The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-06-14
DEMOCRATS ALRE
TO ELIMINATE
and SHORTEN
friday for Wilson Nomination;
It's His Lucky Day.
1000 in st. Louis "tO Waste
Time" Hearing Speeches.
$4,000 FLAGS Distributed
Coliseum Transformed Into Sea
of Waving Flags.
Delegates Trying Hard to Scare
Up Row to Kill Time.
1000 in st. Louis "tO Waste
Time" Hearing Speeches.
$4,000 FLAGS Distributed
Coliseum Transformed Into Sea
of Waving Flags.
Delegates Trying Hard to Scare
Up Row to Kill Time.
(BY PERRY ARNOLDl

st. Louis, June 14.-Something over
1000 persons assembled here at noon
today to waste time, to speak and lis
ten to speeches for three days before
they do the one thing for which they
have been chosen. In other words, tie
Democratic National convention was
called to order by National Chairman
McCombs and started on it's oratorical
way toward the denomination of Will
son and Marshall.
1t was the women-suffraget
and the flags which furnished the
color TO the gathering today Demo-
Gratis seized upon flag day, which is
today, to arouse the crowd to a high
frenzy of patriotism. Nearly $1,000
flags were distributed to delegates,
alternates and spectators. At a given
signal two big flags will be unfurled
playing Star Spangled Banner, the
great hall will be transformed into a
sea of waving flags.
May Advance Nominations.
The women staged a silent demon
stration of their plea for the ballot.
For two hours the suffrage workers,
dressed in the white and gold of the
suffrage colors, lined the street for the
distance between the Jefferson hotel
and the Coliseum. They didn't say a
word-the idea was simply to bore IN
on the consciousness of the delegates
the fact that the women desired equal
suffrage. Because of the very fact
that the work of the convention is so
perfunctory, there was growing SEN
timent today among delegates that its
work will be hurried along.
There may be an attempt to ad-
vance the day of the nomination.
Delegates know there is only one can
didate for the presidential nomination.
They are perfectly willing to adopt
him, so why fuss and speachify and
take in the heat and pay big hotel
rates for several perfectly unnecessary
days.
The plan to consolidate several OF
the purely speaking sessions grew in
favor today with knowledge that
President Wilson regards unIucky Fri
day as one of his lucky days and
would be perfectly happy to be re-
nominated on that day.
McCombs's Swan Song First.
The original plan was to wait until
after midnight Friday night to put
through the national ticket. The PRO
gram for today's session was purely
routine. First of all, Chairman Nc
Combs sang his swan song as ma
tional chairman. Then he introduced
the temporary chairman, former Gov
ernOr Martln II. flynn OF new Ork
the keynoter.
The Democrats would like very
much to have some sort of a row JUS
to furnish a little excitement anc
make the convention seem more like
a Democratic gathering. But there
didn't seem today to be any occas
or issue to furnish a chance at bellig
erency-even the series of boomlet
for Roger Sullivan and Governor
Major as vice presidential nominees
have failed to show strength for rea
contest with Marshall.
Prize Fighter Doorkeeper.
National Committeeman Edward F
Goltra of Missouri has been the onl.
real belligerent Democrat in St. Loui
and he was sat down upon hard b.
the national committee, so nothing re
mains. Goltra tried to hold up tn
whole convention because he was no
given what he considered his shar
of tickets. but the committee simpl
''sicked" Charley White of the priz
ring on him-White being officia
doorlkeeper of the convention-an
Goltra faded away.