Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1912-07-12
FOR PRESIDENT.
WOODROW WILSON
FOR vIcE-PREsIpENT.
THOMAS R. MARSHALL
BY w. A. PATTERSON.

convention Hall,
blase individual without ar admission
ticket will tell you he would not go
II he had a ticket, las all national
conventions are alike"
1t has been my privilege to attend
q few national conventions. including
the recent Republican gathering at
Chicago, and the meeting Of the
Democrats at Baltimore, and I can as
sure you the convention held here,
which nominated Woodrow Wilson
for president, and Thomas r. Marshall
for vice-president, was different.
Writers, like delegates, receive in
st~ructions, and writer's, like delegates,
may not safely disregard these in
structions. I am going to try not to
disregard mine, which were to the
effect that / write, not a political news
~story" filled with opinions for or
against principles or factions or indi-
viduals, but a human interest story"
that side of the big meeting Of Demo
Gratis which the people at home"
would have seen had they been per-
mitted to attend, without regard to
the faults or virtues Of the %contending
sides, or the right or wrong Of the
different factions.
The Baltimore convention was one
Of those great gatherings which one
may witness but once In a lifetime II
at all; the kind Of a political gather
ing whose like has never before been
witnessed in this or any other coun-
try.
It was a battle Of political Titans-
two men-William Jennings Bryan,
three times the standard-bearer OF the
party, and Charles F. Murphy, the
recognized leader Of Tammany, prob
ably the most remarkable political or
g~anization this country has ever
known.
No sooner had Cardinal Gibbons,
clad in the rich robes Of his churchly
Office, pronounced the final words OF
the opening invocation on Tuesday
noon than the battle was on.
Mr.. Bryan's nomination Of Senator
Kern for the temporary chairmanshir
IN opposition to Judge Parker, the
choice of the national committee, was
but q feint. When Mr.. Kern. taking
the speakers platform, pleaded fol
Democratic harmony, and proposed te
Judge Parker that they both retire In
favor Of any one Of half q dozen mer
whom he named, MI. Bryan scored his
first tally. He had the opposition or
the defnsive for a time at least.
When Judge Parker declined to re
spond to Senator Kern's proposition
the senator retired and named Mr.
Bryan for temporary chairman,
move that YVES wildly welcomed BY
the New York delegation, as Mr.. Muir
ply was more than willing to try con
illusions with the Commoner on a di
rect issue.
The surprise Of the day was tn,
throwing the Clark strength to Parker
and 1t was that incident, happening
within an hour after Chairman Mack
gavel had called the convention Il
order, that produced the deadlocl
when the balloting for the nominee
began early Friday morning. 1t re
suited in the defeat Of Mr.. Bryan b.
q vote of 579 for Parker to $40 TO
Bryan.
The defeat of Colonel Bryan for tn
temporary Craftsmanship was a me
mentous event for the Democrats
party, and the leaders and the ram
and file of the party knew 1t when |
occurred. 1t was no longer a contes
between candidates. 1t was war t
the bitter end between Mr.. Bryan an
Mr.. Murphy. Both had accepted tn
gage of battle, and there would be n
compromise.
The change in the party alignmen
brought many surprises to the LAY
man, among them the swinging G
Theodore A. Bell of California, ten
porary chairman of the Denver col
vention of four years ago to the Mu
ply forces. Mr.. Bell led the oppositio
to Bryan, and did not hesitate in d.
manding that the Nebraskan, to whol
the Democracy had given three oppo
tunities, now step aside and perm.
other leaders to shape the course
the party.
After the vote Ex-Governor Pattiso
of Ohio expressed the feelings
many of the old leaders who had the
day voted against Bryan, when b
said:
1.-THE defeat Of Mr.. Bryan, necessar
though 1t was, was an occasion II
tears rather than cheers. He has bee
and Is a great man. but he has had h
opportunity, and must now step aside
That Tuesday night following II
defeat of Mr.. Bryan will ever renal
. memorable one in Democratic hi
tory. The great question Of that mig
a els 1t to be a bolt"
Among the leaders for the vario'
candidates, the Clark forces instant
realized that If the speaker was
i win he must do so in spite OF M
Bryan's opposition. The Wilson lea
srs knew they would have Bryan
support, but would 1t sufice? Lea
srs of other candidates were wondt
ing what form the alignment wou
take when the deadlock between Cla
and Wilson should be broken.
NJ prvou waa namad al a ynemb