The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-06-27

other time, and many wise persons
predicted his nomination on various
ballots, ranging from the first to the
third. The Wilson people were aware
of this commanding position of Clark
and they worked early and late to get
sufficient support to secure a two
fifths of the convention that shall
stand out against Clark for such time
as it may be necessary.
On a rock bottom basis the Wilson
people have not a two-fifths vote in
the convention. They lack quite some
votes of controlling that useful minori-
ty. The number is approximately
hundred. So the Wilson people hur-
ried about and formed all alliances
they could in the effort to get enough
nomination of Clark on the first bal
lot, and Mr. Bryan helped. deftly boil
ing the waters now and then.
The plutocrats and their handy men
and many others, not identified with
the Ryan outfit, but sincerely for
Clark, planned and combined and fuss
ed and fumed and thought up plans
and threw plans down, and generally
had most annoying day.
Clark in Sharp Scheme.
The real plan was to push Clark
over on the first ballot. In this the
Hearst Murphy combination, the cele-
brated triple alliance of Murphy, Sui
livan, and Taggart, most formidable
partnership, controlling 17S votes, and
various others, both limited and I'M
limited, were invoked and prayed
with and coaxed. Various ingenious
schemes were evolved. One contem-
tons. 1t was proposed to introduce
rule in the convention that shall not
allow any delegation to change its
vote until after the roll call has been
completed. This is fine politics of the
real Machiavellian brand, for it raises
question as to just what instruc-
tons mean.
For example, suppose a state is in
structed for Harmon, and, on the first
roll call, votes for Harmon. Then, aft
er the completion of the roll call, the
chairman rises and says his delegates
have changed their minds and desire
to vote for Clark or any other candl-
date Does the fact that the delegation
voted on the roll call pay their instruc-
ton obligations and leave them free
to go as they will before another bal
lot?
Of course this looks like paying an
IL: htrf
are parlous times and politics Is an in
voluted and convoluted business.
Wilson Men Hunt Delay.
The Clark men and their newly
found friends are anxious to close 1T
all up on the first ballot The Wilson
men are equally anxious to remain In
baltimore for an indefinite period and
vote regularly for Wilson on every bal
bot. The other candidates are mostly
mattresses to fall on when it comes
time for them to fall. 1t is certain
progressive must be nominated.
Hence the query arises: Will the
convention take a Clark kind of
conservative, Clark being the one to
be taken, or will it demand the Wilson
kind of a progressive, the highest ex-
ponent thereof being Wilson? That
is the main contention.
The attempt to solve it might easily
bring a third man into active consid-
Grafton Perhaps it Will Nobody in this
town could make an Intelligent guess
on that Tuesday night.
BRYAN to Join Roosevelt.
1t was announced that Mr.. Bryan is
preparing, has prepared, or will pre-
pare, to announce his abandonment of
Clark. 1t is possible he may make that
announcement between the writing
and printing of this. Bryan has been
see-sawing between Wilson and Clark
for a long time, and in his speech on
Tuesday morning he mentioned them
both as having been acceptable TO him
at time previous to the selection of
Parker for temporary chairman.
There is a feeling that Mr.. Bryan
eventually will go with Roosevelt.
Many persons say he certainly will,
but one of Mr. Bryan's most marked
attributes is keeping his own counsel.
That, also, has been one of his weak
nesses. He has always tried to be his
own organization and depended on his
power to rally. his supporters into &C
ton by oratory rather than to have
them ready for action by organization.
Francis J. Heney saw Bryan, which
may or may not be significant, as Mr..
Heney is not averse to little publicity
now and then. and may have foreseen
a few paragraphs in the public prints
following sudden descent on Bryan
and Baltimore.