The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1912-07-12
FOR PRESIDENT.
WOODROW WILSON
-R~a=a---
FOR VlCE.PRESIDENT.
THOMAS R. MARSHALL
BY w. A. PATTERSON.

Convention Hall, Baltimore-Th
blaso individual without an admission
ticket will tell you he would not go
II he had q ticket, as ali national
conventions are alike"
1t has been my privilege to attend
"A few national conventions, including
the recent Republican gathering at
Chicago, and the meeting OF the
Democrats at Baltimore. and / can as,
sure you the convention held here,
which nominated Woodrow Wilson
for president, and Thomas II. Marshall
for yire,presldent, was different.
Writers, Ike delegates, receive In.
atructiors, and writer's, like delegates,
may not safely disregard these In.
structions. ! am going to try not to
disregard mine, which were TO the
effect hat | write, not a political news
STORY filed with opinions for or
against principles or factions or indi.
viduals, but a human interest story"
that aide 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 c%ontendIng
sides, or the right or wrong Of the
different factions.
The Baltimore convention was n
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 amy other coun-
try.
It was a battle Of political ntans--
two men-Wiiliam 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.
ganization this country has ever
known.
No soone had Cardinal Gibbons.
clad in the rich robes of his churchly
ONCE, pronounced the final words of
the opening invocation on Tuesday
moon than the battle was on.
Mr.. Bryan's nomination of Senator
Kern for the temporary craftsmanship
in opposition to Judge Parker, the
choice Of the national committee. was
but a feint. When Mr.. Kern, taking
the speakers platform, pleaded for
Democratic harmony. and proposed to
Judge Parker that they both retire in
favor Of any one Of half a dozen men
whom he named, Mr.. Bryan scored his
frst tally. He had the opposition on
the dcfnSivc for n 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, n
move that was wildly welcomed by
the New York delegation, as Mr.. Muir
ply was more than willing to try con.
illusions with the Commoner on a a.
rect issue.
The surprise Of the day was the
throwing the Clark strength to Parker.
and 1t was that incident, happening
within an hour after Chairman Mack's
gayel had called the convention 10
order, that produced the deadlock
when the ballotinE for the nominee
began early Friday morning. It re.
suited in the defeat Of Mr.. Bryan by
q vote Of $40 for Parker to $40 for
Bryan,
The defeat Of Colonel Bryan for the
temporary Craftsmanship was a mo.
mentous event for the Democratic
party, and the leaders and the rank
and file OF the party knew It when It
occurred, 1t was no longer a contest
between candidates. 1t was war to
the bitter end between Mr.. Bryan and
MIR Murphy, Both had accepted the
gage OF battle, and there would be no
compromise.
The change In the party alignment
Brought many surprises to the lay