The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1911-07-28
HARMONY PREVAILS
IN CONVENTION
Declares Democratic Principles Are
Winning Favor With Fair Minded
Men of All Parties.

braSka democratic convention, Wnlch
had been expected to place Nebraska
democrats on record, so far as con-
cerned their preference for a presi-
Dental candidate a year hence, failed
to express itself on candidates or of
fer concentrations for its own leading
For the most part it was peace
full gathering, once it was in session,
and the general harmony program
which leaders of various factions had
mapped out in advance was carried
out without a greater hitch than to
have an individual delegate ask the
convention to go on record as to pres
idential candidates, and being ruled
out of order by the chairman.
This result was accomplished with
out much preliminary caucusing, but
the result was satisfactory to every
body. Governor Harmon had a per-
sonal representative present at the
convention, but he soon made 1t plain
to the delegates that his principal bus
Iiness was to get acquainted and to
look over the western field. No at
tempt was made to present the name
of the Ohio governor for endorsement,
and Ben w. Chamberlain, who came
with credentials from the Ohio execu-
tive, stated that he was on the ground
in the interests of harmony within the
party as we'll as to note the feeling as
| to the candidacy of Governor Harmon.
The gathering was called under the
statewide primary law for the pur-
pose of adopting platform for the
candidates for state officers, three su-
lpreme judges, two university regents
an done railroad commissioner, being
selected by the direct vote of the dem
ocratic electors.
The leaders were in conference as
early as Monday morning, and until
an early hour yesterday they were
hopelessly divided. Representatives
of w. ]. Bryan and Mayor j.. C. Dahl
man of Omaha labored long to come to
an understanding, and it was not until
an agreement was reached to elimi-
nate mention of all individuals that
common ground was found on which
to stand The influence of United
States Senator Hitchcock was a fac.
tor in all the preliminary negotiations.
His wish was to unite all factions, and
he was eminently successful, so far
as the conventions actions were con.
cerned.
Chairman M. F. Harrington, who
previous to the gathering, had indi
Gated some opposition to Mr. Bryan
sounded the keynote of peace in his
opening speech. However, he permit.
ter Charles Wooster, delegate from
Merrick county, to offer a motion when
opportunity afforded that the conyen.
tion vote it's preference for a presi
Dental candidate. In doing so he
stated to the convention that Mr.
Wooster's motion was not unexpected
and that he would rule it out of or.
de- because the law provided that the
rank and file of the party should ex.
press that preference in open primary
| The convention was in an uproar
for a moment, but it soon subsided
and Mr.. Wooster was permitted to
state that the federal constitution pro-
vided for free speech and that he was
! exercising that right with no wish to
embarrass the party organization.
/ Although a liberal minority had
! favored action on the presidential can
didacy of Governor Harmon, the mat.
, ter was not brought up on the con.
vention floor A general nervousness
was evident from the moment the con.
vention was called to order and it was
! not relieved until the delegates were
permitted to give voice to their op.
position to any action to an endrose-
ment of candidates by practically
"howling down" Delegate Wooster.
The platform is confined to national
and state issues, on which all factions
are agreed. The name of W. J. Brayn
is not mentioned. nor is reference
made to policies he has heretofore ad.
vocated To reach an agreement on
these points the document was re
vised no less than three times. For
mer Governor Shallenberger was chair
man of the committee, with Richard
L. Metcalfe representing Mr.. Bryan
and Harvey N Newbranch of Omaha,
an avowed peacemaker. caring for the
! interests of Senator Hitchcock and
Mayor Dahlman's followers.