Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-06-17

the convention on record as Symp3-
thizing with the People of Ireland"
'Raus NIT him." roared a Baltimore
delegate.
Minority Plank
The real fight broke immediately
after, however, when Gov Ferguson
of Texas who headed the minority re-
port against the administration plank
was given 80 minutes in which to pre-
sent it.
The plank offered by the minority was
the Democratic party always has
stood for the sovereignty of the several
states in the control and regulation of
elections We affirm the historic position
of our party in this regard and favor the
continuance of that wise provision of the
federal constitution which vests in the
several states of the Union the power to
prescribe the qualifications OF their cleo
tors"
Besides Gov. Ferguson, the report was
signed by Former Rep. Bartlett of Geor-
gia James r. Nugent of New Jersey and
Stephen B. Fleming of Fort WAYNE Ind
The burden of Gov. Ferguson's argu-
ment was that suffrage. being purely a
states right question. the wording of the
majority plank was presumptuous recon-
mendation to the states on how to con-
duct their celebrates.
Anti-suffraEe delegates on the floor piled
the governor with questions which
brought out in the answers fresh argu-
ments against the administration plank,
and when Ferguson had finished the con-
with the opponents of the administration
plank. When Senator Stone took the
speakers place to defend the plank he
was bombarded with a running fire Of
questions and argument from delegates
on the floor which eventually exhausted
the time allotted to him without permit
tins him to speak 10 successive minutes.
Anti-suffrage delegates loudly challeng-
ed his reference to Ferguson's statements
with cries of That's not what he said"'
and That's not fair
Pittman Ansered
Many delegates openly took the posi-
ton that the question was becoming
much confused by the manner of its
presentation. Finally. Senator Stone
yielded to Senator Pittman of Nevada,
one of the suffrage champions
The crowd wanted to howl Pittman
down and cried Vote. vote"
Eyes, l know you want to vote"
Pittman shouted at his opponents.
hear the truth
Are you men who are willing to hear
women denounced afraid to hear man
say something in their behalf? / want
to appeal to give to give your sisters
and daughters and mothers the right
to vote"
Whats that got. to do with this ?"
chorused the delegates.
Finally. ignoring lesser outbreaks and
shouting above the din and confusion,
Pittman managed to get through with
his speech.
In an mpassioned speech Senator
Walsh swept aside the smaller ques-
lions which had been injected into the
fight and told the delegates that Pres
ident Wilson himself knew the plank
was in the platform and considered it
essential for party victory.
There were renewed cries of Vote,
Vote. But they were not shouts for
tne ueled' VI 'le PAIN AS tne CLERKS
called the roll of states, the votes top
pied into the column supporting the
plank as the committee had written It
so fast that the defeat of the substitute
was assured before the call had gone a
dozen states. At the close Of the roll
CALL the whole platform as written was
adopted, and after disposing of some
formalities, the convention adjourned
sine die at 81 o'clock.
Hyphenates Plank
Regarding the so-called hyphenates