after noon by Chairman. Day. who made brief speech oongrat- ulating the Democrats of Minnesota on recent victories in Minnesota. and clos ing with the statement that in spite Of feuds and jeaiousiss all Democrats would abide by the action of the party.
 The Committee on Proxies was then appointed. and a recess of five minutes ordered. The Proxy Committee. how ever took so much time in making It's report that the committee was not called to order again until 1880 o'clock.
 Endorsememt for Johnson.
 After e resolution to hold the state Convention in St. Paul had been adopt ed, Martin o'Brien of Crookston. who was member of the Populist state Committee in 1sss, offered resolution endorsing Governor Johnson for the Presidency. The resolution follows:
 "Governor John A. Johnson has twice brought victory to the Democs racy of Minnesota. During his incum- bency of the office of Governor, more reforms have been instituted and more remedial legislation adopted than dur ing any period of time in the history of our State. He has been controlled only by the public interests. His men, taIity, restless energy and sound judg- ment, united with his unimpeachable integrity, made him the embodiment of the best spirit of tho West, an ideal American citizen Confldential1y be- Iieving that his nomination as the cam a didate of the party for the Presidency would bring to our support the eiecto- ral votes of all the States within ths MsssIssippi Valley and thus secure tri- umph. we respectfully present to the Democracy of the nation the name of the Hon. John A, Jonson as a candi- date for President of the United States and recommend to the Democrats of Minnesota tha tthey cause his name to be presented to the National Convention ct Denver for nomination."
 The presentation of the resolution immediately precipitated a contest and though tt was evident from the. start that the resolution would carry. the Bryan men insisted on fighting every inch of the way. After a long and at times a acrimonious debate. the Bryan men forced a vote on two resolutions. one to lay the Johnson resolution on the table and one endorsing the caudi- dacy of Mfr. Bryan. Though they were overwhelmingly defeated on both reso- lutions, the Bryan men made the mem bers of the committee so on record by insisting on . roll call. not only on the original Johnson resolution but on the two minority resolutions. The official count which slightly differs in each case from various private tallies. Is as follows:
 On the motion to lay the Johnson resolution on the table; yeas 24; noes ss.
 On the resolution endorsing Bryan; yeas iS; noes es
 On the resolution endorsing Johnson: yeas 6s; noes 23.
 Debate la Opened.
 The debate was opened on the John son resolution by Jay La Due of Rock County, who said that as a friend Of Governor Johnson, he desired to save him from the certain results of adop-