The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-06-16
DELEGATES FROM
SOUTH LEFT COLD
AND CHEERLESS
Republican Convention Acted
Before Southerners Could
Get on Band Wagon in
BaIIotinq.

Republican delegates, straw bosses
"A -.21Sstrrs from Arkansas Mississippi
and Tennessee returned from Chicago
sick at heart and disconsolate.
Fol, the first time in years they did
not have an opportunity to get on
the band wagon. The bosses slipped
Harding in so quickly that they didn't
even get the high sign as he passed.
rHert of Kentucky, Lowden floor lead
er, didn't even tip off the Southerners
that the convention was about to flop
to Harding. The convention left them
holding the remnants Of their idols and
a shattered dream Of political patron
age.
Wood and Lowden divided the South.
With the exception of two votes Ten
nesse was for Wood. They were will
ing to embrace the fortunes of any
likely candidate but the idea of Hard
ing had not entered their minds.
- Missouri was first to scent change
and after the eighth roll call and i'm
mediately before recess, the Missouri
delegation begged for the privilege of
changing its vote. 1t wanted to go to
Harding but Lodge would not have it
SO. Still the Tennesseans did not take
the tip.
After the convention reassembled the
impression among the Southern dele
gates was that Harding was to be
given trial, fail and another be sub
stituted. The Southern delegates did
not suspect that the first dark horse"
trotted forth would be the choice OF
the convention.
Kansas, strong for Wood, was the
Word had gor e out that If Kansas went
to Harding the ticket would be Harding
and Allen. But strange to say the
Harding vote in Ohio on the eighth bal
lot split The impression among the
southern delegates eou the outside was
fhFzE Ilars sF1 1tVAar g. m
stuck to Wood and Lowden.
Then came the tidal wave of the
ninth followed by the fatal tenth with
more than enough votes from all di-
reotions to nominate Harding. Hert
had cast Kentucky's vote for Hard
nal. On the tenth even Illinois went
sons II.
So the Southern delegates returned
home with no plea upoI which to base
their claim to prefepnce. There was
no Harding man h,hthe delegations of
either of the three states in this ter
ritory.
Thus if Ha, dipg is elected he will owe
nothing to either of the many factions
in Tennessee Mississippi and Arkan-
sas. He will have no personal repre-
sentative unless perchance some of the
more astute get to him before election.
But Republicans everywhere are trying
to do that now and no special favor
will be granted in exchange for that
consideration.
1t gives the Republican party an op-
portunity for a new deal in the South.
1t is not necessary for it to recognize
any Individual or any faction. They.
are all alike to the Harding leaders.
Some new device must be invented for
the distribution of patronage. No
Southern Republican has priority over
any other Southern Republican All
are in the same box and if Harding is
elected they will all go after the same
piece Of pie on exactly the same foot
ing.
There was something significant in
keeping the secret of Hardings nomina-
ton from the Southern delegates. II
was known to practically every one else
1t was agreed on some time Friday
night. on the platform in the presence
of $1,000 persons, Harding leaders,
Lodge, Mccormick and others held a
conference before the aSturday recess
and came to an understanding to reas-
semble at o'clock.
1T viii be Harding when we come
back" was the understanding and the
public statement. But the Wood and
LoWden delegates who did not know
the jig was up tried frantically during
those two hours to frame a combina-
tiOn that would save something from
the wreckage, not knowing the fight
was iTretrievably lost.
The only thing the Southern delegates
wanted to know was who would be the
nominees and they wouldn't even tell
them that.