Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1920-07-09
4 GREAT CONVENTION
At SAN FRANCISCO
xNspRESSIONS AND OBSERVA.
TIONS OF THE BIG DEMO.
CRATIC GATHERING AS SEEN
IrROM A DELEGATES SEAT.

Tho San Francisco convention will
70 down in history as one OF the
greatest convention ever held in this
country, a nation which is unique Ill
this most excitable, feature in popular
government, the political convention
Many noted conventions have b,er
held. but only n few of them have be
come historic. The democratic con
yention of 1914 nominated the frs,
Adark horse" candidate. and also Is
the only instance Of a vice-presiden
t,al nominee, declining the honor after
the nomination was made. In the
heat of his disappointment over the
nomination of Gen. Polk. Silas Wrigl.:
the New York leader refused to ac-
cept the second place.
The democratic convention OF 1851
made history, as by its split, and the
nomination of two candidates 1t LOST
to the new sectional republican party
and thus hastened the civil war.
The republican convention of 1876
ought to have been q great one, but
after the supreme oratorical emo Us
AZ Ingersoll, the mountain labored
and brought forth mouse" Ruthor'
ford B. Hayes, another dark horse"
becoming the candidate. Four years
1ater witnessed another battle BE-
tvsen Conkling, who championed q
tkird term for Grant, and Blaine. who
had been cheated Of the nomination
in 1875. This time another dark
horse" James A. GARFIELD of Ohio
was put over by the Blaine forces
The democratic convention at Bal
timore in 1912 was another history
making event. There William Jen'
ninss Bryan was the towering fgur''
and the result YVES the nomination
and election of the greatest Wa:
President in our history.
Measured by these great gather-
ings the San Francisco convention IL
entitled to be classed as one which
will be historic. The adoption OF the
most progressive platform OF prince
pals ever yet put forward by srea'
political party, the democratic parl3
enters the campaign with the pes'
.opportunity it has had in genera
tton to guide the unspread unrest OF
the country into safe channels OF Pro
.gress. Upon whether its candidate'
and their advisors live up to the
splendid ideals of the platform, de
pends the historic significance OF the
convention.
In the fist place it opened with
a great speech. Chairman Cummings
summed up the achievements OF tue
democratic party in a mastery la'H
ion. and he sounded the keynote VI
world peace in no uncertain mannee
That the democrats Of the countr9
intend to place the great heart D
humanity above the stomachs OF IN
epicures was evident. The idealisi'
of President Wilson's great enortS
to win righteous war and concluae
a lasting as we'll as just peace u.
means of a society Of nations league
together to prevent wars, was 'he
guiding principle of the address
The speech of the permanent cha'r
man Senator Robinson emphasized
this idealism and further outlinec
the policies of the party as to othe'
issues before the public.
The Washington delegation met a.
the Hotel Gift and selected members
of committees which was allotteu u
them. In the Rules Committee te
which the writer was assigned the
principal question decided was tna'
presented by Franklin D. Roosevelt
who argued against the unit ruie u
the New York delegation. rule o.
which Tammany could cast the Vo's
of the whole state, virtually disfrah
fchisirg the upstate members OF t1'
delegation. Gov. Smith and othe'
Tammanyites argued for the ru'e
For the first time in the history o.
democratic conventions the unit ruiz
was broken. BY vote Of q to 20 tn'
committee released the up-staters an'
allowed the delegates to vote tne''
Will on all questions.
The committee on credentials max
the pleasure Of denying James =
Reeds contest and barring him lroi'
the convention. This was easy as 't'