Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-07-01
CONTEST NOW SEEMS
Continued from paeo |

"This may be grasshoppcr con-
| vcntion, but l haven't becn informed ae
yet that any Of the Cox delegates arc
going to jump"
Nevertheless, tho report persisted that
there was some kind OF nm understanding
between Cox and Palmer men, and that
the managers of these candidates favored
the nomination of anyone rather than
McAdoo, and they counted the New York
and New Jersey delegations as sympathetic
with their view.
While the mnnoeuvering on the candi-
dates was progressing the all-night meet
ing of the resolutions committee was
wrestling with the party platform. The
trainers hoped by their prolonged session
to bring the platform into today's ses-
sion, dispose Of the inevitable fight on the
prohibition plank and proceed TO the
ballotIng for IA nominee. The convention
was all set for battle royal, with Bryan
in his old time role as the storm center
if he continued TO insist in his determine
tion to force "a platform no wet can run
on
One of the plans under consideration
for todays proceedings was to get the
platform out OF the way, take two or three
ballots and then reccss To tomorrow morn
ing, leaving tonight for maneuvering, nose
counting and rounding up of forces. No
one could be certain however of even get
ting the resolutions out Of the way today.
Claims of strength for the leaders rang
ed about this way when the convention
got ready for business today:
SAY THEY WILL BLOCK M'Apoo.
Irreconcilable opponents of MeAdoo
claimed a block OF at least 400 bitter
a 4 A l. I..A .,,,I
prevent his nomination.
MoAdoo leaders claimed to have within
fifty votes of the necessary two-thfrds,
which they declared would stimulate n
band wagon movement.
The opposition TO McAdoo claimed
his vote never would exceed 45O. They
conceded to Palmer 203 votes, which they
predicted would stick with the Fennsyl-
vanian throughout the opposition of Nc
Adoo. New York was counted on To
cast rs votes Of her 90 votes against Nc
Adoo from beginning TO end. With votes
from New Jersey, Indiana, New England
and some others, the McAdoo opposition
counts up about 425 against the former
secretary, exclusive of votes in the Cox
block. 1t requires 72S tn nominate.
Bryans help is being counted on in
the movement against MeAdoo, but up
until TODAY, so far as could he learned, his
only answer TO overtlires has been that he
must for the present concentrate all his
energy on the platform fight.
TALK or CHAMP CLARK.
Ono Of the leaders in the opposition to
McAdoo epitomized the situation by say
ing there was an effort under way To
Hardingize the convention, but up TO the
present moment no Harding could they
find
Champ Clark talk was particularly
discounted by the McAdoo forces because
they thought that under no circumstances
could BRYAN be attracted TO him. Rather
than oppose MoAdoo, the former secre-
tary's friends say, they think eventually
BRYAN will come to his support If neoes-
ary. At least they insist he will not OPP
pose him openly.
A break TO MoAdoo, his supporters say,
will begin 20 come after the second or third
ballot, when the favorite sons have been
eliminated.
MeAdoo's friends want to force con-
tinuous balloting once il starts but they
expect the Cox adheronts will oppose it.
The auditorium was put TO righ.s again
today, the wreckage of yesterdays noisy
scrimmages having disappeared State
standards again were IN orderly array
and there was no reminder of the frenzied
scene that the speech of Burris Jenkins
for McAdoo had precipltated.
Reaction from the scenes OF yesterday
had thrown the delegates INTO maze
OF speculation and gossip on what would
be said for the Democracy on the League
OF Nations, the Irish question, the labor
plank and the prohibition issue.
Talk on the Presidential nominee was
mixed with a current of discussion as to
the Vice-President. Platform develop
ments undoubtedly will influence that
question but discussion turned toward
picking a running mate for McAdoo should
he be "drafted" for service.
The name of Joseph E. Davies, former
representative in Congress from Wiscon-
sin and first chairman of the Federal Trade
Commission, was suggested for a McAdoo
ticket as was that of Secretary Meredith.
The name OF Victor Murdoch, of Ne
braska, leader in the progressive revolt
in Congress which opened the way for
Republican disaster in 1912, also bobbed
up. The discussion of second place with
McAdoo continued to emphasize the
name of Governor Cox. At Cox head
quarters, when whispers that the Ohio
governor was prepared 10 accept q second
place nomination were presented, 1t WAS
said among Ohio delegates that Cox adj
herents were likely to be found allied
with Palmer delegates to block McAdoo
drift in the voting.