The Washington herald., 1920-07-07

Palmer folks had been doing some
thinking Of their own over the din
ner tables, too. They decided that
Palmer had had a more than gen.
erous tryout and must be now OBJ.
liberated. On the first night. ballot
he slumped to e02. He fiickered
back to 211 on the next, the thirty
eighth, but his cause was ire
the platform with his portentous
message. The atmosphere was cleo
trio with a feeling that Palmer had
at last cut the gordian knot. The
convention heaved a deep rumbling
sigh of relief. There was heartfelt
gratitude in the cheers 1t sent up
in honor of the Carlin-Palmer an
nouncement. The convention was
sorry for Penn's favorite son. but
glad that he had had courage. fore
sight and consideration to perform
a major operation
All concerned knew that the end
now could not long be postponed.
But few were ready to predict what
it would be. Only the Cox camp
crooned absolute confidence. There
was that do or die" song welling
up from their corner of the conven-
tion hall ever and anon. chorused
more defiantly than ever. The
Meteor Band" from Piqua, sixty
strong. and a good band besides.
kept things going whenever the Of
Ificial convention band high up
among the auditorium rafters let
them quiet down. Who would be
heir to the Palmer fortune was the
question on all lips and in all tired
minds.
1T will be about equally divided.
Il think, between McAdoo and Cox"
said Mr.. Carlin to me as he threaded
his way. comprehensibly crestfallen
through the throng on the conven-
ition floor back to his own seat in
the Virginia delegation. Senator
Robinson. chairman of the conven-
tion, pounded his gavel for the old,
sad story of the preceding ten hours.
Rush For Band Wagon.
NO candidate having received the
requisite number of votes, the sec
lretary will proceed to call the roll
for the thirty-ninth ballot" said the
Arkansan. unwearied by a day and
night convention tanning such as few
before ever had to weather 1t was
Senator David ]. Walsh. of Massa-
ichusetts, who was first to blaze the
way for his eventual universal hike
toward the Cox band wagon. He
had voted for Cox consistently. un-
and unterrifedly from
the first ballot onward. For ballot
after ballot Massachusetts had given
Cox only two votes. One of them
was Walsh's. The hour of reward
for his faithfulness now had come.
1t was his own turn to proclaim
the Bay State poll
Thirty-three votes for Gov. Cox"
J ne exclaimed. 1t accounted for the
whole Massachusetts delegation,
barring three. Walsh's announce
ment deserves to become historic in
James NJ. Cox's career, il the fates
should lead II to the White House,
for thenceforward the Cox fortunes
marched on irresistably. The con-
tvention knew that the bandwagon
was in motion, II rioted in honor of
ithe discovery. With the Massachu-
setts standard in the van, the great
est Cox demonstration of the en-
tire convention was forthwith
staged. The Infectious battle hymn
! of the Cox forces, "Ohio. Ohio"
quickly rang out thunderously,
Ichimed this time in tones of i'm.
pending victory.
The effect of Palmer's relinquish-
| ment of his votes was Immediately
noticeable. The ballot resulted in
| hitting up the Cox total to 46S
| from 3S3, while the McAdoo cause
prospered only from 405 to 440. Nc
! Adoo and Cox managers were now
scurrying around the convention
floor like hornets. Somebody OBJ
serving their antics and activities
was unkind enough to suggest that
they were peddling out promises
| of postmasterships and ihterna
revenue collectorships to doubting
Thomases among the delegates. II
was evident that neithr the Presi-
dents son-in-law nor the Ohio gov
ernor was ready without further
ado to give up the ghost. Orders
were sent to their respective CO.
horts to stand pat.
The orders said that victory must
come to the side with the stoutes,
hearts and strongest nerves. The
Palmer Georgia votes-2S-went to
McAdoo. The McAdooites cheered
themselves almost blue in the face.
They demanded musical accompa-
niment for their fervor. But the
band up yonder did not play. A
McAdoo delegate from North Caro-
lima lost his temper.
shot at the Band.
Mr.. Chairman" he shrieked. "I
desire to know IL the baud is mort
gagged to any one candidate. or
whether IL belongs to the whole
convention! That was a shot at
the music's activities on behalf OF
Cox during the Massachusetts DEM
onstration. The bandmaster turned