The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-06-26

truth, while it is easy to stampede
galleries at national convention, il is
uIfficult to stampede delegates. The OPP
Iortunity to get UP on a platform and
talk to fourteen thousand or so people
impressed itself on various spellbind-
ers and they got up On the platform,
entirely in the interest Of the freedom
CT speech, by the way, and talked not
to, but at, the fourteen thousand.
The fourteen thousand devised ways
of it's own to keep from hearing what
was going on.
Massmeeting, Not Convention.
OF course, all this time there was no
convention. The orators were speaking
to massmeeting, as no organization
had been perfected. Still, it was a large
audience and the freedom of speech
must be preserved at all hazards in a
democratic convention. Noting the
fact that the men who decorated the
hall had grabbed off George Washing
ton as the original Democrat, the
Democracy of that eminent citizen and
of Thomas Jefferson and loudly extoll-
ed and applied to the case in hand.
All of the orators took warning at Mr.
Bryan's slip.
Mr.. Bryan, pausing after an exceed
ingly complimentary reference to Sen
ator Kern, asked:
What better man can be named?"
and was promptly answered by about
ten thousand persons, who told him
loudly and persistently that Parker
was a better man, to Mr.. Bryans evil
dent annoyance.
Presently Mr.. Bryan confided that
he had tried to get Ollie James mad
Senator O'Gormon to stand for him in
the fight before he lighted on Senator
Kern. and that both James and O'Gor-
man had politely but firmly refused.
Wherefore, inasmuch as Senator Kern
seemed insensible to the high honor
which Mr.. Bryan sought to confer on
him, it became the bounden duty of
the subscriber, William Jennings Bry-
an, to take over the job himself, and
lie declared himself the leader in the
crisis, willing to lead until the crisis
had crised, and not committing him
self as to his actions after that.
RoII-CaII Scares Anti-Bryanites.
The anti-Bryan leaders grinned at
this. They had Mr.. Bryan where they
wanted him and they were anxious to
begin the roll call in order that he
might be shown his proper place,
which, in their estimation, was an in
conspicuous rear seat. The roll call
started off with Parker in the lead
Presently Mr.. Bryan began to come
along, and he came along to such an
extent that the anti-Bryan leaders, who
had thought to do some lusty shatter-
ing of the idol, wondered If the thing
would not work with the reverse Eng
fish.
They pulled through and Parker was
declared the choice of the convention
fer temporary chairman, while Mr.
Bryan remained on the platform wear
ing stern and rockbound expression
and exuded a few laments as to the
SAD and ultimate fate of his pet Dem
ocracy.
They made Parker's selection unani-
NOUS and the New Yorker came for
ward to speak. Not many persons
evinced a strong desire to hear him
keynote the situation and nearly every
body started to leave the hall. Think
ing it useless to keynote to fourteen
thousand people who were crowding
toward the door and wondering how
they would get home in the rain with
out spelling their clothes, recess was
taken until o'clock when Parker key
noted to the entire satisfaction of all
concerned, it was said.
Plan Deals For Delegates.
The night was one seeking for ways
and means. 1t is apparent that, with
the two-thirds rule, there must be
good deal of elimination before a can
didate can be selected. Numerous dis
cordant elements must be brought into
harmonious relations. The ticket must
be balanced skillfully enough to hold
the entire Democratic vote.
Big factors, which, although not
Democratic, are powerful in Demo
cratic politics, must be consulted. The
leaders have a hard job before them.
Bryan is there, not eliminated-not
one-quarter eliminated. He is powerful
and determined. So are his opponents.
Defeat can as easily come out of this
convention as victory. The Republican
party has no monopoly on internal dis
sension. The Democratic is as radical
in it's radical wing and as conservative
IN it's conservative wing as the Repub-
lican party. Harmony is fine theme,
but it is a difficult attainment. At this
writing Clark and Wilson are the lead
ing candidates for the nomination.
Neither has enough votes. Back of
them are numerous dark horses. 1t is
any mans convention as yet.