Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1924-07-18

0udIIGS w DI yam
the glass roof OF the convention hall
and turned it into a bake oven, aut
his denunciation OF the political
enemy caused the delegates to forget,
for the time. their differences over
platform planks and favored candi
dates. They shed coats and, In many
cases, collars as well; they displayed
black and green and blue "galuses.
and despite the heat enjoyed to the
full everything the leader OF the oil
investigations gave them as first hand
information. For 1t all they paid
him to the full in convention coin :
a long, loud, a terrific demonstra-
tion.
Troublesome Platform Questions
Klan or antl-Klan. that was the big
and troublesome platform question.
The Tammany braves said antl-Klan,
Mr. Brennan and his followers from
Chicago said anti-Klan, as did many
others of the recognized state leaders
and individual delegates. These peo-
rle wanted a definite denunciation Of
the Khan in the platform, and they
fought for It, The subject was fought
out in the Resolutions Committee dur
ing long, hot hours of the days ard
nights before it was presented to the
convention. But the question came
before the convention in an informal
way long before the Resolutions Com.
mittee was ready to report. Fordnsy
Johnston, of Alabama, exploded a real
bomb when. in making the first Of
the nominating speeches. that for
Senator Underwood, he read into the
speech the anti-Klan plank the sena-
tor wished written into the platform
In this the Ku Klux Klan was openly
and emphatically denounced. It
stopped the proceedings right there
for a full half hour. There came
wild roar of approval. mixed with
howl Of derisIon. A Massachusetts
delegate grabbed the state standard
and started for the platform. Other
delegates with state standards quick
ly followed. A parade resulted In
which all or a part of the delegates,
carrying the state standards OF the
following states, participated: Massa
chusetts, Maine, Pennsylvania, iii.
nois, Alabama, New York. Montana,
Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New
Jersey, Arizona, Ohio. Michigan, New
Mexico. Maryland, North Dakota, Dis
trict OF Columbia, Nevada, Rhode
Island, Connecticut, Iowa. Vermont,
Porto Rico, Mississippi, Canal Zone
and Hawaii. The Incident produced
the first fistic encounter Of the CON
vention. When one of the Missouri
delegates grabbed the state standard
to join the parade other delegates
from the state attempted to stop him,
but he insisted, and for a few mo-
ments 1t seemed there was to be
bit of riot. At the same time things
were happening over In the Colorado
section where there was a radical
division of sentiment on the subject
OF the klan. In the melee that oc-
Cured, and before the police could
stop 1t. the state standard was broken.
It was one of those Interesting Incl.
dents that are characteristic of mill.
tant Democracy.
Long 5allotIne Begins
With the long fight over and the
platform finally adopted. the convea.
tion was down to the place in the
program for which all had so patient.
ly waited. The chairman announced
iho clerk would call the roll Of states
for the first ballot for nomination
OF the party's candidate for the presi
dency. All realized that the first hal.
lot did not mean great deal. There
were complimentary votes for favor.
ite sons, and who would soon drop
out Of the race, though some Of them
might get back into the race when
the leaders had exhausted their
strength and demonstrated that they
eoul( not win.
1t is impossible to cover the his.
tory OF the ballots as one followed
another. Candidates dropped by the
wayside, and new favorites arose. and
they, in turn. dropped back again
On came the 1O3rd and last call Of
the states for the presidential nomina.
tion which resulted in the naming Of
John W. Davis as the standard bearer
of the party.
There was no dearth of candidates
for second place on the ticket. On the
first ballot Charles W. Bryan, brother
of William Jennings Bryan. obtained
two-third's majority. and the great
gathering Of the Democrats, after be.
ing in session for 16 days. came to
close.