The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1912-07-05
CLARK GAINS BIG
LEAD IN VAIN
HAS $40 VOTES TO WILSON'S 3s4
WHEN TWELVE BALLOTS
HAVE BEN TAKEN.
Stubborn CONTEXT In Democratic Con.
yentIon, a Dozen Ballots Being
Taken Without Result, Clark
Leading on Each Ballot.

Baltimore.--After a day and night
OF confusion, during which twelve bal.
lots were taken for the Democratic
presidential nomination, the conVen-
ton adjourned at 1905 o'clock Satur-
day morning until O'Clock Saturday
afternoon, Adjournment was taken
when many of the delegates we're
asleep in their seats, following the
twelfth ballot, the motion to adjourn
being carried without many of them
realizing vote was Asing taken
Champ Clark made signal gain on
the tenth, when New York's solid
block OF ninety votes went to him, his
total reaching RICH water mark of
oo6--a clear majority, but 10 votes
short of the necessary two-thirds to
nominate. On the eleventh and
twelfth ballots Clark fell away to $50
and $40
Governor Wilson held his forces
steadily together and during the
nights voting there were but slight
fluctuations in his totals. Votes lost
In some delegations were made up in
others. Mr.. Wilson's last total was
354.
Governor Harmon on the last ballot
dropped to 80 votes, cast by members
OF the Ohio delegation. New York's
desertion brought the Ohio executive
down.
The long night and early morning
session was marked by several noisy
demonstrations. The first came from
the Clark adherents when New York
shifted to the speaker. Then came
counter demonstration from the Will
son people when ten Wilson delegates
from Oklahoma declared they would
not be dragged into Tammany Hail."
The New York. vote. cast by Mr..
Murphy, was nearly always greeted
with mingled Kisses and cheers.
Leaders in the convention viewed
the situation with some concern when
the night session was adjourned. The
Clark strength seemed to have been
fully tested and he was still far short.
Governor Wilson did not make the
gains that his managers expected.
There was a report at adjournment
time that the New York delegation
had agreed to vote for Clark only on
the three ballots, giving the speaker
full opportunity to display his great.
est strength. 1t also was said that
New York would go to Underwood.
This will serve as a further test of
the ability of Wilson to hold his votes.
II he continues to do so, New York
eventually may go to him. The Clark
people assert they have sufficient
rock ribbed" votes to prevent the
nomination of any other man.
The situation was apparently as bad.
iy mixed as ever as the tired delegates
left the convention shortly before day.
break Saturday morning to seek
little rest before going on with the
struggle in the afternoon.
The Clark managers iubilautly
claimed that every Democratic candi.
date who ever reached a majority in
the conventions always succeeded in
eventually getting the required two
thirds.
The results of the roll call I'D to
the tenth were discouragingly similar.
None of the leading candidates made
any material gains or losses.
The long predicted break IN the
New York delegation came in the
tenth ballot, when Leader Murphy an
nounced eighty-one of the ninety
votes from that state for Clark. He
got no further when great demon, |
stration broke out among the spec.
tators, delegates and friends.
While it was in progress there were
several fistic encounters on the floor |