The Washington times., 1912-06-29
PLAN TO ABROGATE
TWO-THIRDS RULE
Chairman r>olds That Candidate With Majority Behind
Him Can Have Motion Put Before
Convention

demonstration which lasted more than
half an hour. ami In which every, .po-
litical expcdient TO start the lall rolling
Wilson men held tight ana Sc did the
Harmon and Underwood clans. Clarks
gain was only n little more than the
ninety voter that he recsived from New
York. With the subsequent ballots
expect. A few weary delegates, whose
nerves were frazzlpd by the long drawn
out conflict and the lateness of the
ho%r, vent oyer % Clark. But the
The fact that Tammany went over to
the support of Clark has alienated from
the Speaker many of his Western sup
porters. A number of them insisted that
they would desert If 1t seemed that the
Tammany vote was to be instrumental
In making the Speaker the nominee Of
the convention, but despite this fact the
Clark leaders insisted that today would
tell the tale, and that they would have
the Speaker. nominated before tomorrow.
Kern will not be made real candi-
date until 1t is absolutely demonstrated
that neither Clark nor Wilson can pe
nominated. The New Jersey governor s
stock was far above par today. The
stalwart fight that his managers have
made in the face of unexpected odds,
has brought support from unforeseen
sources, and there Is well defined
feeling among the delegates that he
mag yet be the dominant factor in the
convention.
Bosses Quarrel.
Roger Sullivan and Murphy 1t ls
known quarreled about Wilson. The Ii
Enois boss maintained that the New
Jersey executive would pull through the
tickets IN the doubtful States. He
pointed out the general feeling among
delegates that Bryan's real choice was
Wilson.
But Murphy held out against the pro-
gressive. 1t was understood that he
made 1t known that he considers Will
son dangerous. He has adopted a policy
Of anything to beat Wilson that has
caused dissension in his own State dele
cation. Powerful influences were toda y
at work to have the New York boss ac-
cept the New Jerseyman.
Murphy's opposition Is founded. 1t wa5
said, partly on the fact that Wilson ls
absolutely objected to by the men who
usually finance Democratic campaigns.
adjourned at 3:05 this morning was fully
remarkable as was that of the night
previous. The crowd was as large, de-
spite the fact that the heat was in
tense.
Big Demonstration.
The proceedings Jagged along until
Murphy started off the Clark demon
stration. 1t was followed a few minutes
later by fully as big rival show from
the Wilson camp. The followers of the
New Jersey governor took advantage
of the announcement made by Murphy
that he would not be "Tammanyized" as
their text, and the wild disorder of the
night before was repeated and In some
respects. at least, by the wildly deliri-
Twelve ballots had been completed
when the recess was ordered. The rec
ord had been two roll calls an hour
with an occasional delay that consumed
an entire sixty minutes because of the
challenging Of the correctness of the
announcement from certain States. But
delegates and galleries stuck It out to
the last. and when the recess was or
dered It was accepted on all sides as
meaning that the leaders themselves
now recognized that a deadlock that
would be hard to break existed.
Sullivan Favors Abrogation.
Roger sullivan. Illinois leader, said
today:
"Abrogation Of the two-thirds rule
would not surprise me. I discussed the
matter with Chairman James briefly
I expect the deadlock to be broken to-
day, and I believe Champ Clark has
the best chance for nomination of any
of the candidates before the conven-
ton"
Joseph z. Bell, delegate from In.
dianapols was insistent that Chairman
James could not abrogate the thirds
rule unless the convention voted so tc
do by two-thirds vote. Delegate Bel
said:
IF the convention were to abroga.e
the two-thirds rule the nominee would
be selected on the first ballot In fact,
Champ Clark Is now the candidate of a
majority Of the delegates. However.
am satisfied that no authority exists
under which the two-thirds rule can
be annulled except by a vote of two
thirds of the convention. Every dele
gate not supporting Champ Clark would
be certain to oppose the abrogation OF
the two-thirds rule, and, therefore.
do not look for such a move"
Charles Boeschenstein, new national
THE abrogation Of the two thirds rule
might be regarded as revolutionary.
doubt Vcly much that Chairman James
can find any authority under which the
rule can be annulled except by a two.
| thirds vote of the convention. But II
the rule we're abrogated a majority can.
didate SO selected might suffer from the
and party might fall to get out oi
| the nomination of a good candidate
such advantages as would otherwise
accrue"
ITS too stupid to discuss" wa.
| Senator Kern's answer when asked his
view of the suggested plan to abrogatt
| the two-thirds rule 1T would not bt
possible to change the rule. It would
| require two-thirds of the delegates
II" 1t Is too stupid for even thought
|