Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-07-04

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ak of the rs to Clark. Following
this National Committeeman Wood
announced that on the next ballot the
majority of the delegation would dc
sert Wilson.
The reactionary lines are holding
with unexpected frmness and the
looked for breaks In Illinois and
Washington have not materialized.
II was drip, drip, drip all day and
early in the night for Wilson with as
steady a slipping away from Champ
Clark. Throughout the early part OF
the night, there were no big breaks,
except one Of Is in Michigan. But the
speaker would lose one vote In one
state and two in another, while VIE
son would make virtually the same
gains.
Early in the day the jumps were
larger, but later the changes settled
down to two or three or four to
ballot.
Clark started with 469 in the morn
ing and 1t was not until the ninth bal
lot of the day, the first taken in the
evening session, that his vote had
settled to 433h. but then the decline
seemed impossible of being stopped.
Climbing Was Slow.
At the same time Wilson, VINO had
started at 1861, had gradually accu-
mulated strength. On the first ballot
Of the evening, the 39th of the con
vention, he had reached 4941s Four
more ballots, however. were required
to put him over the 500 mark.
The convention became nervous as
the balloting proceeded. The Clark
men kept hearing reports that Illinois
was on the point of breaking away,
and every time that the chairman OF
the delegation shouted "Clark So
round of applause came from the
speakers ranks.
Cheers greeted the first important
break OF the evening when Michigan
increased it's Wilson vote from IL to
q. ~
kilograms continued to pour in on
the delegates urging the nomination
of the New Jersey governor.
Clark Back In Baltimore.
Clark came to Baltimore in motor
car from Washington. He went to
the home of Mayor james H. Preston,
where he remained until late hour
at night and then returned to the cap
ital. Mayor Preston has a, we'll or
ganized boom for vice-president. The
purpose of Clark's visit to the mayor
Is not known, but until 1t was known
that he had left the city the crowd in
the convention refused to give up
hope that he would appear and start
something.
There was a disposition early in the
evening to believe that candidate
might be nominated. That hope went
glimmering after the Underwood
forces, following a poll Of their dele
gates, announced that they would
stand pat and Illinois, which had
been reported as wavering, decided
that 1t would not change from Clark.
The slow, vacillating rise and fall
of the vote of favorite candidates
throughout the day had increased the
steadily growing bitterness of the last
week, and at night match of offense,
touched to the excitement, would have |
set the entire convention ablaze.
1t was on this situation that many |
leaders based hopes of a final vote
was over. They argued that the weary |
tired by week of work,
would break from the hard and fast |
lines they have been holding and
throw enough votes to one of the can
didates to end the agony of suspense.
Delegates In Bad Humor.
AS the night wore on and ballet, af-
ter ballot vas taken wltnotr result,
the temper of the delegates grew
worse. Every shifting vote, every
demand for the poll of a delegate
awakened the bitterness that lay be-
heath the proceedings. Kisses, half
hearted cheers and jeers greeted the
lew changes in each succeeding bal
OTIS.
This spirit was also shown at times
n the audience. and the police were
orced to remove Offenders who be-
;ane involved in Quarrels.
The length Of the dseSlock is now
The Clark men say that they can
md win prevent the nomination OF
wilson. They say that while he may
each $50, that figure win be his abb
Iolute high mark and that, once
cached, Wilson, like CLARK, viii slide
Jack.
The Underwood forces are likely to
lold the balance OF power for "a
Iours. They have lost only two Of
he solid delegates, they being the
florida delegates who broke away.
The leaders AL agreed I'll midnight