Omaha daily bee., 1912-06-26
BRYAN Defeated
IN FIRST ROUND
At CONVENTION
Nebraskan Fails to Secure Tenn
porary Craftsmanship Against
Former Judge Parker.
DEBATE CAUSES WILD DISORDER
Vote Five Hundred Seventy-Nine to
Five Hundred and Ten.
KEYNOTE SPEECH INTERRUPTED
Adjournment Taken and Night Ses-
sion is Held.
PRAYER BY CARDINAL GIBBONS
Great Audience Stands During Invo.
cation by Venerable Prelate.
CROWD SLOW IN GATHERING
Chairman Mack Calls for Order at
Adjournment Taken and Night Ses-
sion is Held.
PRAYER BY CARDINAL GIBBONS
Great Audience Stands During Invo.
cation by Venerable Prelate.
CROWD SLOW IN GATHERING
Chairman Mack Calls for Order at
I2,I6. hut Business Does Not
Begin Until After Half
Past Twelve.

BALTIMORE, June William Jen-
nings Bryan lost his first fight for pro-
gressive control of the democratic ma
tiona convention today when he was
defeated for temporary chairman of the
convention by Alton 3. Parker
Mr.. Bryan first nominated Senator Kern
to oppose Parker. The latter declined the
honor and named Mr., Bryan to make the
fight. The Nebraskan made an eloquent
plea FOR the cause he had represented
for sixteen years" but It was unavailing.
The debate preceding the roll call threw
the convention into wild disorder.
3 At S:25 the night session was called to
order and Temporary Chairman Parker
resumed his speech. which had been sus-
Iended by the disorder of the afternoon
session.
slow In Assembling.
But a scattering attendance appeared
In sthe galleries at s O'Clock. the hour set
for converting the convention. There were
hundreds of vacant seats in the dele
gates section. The delegates who We're
In thtir seats gathered in little groups
and hum of converse tion swept the hall.
+ The band was anxious to please and
diifted from Moonlight Bay" to the
overture from William Tell" shortly
after o'clock the secretaries and stenog-
raphers took their places on the plat
form, Scattered handc'apping greeted,
Chairman Parker as he made his way
up shaaraaale aaislea through the groups
OF delegates.
The soft rain that fell at intervals all
day set In ngain toward nightfal!. adding
to the humid heat and the atmosphere OF
the hi was oppressive,
At SIG o'clock Normal T. Mack eli nbed
the stairs to the stage and conferred with
parllamentarian Crisp and Judge Parker.
AT S:25 o'clock Chairman Mack drorpnd
his gavel and the night session was on.
The vote on temporary chairman was:
Parker 51g; Bryan, $40,
Judge Parker was escorted to the plat
form by Senator stone of Missouri,
Senator Lea Of Tennessee and Judge West
colt OF New Jersey, amid continued
cheers.
Tho convention adjourned until
o'clock tonight without Judge Parker
finishing his speech
Proceedings In Detail.
A last desperate effort to avert the
bitter factonal fight was made by the
Bryan forces when the democratic con
vention took UP the problem of selecting
a temporary chairman today. So sharp
did, the lines divide that Mr.. Bryan i,nf.
self became a candidate for the ten
porary nhairmanship
After Bryan had made speech nomi-
mating Senator Kern Of Indiana and at
tacking Alton b. Parker, Kern took the
stand. He made plea for harmony,
asked Parker to join him in withdraw
ing from the contest for temporary chair
man and substituting any one of a list
OF several men. After waiting in vain for
a reply from Parker. Kern, himself,
withdrew and nominated Bryan.
Again Bryan took the platform He
accepted the nomination and the lineup
for the final struggle was complete.
The doors of the convention hall opened
at 10 o'clock. A heavy rain was falling
and Il was a full hour before there was
any considerable number of arrivals. At
II o'clock the seats set apart for dele
gates and alternates were empty and
(Contipued on Page Fiye.)