The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-12-11
ST. LOUIS GETS CONVENTION,
DEMOCRATS PICK CENTRAL CITY
AS POINT FOR BIG POLITICAL
MEET.
National Committee Strongly Endors-
e. Woodrow Wilson for Re-elcction
as Prcsidcnt--Body to Gather June
IA.

cratic national convention OF 1916
VIII be held at st. Louis beginning
wednesday, June ii, at noon. The
Democratic national committee to-
night chose tho convention city and
adopted resolutions calling for the re-
nomination and reelection of Wood
row Wilson as the trusted leader of
national Democracy"
Chicago and Dallas contested with
81. Louis for the honor OF the con-
Vention but st. Louis easily led from
the start and won on the second bal
lot. When the trend of the voting
was seen, Texas moved that the
choice OF st. Louis be made unani-
nous. Dallas held second place on
the first ballot but was displaced by
Chicago on the second roll call.
The result Of the first ballot was:
st. Louis. 25; Dallas. IL; Chicago,
13. On the second ballot the vote
was st. Louis, IS; Chicago. 15; Dali
las. 8. The majority for st. Louis
was gained on this ballot, when John
Il. McGraw arose near the end of the
call and changed West Virginia's
vote from Chicago to the Missouri
city. Then the choice was made
unanimous. 1t has been customary
heretofore for national conventions
to begin work on Tuesday. The fact
that Tuesday fell on the 18th next
year may or may not have had some
thing to do with the determination
OF the committee to begin the pro-
ceedings day later. The official ex-
PLANTATION. however. was to the effect
that the convention would not re-
quire more than three or four DAYS
to complete Its work and 1t would
not be too late in the week to start
on Wednesday.
Political leaders in Washington
tonight regarded II as practically
certain that Chicago would be Sc
lected for the Republican convention
when the national committee of that
party meets here next Tuesday. The
date for this convention probably
will be late in June. Each Of the
three cities contesting for the De 40
cratic convention put in a bid Of
100000. St Louis placed in the
hands OF the chairman New York
drafts for that amount. Dallas Of
fered certified check. while Chi
caSo presented pledge from the
Association OF Commerce to con-
tribute StOQ.009 ON call of the treas
urer OF the Democratic committee.
The advocates OF st. Louis supple
mented their financial inducements
oy warning to the committee that
the convention was needed In Mis-
souri, to keep the Is electrical votes
OF that State in the Democratic col
unn. The delegation from Dallas
pleaded with the committee to re-
ward the loyal Democracy of the
south by sending the convention
next year TO a Southern State. The
Texas speakers were greeted with en-
thusiastic cheers by the members of
their delegation and the rebel yell"
50 'eral times interrupted the pro-
ceedings. Chicago based it's appeal
largely on its climate and it's known
ability to take care of convention
crowds.
The national committee was i'm ses-
sion almost continuously from 1880
n. m. until late tonight completing
details of convention arrangements.
discussing financial ways and means
for coming campaign and debating
various subjects of party interest.
The opening OF the session was
given the atmosphere OF love feast
when Thomas j. Pence OF North Car
olina. n protego OF Secretary Daniels,
was elected secretary and in a speech
OF acceptance declared reports of diff
ferences between him and National
Chairman McCombs were entirely
without foundation. He said that he
hod worked tremendously with Mr..
mcCom0s in the past and purposed
To work harmoniously with him in
the future.
Chairman McCombs also arose to
remark that the Democratic commit
tee would continue to work inde-
fatigably for the future success OF
the party. He declared there was
not a cloud on the Democratic hori-
zon and that II was the duty of the
committee 10 see that nor, should
gather.
The committee was confronted 10y
two contests which threatened for n