Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-06-29

Baltimore, June 27.-The Judson
Harmon presidential boom got fatal
jolt at the Democratic National Con-
vention last night that pushed it to
its lettering and expected fall.
II the Governor of Ohio allows his
name to go before the convention as
a candidate for the nomination-and
his friends last night advised the with
drawal of his candidacy-he will do
so with a divided delegation from his
home State
Unit Rule is Dead.
The attempt to jam the Anticipated
unit rule down the throats Of the del
egates, thereby preventing the people
of the districts from expressing their
will. met with signal and complete
failure.
1t is dead; the Democratic party
has outgrown it.
Mayor Newton ID. Baker, formerly of
w Va, now OF Cleveland,
assisted by Representative Robert l..
Henry, of Texas. won notable vic
tory for the right of the people to
speak for themselves.
Baker is thus enabled to carry out
the pledge which he made to the peo-
pie who elected him, and along with
him eighteen other delegates from the
Buckeye State are set free
Old Guard Fought Stubborniy.
The result is a sledge hammer blow
to the Harmon candidacy, which can
best be appreciated by the stubborn
manner in which his friends, together
with those of the old guard, fought
against the adoption of the rule of
freedom.
Not only did Baker and Henry win
the fight for the Ohio delegates, but
for other delegates whom the unit rule
gagged.
Big Wilson Demonstration.
Second only to the abrogation of the
unit rule last nights turbulent SEES
sion, was the 32-minute demonstra-
ton in favor of Gov Woodrow Wilson,
started unintentionally by a Harmon
tie, John Weld Peck, of Cincinnati,
who by mere referense to the New
Jersey Governor, and without mention
ing his name, threw the convention
into hysteria, which nothing could
stay until the cheering throng had
howled itself into hoarseness and was
obliged to desist from sheer exhaus-
ton.
The tribute to Wilson was especially
noteworthy in view of the fact that
the convention was getting itself into
position whereby the elimination of
the time-honored unit rule, it was pre-
pairing to take nineteen delegates
from the scant Harmon delegation and
allow the delegates from Ohio to place
them where they desired, namely in
the Wilson list
This was decidedly a pro-Wilson
night, expressive of the growing senti-
ment which has been manifested for
the Jersey executive throughout the
day.
Wilson to Gain Elsewhere.
Not only will Wilson be the gamer
as far as Ohio is concerned by the elm
nation of the unit rule, and Harmon
the corresponding loser, but Wilson
will also make gains thereby in other
States.
Also the vote showed that the Champ
Clark forces are wavering. State af-
ter State where the delegations are in
structed for Clark either lined up
against the unit rule or divided their
delegations.
For the most part the delegates who
voted to sustain the rule compromised
those who had stood with the old
guard for the selection Of Parker.
Those who last might broke away
from the alignment of yesterday were
the abrogation of the unit rule. Evil
dence that Speaker Clarks friends had
becom frightened was manifested
when his ten delegates from Oklahoma
who voted solidly with the Wilson men
for Bryan were held in line last night
for the continuation of the unit rule.
Theirs was almost the only instance
where those who had voted for Bryan
last night switched in favor of the
maintenance of the gag rule.
Fight Conferred About Ohio.
The fight over the question center
ed about Ohio, for it was in that dele
CATION that nineteen men, led by the
mayor of Cleveland, were struggling to
free themselves. For nearly three
hours Ohio held the center of the stage
and when the vote was finally an
nouneed it showed that the mayor had
won his fight, sos IL to 400 IL with
the remainder of the delegates not
voting.
The resolution abrogating the unit
rule reads:
"In recognizing a State on the roll
call the chair shall enforce the unit
rule enacted by State convention, ex-
cept in the case of such States as
have by mandatory statute provided
for the nomination and election of
delegates and alternates to national
political conventions in congressional
districts, and have not subjected dele