The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1908-07-06
NO PARAMOUNT ISSUE
Democratic Platform Will Differ
From 1896 and 1900.
SEVERAL PLANKS IN GROUP
ton for Equal Rights for All and
Special Privileges to None-Pre-
Convention Gossip.

ton for Equal Rights for All and
Special Privileges to None-Pre-
Convention Gossip.
Denver, July 6-The latest vice
presidential candidate to reach the
city is Colonel j. Hamilton Lewis of
Chicago, who, while making no ex-
travagant claims, admits that he would
not decline the nomination If the
friends who are pressing his candidacy
should succeed in landing the prize
for him. He says he will have sup
porters in Georgia, Virginia, Washing
ton, Idaho and other states. Mr., Lewis
pronounced unequivocally for Bryan
and on the subject of the platform
declaration on injunctions said:
"As to the injunction plank l must
insist that the Democratic party must
remain where 1t put itself in 1896 and
1900 and, by ratification, in 1904. We
should repeat the platform and take
no step which would imply apologies
for the past or indicate a mere bid for
tion as a principle and should let the
matter rest there. The plank should
stand as it has been stated"
There will be no pronouncement for
q paramount issue In the campaign, as
silver was made in 1896 and the indie
pendence of the Philippines in 1900,
but the intention is to include several
planks in a group SO as to give them
all equal prominence. This is in &C.
cord with Mr.. Bryan's idea that there
should be a general pronouncement
against favoritism to certain classes.
This he considers the tendency of the
Republican party and, believing that
II is manifest in the unfair operation
of the tariff, in the encouragement of
trusts and in undue friendliness to
railroad and other corporations, he
takes the position that to single out
either and label 1t as pre-eminent
would be to minimize other questions
equally important. Hence the resolu-
tions will be broad declaration for
equal rights for all and special priv
iIeges to none and it is believed that
this end can be attained by declaring
for reforms in the administration of
government in many directions.
Plans to ProIong Contest.
Plans are being made intended to
lop off the Bryan vote in the conven-
tion to such an extent as to prevent
his nomination on the first ballot, II
possible, through the application of
what is known as the unit rule of vot-
ing. With the first ballot out of the
way the opponents of Mr.. Bryan de-
clare that all instructions will then be
off and the convention can proceed to
nominating a ticket free from obliga-
tions to the Nebraska leader and in
the true spirit of Democracy in con-
vention.
Just how this plan is to be worked
out and put into operation and just
what will be its effect on the official
roll call are questions to which no
definite answer can be given, even by
those advocating the plan.
With the machinery of the conven-
tion in the hands of the Bryan forces
it is stated by his friends that 1t will
be impossible to carry out this plan
should there be objection to 1t. Notice
that 1t was being considered, however,
had the result to start the Bryan lead
ers to figuring and should 1t develop
In their opinion that the result would
be a gain instead of loss to the Lin
coin leader 1t might be decided to
make no interference. In this event
preeaution would be taken to make
sure that those states where Bryan
would make gains by the plan should
hold the necessary caucus on the ques
ton. as we'll as those where losses to
him might occur.
The suggestion that instructions are
fulfilled and may be abandoned after
the first ballot is also declared by Mr.
Bryans adherents to be theory and
not fact Instructions which have beer
given delegates to vote for Bryan
they contend, mean continued votine
for him until a nomination is made
The Bryan people regard the concep
tion of the plan to be rather the evi
dence OF a forlorn hope or effort thar
as an opposing movement fraught witt
danger to their success.