The Washington herald., 1912-06-26
Den1ocrats See Parker as Temporary Chairman

shouts for Parker. The chairman raped
for order.
I And I assume that no friend Of Judge
] Parker's will contend that he was salts
fed in 1908 with either the candidate or
| the purposes Of the party. ! remind you
| that this Is not a question where personal
/ ambition or personal compliments are up
! permost. We are making history to-day
land the convention is to announce 70
/ the country when we take up the chal-
lleuge thrown down in Chicago by a con-
yentIon ruled by great wealth or answer
them by not giving our party control.
We need not deride ourselves that that
which is done in a national convention is
done IN secret.
''If every member OF this convention en-
tered into an agreement cf secrecy we
stin are under the eyes of these repre-
sentatives Of the press, who not only
know what we do. but why We do II. and
who told us to-
And the delegates Of this convention
must not presume on the ignorance Of
convention because they did not have
money enough"
Kern Proposes Compromise.
Then came John w. Kern. Of the olive
branch Of peace. He asked a hearing
when Mr.. Bryan closed and then said:
II believe that by forty years OF service
to my party, have earned the right to
such a hearing at the hands Of the DEM
ocratic party"
He recited his long friendship for Judge
Parker, his campaigns in his behalf. and
added:
Il have as the greatest desire Of my
heart a Democratic victory. I believe
that every other Democrat Is as earnestly
deslrous of Democratic success as l am.
There are 100000 Democrats in this
country. Is there a man here who does
not desire harmony in this convention?
Il am going to appeal here for the
kind Of harmony that will bring victory.
MY friends, Judge Parker sits before
me in this convention. He is represent
| ing the National Committee and I thank
! God, not any faction, but a portion OF
! the party.
eff. my friend will Join with me now.
and he's in the section Of a temporary
| chaIrman-lf he will Join me in sug-
gesting that great man Bryan, this dis
cord will cease.
viii Judge Parker meet me on this
ground. which means victory or defeat?"
Parker Makes No Reply.
There was no Parker reply, and Mr.
Kern went on:
You will not aid in attaining victory
by deriding the man who led you in
three campaigns. You may put him TO
the wheel and you only grleve the six
million men who would gladly die for
him. You may kill him, but you'd COM
NIT hOm!c!de-you would commit sui
eide.
II there is to be no response. then
let the responsibility rest where it be-
longs. II Alton B. Parker will come
here and join me In this request for
him, his name will be among the most
honored OF American Democrats
IF this is to be a contest between the
people and the powers: If It is TO be a
contest filled with strife-a contest
which I may say may not take place.
il will be a contest too great for me to
lead. II this deplOrable battle must go
on there Is only one man fit to lead
it-that is the man who has been at the
forefront for sixteen years
The leader must be worthy OF the
cause, and that leader must be William
Jennings Bryan"
Bryan Again Speaks.
Mr.. Bryan came at once to speak.
Mr.. Bryan said that he felt the condl- |
tions were such that he could not honor |
ably accept the position. went 10 Sen !
ator O'GOrman and urged him TO accept /
this nomination. and then he appealed .
to Senator Kern 10 accept il. he said
I have tried 10 get the committee to |
agree upon progressive, and when It did |
not agree upon a progressive l went to |
the man who received the second largest
number OF votes, but he could not decide |
TO accept the leadership. Then appealed |
10 Mr Kern TO accept It. But II no other |
progressive appears l shall accept the |
leadership and let you express through me
your advocacy or opposition to what We
have fought for for sixteen years"
Theodore E. Bell, Of California, sue
ceeded to the stand. He referred TO the
fact that at the Denver convention he
was permitted the privilege Of presiding |
as temporary chairman.
And 1 am here to-day" he said and /
I stand to-day for the same kind of
Democracy that ! stood for at Denver.
4 would not have been selected for
that position unless my Democracy had .
received the stamp OF approval OF the
Democratic party"
Calls for Bryan.
There came a storm OF Bryan calls.
When the vote is cast for the gentle
man from New York, it will be cast by
hundreds Of friends of the gentleman
from Nebraska not in the belief that he
represents any sinister methods at work
In American politics.
The Democracy OF Alton B. Parker
has stood the severest test that can come |
TO man
Again the Bryan delegates broke in
with ieers and calls. 4
Mr.. Bell tried to tell about Judge Park
er campaign four years ago for Mr !
Bryan. 1t was hard for the speaker.
i want to know what change has II
come over the Democracy Of Alton B. Il
Parker in four years?'' he demanded.
The country does expect this conven- II
ton 10 adopt a progressive platform and
10 place upon that platform a man not
n harmony with its teachings"
A Pennsylvania delegate moved TO