Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1912-06-25
BRYAN LOSES FIRST FIGHT
FOR The CONTROL Of THE
DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION

Dixie brought out frequent outburst,
from the throng, who were waiting
impatiently.
The committee on convention ar
rangements had given the most prom
inent places to states having avowed
presidential candidates.
To the right of the main aisle and
directly in front was Missouri, home
state of Speaker Champ Clark. To
the left was New Jersey with Wood.
row Wilson as favorite son. Back
of Missouri came Ohio, with Cover
nor Harmon in the field. Back of
New Jersey was Alabama, home of
Representative Oscar W. Underwood.
Connecticut supporting Governor
! Baldwin, was next to Ohio. North
Dakota, nominating Governor Burke.
was no more favorably located than
Indiana supporting Governor Mar
shall, both being in fourth or fifth
positions from the front.
Convention officials began taking
their places on the platform a few
minutes before noon. The floor of
the convention hall was now wen
filled with delegations, but some OF
the notable ones-New Jersey. Mis-
souri, and Nebraska-had not vet ar
rived.
Mr.. Bryan and his brother, Charles
Bryan, and two friends, left for the
convention hall shortly before 12l
O'Clock. It was stated just as the
Bryan party left that there was moth
ing to say regarding the temporary
Craftsmanship. as present plans might
undergo a sudden change on the con-
vention floor.
Bryan slipped into the convention !
hall BY one OF the side entrances and
was on the platform some minutes
without being recognized by the wait
ing throng. He shook hands with
Cardinal Gibbons, who was waiting to
pronounce the opening invocation
and then took a seat well secluded
from the gaze of the crowd.
Bryan continued to screen himself
from the crowd and few knew he was
Up to that time Charles r
Murphy, Alton B. Parker and several
other conservative leaders still were
absent
Chairman Mack called the conven-
ion to order at 1916 p. m. and prac-
ically quieted the uneasy and noisy (
hrongs. Judge Parker entered the I
hall just after the pro-
had opened, accompanied
~ the New York delegation. There I
vas little demonstration. Continued '
disorder delayed the opening proceed Q
ngs and Chairman Mack appealed to c
delegates to take their seats and i
lear the aisles. 1
A Texas delegate with a stentorian
oice shouted to Chairman Mack that a
so delegates still were in line out n
ide the hall and that the convention
hould not proceed until they could Il
et in. At 1890 practically all the v
elegations were in place and ap-
eals were again made for order. p
The call for the democratic ma s.
onal convention was formally read y
t 1882 by one of the secretaries. n
ardinal Gibbons, in his brilliant scar
1t robes pronounced the opening in u
ocation, the entire assemblage O
landing with bowed heads. tf
Senator Kern entered the hall as
ne prayer closed and received II
'und of applause. e
Cheers for Parker. II
Chairman Mack directed the read n
lg Of the names of the temporary Of W
GERS. The first name-Alton B r
arker of New York, for temporary 81 p
lairman, was greeted with great ~
ave of cheering to which the ban0 y
ided its lively strains.
William Jennings Bryan rose sud
snly on the platform and was greet :
with immense cheering. Bryan 2
ood in the center Of the platform -
bile wave after wave of tumultous
Ieering swept over the hall. He mo- -
oned for silence. but the cheering -
,pt up. -
Bryan finally secured quiet and be- or
n speaking, placing in nomination w.
temporary chairman Senator Kern do
Indiana. The delegates rose, cheer =
and cWino fhofr hofcs Drxr,., -x,~1-l