The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-06-12
PRELIMINARIES
ARE COMPLETED

Continued from Page One.l
vention program. The first session
will be held Wednesday. when the
temporary chairman will make the
keynote speech and the committees
will be appointed. The next day the
convention will hear the speech of the
permanent chairman and addresses of
prominent Democrats.
"On Friday there will be morning
session when the platform will be read
and adopted, and on Friday night we
will name the ticket"
Senator Stone on Scene.
National Chairman McCombs held
a conference with Senator William j.
Stone, who will be the chairman of
the resolution committee. Senator
Stone brought with him from Wash
ington certain drafts of the more ini-
portant planks that have been
sketched in some detail by President
Wilson and his advisers in congress
and in the cabinet.
The principal planks that await pre-
sentatien to the platform committee
are foreign relations, the Mexican sit
uation. preparedness and tariff. The
foreign relations plank will set forth
the unprecedented conditions that
have arisen as result of the war and
it will be pointed out that while Pres
ident Wilson has kept us from strife
I10 also mas maintained d nSutEdl1Ly
both strict and honest"
:. The plank on the Mexican situation
will develop that this question has
been approached with the idea of
keeping peace not only with the Mexi-
can republic, but to maintain peace
within her own borders
On the question of preparedness the
platform will assert that the party nus
met the demands of the world wide
situation by an advanced stage of pre-
paredness of the navy and the enlarge
ment of the army and the re-organiza-
ton of the national guard. The tariff
plank will point out that the reduc-
ton of tariff duties, so that the in
come from that source in normal times
would meet the needs of the govern
ment is an achievement of the Demo-
cratic party.
New National Chairman.
The national committeeman are
awaiting an intimation from President
Wilson as to whom he would prefer
as the chairman of the committee to
succeed McCombs, who has an
nounced his retirement. It is learned
that word has been sent to President
Wilson asking him to suggest the
name of chairman who would be
agreeable to him, that the new COM
mittee may act upon the suggestions
Immediately after the final session of
say that if President Wilson's choice
lies within the committee membership,
it proba bly, will be Vice Chairman Ho-
mer Cummings of Connecticut. Mr..
Cummings said that he was not a can
didate for the office but II called upon
would serve
A smart contest was anticipated be-
fore the committee today over who
should be seated as national commit
|teeman from Texas.
Thomas Love, formerly of Missouri.
has protested against the seating of
William Poindexter- There is also
trouble from far off Hawaii; a pro-
test has been made against the seat
ing of one of Hawaii's six delegates
and w. P. Jarrett has contested the
re- election of J. H. Wilson as national
committeeman. ..4-@
Not Contest in District OF Columbia
Four presidents of Democratic clubs
have entered a protest against the
seating of National Committeeman
to the convention from the District of
Columbia. Early trains brought scores
OF delegates and visitors to st. Louis
today and National Chairman Nc
Combs said there was every indication
that a tremendous throng would at
tend the convention.
This is a remarkable tribute to
President Wilson and the party" said
Mr.. McCombs, when one considers
that the convention lacks the alluring
feature of an exciting contest over the
head of the ticket
Suffs Have Silent Argument.
Mrs. Florence Updegraff, the suf-
fragist leader of New York, believes
that the Golden Lane in which several
thousand women, dressed in white
with yellow sashes and carrying yell
low paraSOls, will stand in silence on
both sides of the main street through
| which the delegates will pass on their
way to the convention is going to be
an effective argument for suffrage
This silent plea of the Golden Lane
Mrs. Updegraff says is to be in direct
contrast with the women's campaign
at other conventions where oratory
was relied upon to make their points.
Who'll Make Best Speech?
This is exactly what the Democratic
national convention will do.
1t didn't require the services of q
clairvoyant today to figure out the
program. Any one of the delegates
authority. The only point of interest
was exactly who would make the best
speech-and on that there was chance
for just a little debate. which chance
was fully utilized in the corridor
stateSmen's taJkfest.
ton was whether it was going to rain
in St. Louis the way it did in Chicago
yesterday having started in by be-
ing very moist.
In other words, Democracy is meet
ing this week for the first time in six
teen years with an absolute una
nimity of opinion on its candidate, its
platform and its campaign. Naught
but optimism pervades the city-even
the citizens themselves are optimistic
since it appears the city's lid is fitting
off Just a trifle.
If 1t were necessary, the Democratic
convention could accomplish every bit
of business before it in one three-hour
session. OF course. this would involve
considerable curtailment of oratory
, but there would be plenty of time for
any action. The only reason why the
conclave will be spread over three
days is because Democracy wants the
loyal st. Louis Democrats Who con-
tributed to the fund necessary to bring