Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-06-16
MINORITY INSISTED ON
CONGRESS ACTING ON IT
Platform Was Adopted As Re-
ported by Committee, and
Convention Adjourned
BY Perry Arnold.

nlIeu EFtSS SLuII correspondent
st. Louis, No. June l6.--The com
plete harmony program for the demo.
cratic national convention was "bust-
ed wide open" today Harmony reach.
ed its climax near midnight when
President Wilson and Vice President
Marshall were re.nominated by acclama-
tion.
At o'clock, when the resolutions
committee was putting the finishing
touches on its report after go hours
continuous session, it was apparent that
at least one fight of that long grind
would be carried to the floor of, the
convention. -.' ''5 -V.-'-a
This was in relation to woman sNf.
frage, The committee fought out the
equal ballot pledge for hours 1t defeat
ed, 20 to 90, plank for a straight
out declaration in favor of federal
constitutional amendment to give wo-
men the vote. 1t adopted by vote Of
25 to 20, the following statement:s
''We recommend the extension of the
franchise to the women of the country
J by the states, upon the same terms as
lmen.'i
This substitute was entirely unsatis.
factory to the suffrage workers. 1t was
regarded by them asea mere subterfuge
- a "passing Of the buck' to the
states. The workers for straight out
suffrage endorsement were indignant
and openly voiced their declaration OF
offering from the floor substitute
which would commit the party to open
and complete accord in constitutional
amendment granting extension Of the
ballot.
Committee Won Out.
1t was a motley crowd Of politicians
and statesmen who wound up their plat
form building early this morning. The
room on the second floor Of the Planters
hotel in which they met was a sight "a
behold. Its floor was Uttered with
dead and stale cigar stumps, with pa
per, matches and debris; the air hung
heavy in the bright morning sunlight
with the smell of sweaty bodies and
putrid cigar smoke. Members Of the
resolutions committee themselves were
lfrazzled-their eyes trimmed with red
from the long tense debate their faces
|
and their voices hOarse with excitement
and straining in the constant argument
and debates Nobody's temper actual
! ly broke down, but there were some
near casualties. Not since O'Clock last
night has either Senator Hollis of New
Hampshire, nor Senator Walsh of Mon
tana, left the room in which committed
met.
The language of the Mexican plank
and Of that referring to the democratic
foreign policy were also stumbling
blocks with the suffrage resolution
There may be an open airing Of thest
differences from the floor OF the con
venton when the break comes on wO
man suffrage.
Old timers in democratic ranks wer,
actually pleased with the split in tn,
resolutions committee and the threat
ening airing of differences on the con
yention floor. They held democratic
convention wouldn't be true to life j
something didn't result in row o
near row-and the 1916 convention ha
been entirely too tame, in their opinion
to live up to the best traditions Of tn
party. On Wednesday II any democra
had dared 10 predict there would hav
been any difference OF opinion in plat
form, he would probably have bee
laughed down in derision. The platform
was the main thing on which it wa
thought the party was in complete ac
cord It's skeleton foundation had bee
prepared by President Wilson and /
WAS assumed all the resolutions commit
tee would have to do was to fill !
with choice words and tack on som
weatherboarding to make it weathe
proof.
But the carpenters had differen
ideas as to the sort Of planking to b
used and the row was on. Democrac
will have at least bit Of fight o.
its hands when the convention meets a
II o'clock.
, Committee Report.
After a period of waiting durini
! which Senator Reed of Missouri, deliy
cred an address, Senator Stone Of Mi'
souri, was recognized Mt 1890 to sui
, nit report Of the committee on reaC
lutions.
. Senator Reed eloquently lauded dc
E mocracy's record and prophesied vie
tory.
He pointed to the fact that the II
p publieans did not dare to nominate O
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