The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1920-07-09
PIokARp SAYS THE CONVENTION
WAS MOST "sTUeBoRN AND
EXCITING IN HIsToRY."
WITHOUT REAL LEADERS
WAS UNsossEp CONVENTION SO
FAR As NOMINATIONS WE'RE
CONCERNED.
BY Edward w. Piekard.


Convention Hall, San Francisco
Calif.-James NJ. Cox of Ohio was
nominated for President on the Dem
pcratic ticket on the forty-fourth ballot
1t AS a. IN. Tuesday. July 9th, and
Franklin D. Roosevelt of New York
was nominated by acclamation for
Vice President at the afternon session
IF the same day.
Emerging from a struggle that has
had few if any equals in American
political history for stubbornness and
excitement. the Democratic party as
iembled in convention in the Golden
Gate city has placed the above ticket
,efore the voters of the country. The
nominations were made July 9Th. that
,or head of the ticket on the forty
,ourth ballot.
Without bosses, without real leaders,
practically without any to direct their
ictions, the representatives of the
party, 1,093 in number, struggled for
many days with the great problem of
,ected to command the entire party
rote and whose chances of defeating
he rival Republican ticket named at
Chicago would be best Under the
dme-hOnored rule of the Democratic
party, twO-thirds vote was required
10 nominate, and through session after
Iession 1t seemed impossible to find
he man upon whom SO large pro-
portion of the delegates could unite.
rhe final result was brought about by
clever political management, combined
With the weariness of the delegates
md the fact that many of them we're
:unning short of money and were
tnxiOus to start back to their homes.
Nearly all of them had come long
way, and were under heavy expense,
ind several days before the final ad-
Iournment some of them had tried to
break away and go home.
Was Unbiased Convention.
Really, this was an Embossed conven-
lion so far as the nominating of the
ticket was concerned. 1t is true that
he administration forces, represented
BY several cabinet officers and many
bther federal office holders, controlled
he proceedings of the earlier sessions
md the construction of the platform
exercising this control, however,
vas devoid Of much offense to those
who were controlled. But when II
.ame to the selecting of candidates
ihe delegates had their favorites, and
hey stood by them through the long
beries of ballots with remarkable
Iteadfastness. Every day, almost
very hour, there were rumors tina,
President Wilson was exercising oil
tbout to exercise his powerful influ
snce in behalf of this or that candi
late, but the men who sat beneath
he various state standards in ths
Civic Auditorium only smiled and sait
hey were there to select the mar
hey thought best for the party ant
.he country and that they had no In
IGNITION Of receiving dictation from
anyone.
Each story Of attempted dictatior
from Washington was met with promp
lenial, and it was asserted by the ad
ministration representatives presen
that President Wilson was not seeking
10 influence the convention in this mat
ter. At the Saturday night session {
long dispatch from him was read, con
yratulating the convention Of thu
League of Nations plank it had incor
porated In the platform and predicting
that this would insure Democratic vic
.ory In November, but it made no leas
suggestion as to the ticket.
MeAdce Without Headquarters.
The strategy of the various faction
was interesting. The Palmer forces
headed by the attorney general him
self, were active from the beginning
with the assistance of many charming
women, but it was evident all aloni
shat many Of the instructed Palme
lelegates would break away from hin
when their duty had been performed
md when they saw chance to mak'
winning combination. The Coz
Soosters came with music and banner
md noise, pervaded the city, neve
weakened in their claims that the Ohit
governor was the winner and neve
overlooked an opportunity to impress
that idea on the minds of the conven
ton and the city generally. Mr.. Nc
Adoo's methods were declared by vet
eran politicians to be the cleverest o
all In the first place, he telegraphe'
hih friends that he did not wish hi
name presented to the convention an,
that he was not seeking the nomina
tion. He had no regular organiza
ton or headquarters here, and tn
whole McAdoo movement was starte'
md carried on apparently quite with
out his consent or desire. A few of hi
admirers began it as soon as they ar
rived, and they speedily gathered II
thousands Of others, all of whom