The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1924-07-24
LIGHT ON THE GREAT
POLITICAL CONVENTION
Noted Journalist Gives Unbiased I'm,
pressions as to Why the Democrats
Named Davis and Bryan

The puDlc press mas been filled wit
stories of various shades and complex
sion on the great deadlock conven
ton recently held by the Democrat
party in New York. Mark Sullivan
Republican, but above that, notet
and capable journalist, gives the coun
try probably the sanest statement Of
them all. Mr.. Sullivan says:
1t has been said, and will continue
to be said, that the principal fight il
the New York Democratic convention
was religious one and that there is
a cleavage in the Democratic party
based ON religion.
But how explain these two facts:
First, the convention refused
through more than 100 ballots to nom
mate Governor Smith of New York,
for president. That convention would
not have nominated Smith for presi
dent or for any other office if it had
lasted a year. Smith is Catholic.
This is frequently given as the reason
the convention would not nominate
him, and as proof of a religious
cleavage.
But if this were so, how explain the
second fact, which is:
The convention wanted to nominate
Senator Thomas J.. Walsh of Montana,
who is also Catholic, for vice. -presi-
dent. It would have made his nom
ination unanimous and would have
cheered to the echo on doing so. The
convention wanted to nominate Walsh
by acclamation. In fact, it did nom
mate Walsh by acclamation after
Davis had been nominated for presi
,dentS and instantly after the cheering
over that event had died down, the
entire. convention was on its feet try
ing to nominate Walsh by acclamation,
in a spirit as spontaneous as ever
moved any body of men. Only the
accident that Walsh himself, as pre-
siding officer, held the gavel and was
able, by parliamentary advice, to de-
feat the convention 3 intention to
honor him lit was only because of
that, that Walsh Is nomination was not
formally confirmed.
Walsh, seeing what the convention
was doing, took up the gavel, secured
enough order to make. himself heard |
and then, with combination of mod
esty and self lfdeprecating courtesy told
the convention that he felt sure they
would do better to take a recess for
few hours and make sure of their
own minds about SO important d mat
ter as the vice presidential nomina-
ton. But the convention did not want
to take a recess. 1t wanted to SIT
right there and nominate Walsh, in
stantly, against his win. Walsh, how
ever managed to make the convention
listen to motion to recess. Then he
put the motion before the house There
were probably over 1000 "Noes" to
a few barely heard Ayes The
wanted to vote down the
motion to recess in order to go ahead
and confirm Walsh's nomination by
But Walsh, by a pardon
able sacrifice of parliamentary truth,
in the interest of his self-effaclng
smilingly said "the ayes
have it, (" and declared the convention
to have recessed.
Smith and Walsh are both Catholics,
but Smith is "weto and also of Tam |
many; whereas Walsh is "dry' and
Of the west. 4
In this fact, in the distinction be-
tween dry''. and "wet" will be
found the real cleavage in that Demo
cratic convention. II
During the recess Walsh hastily
letter declining the vice
presidential nomination, which he well |
Knew the convention would insist upon
giving him as soon as it re-assembled.
He is a senator, from Montana. lie {
comes up for reelection. to the SEN
lte this year. It is practically GER t
ain that he can be reelected. AS a
senator, Walsh is one of the most
powerful members of that body. 10 I
acrifice the power of his voice on the 8
'loor of the senate, for the enforced
ilence of the svice-presidential chair, t
n which there is no power except TO fc
lecide between parliamentary tweedlc- E
lums and tweedle- dees-to make that i
Exchange would be futile act, ana
o Walsh declined the nomination. lie
insisted on his refusal, although 1T
hrew the entire body of delegates in {
0 obvious disappointment, and threw
II the leaders into real dismay. j
Thereupon there ensued a hurrying '
nd scurrying among the leaders to
ind some one a fraction as desirable I
s Walsh in talent and availability. q
lfter several hours of this the lead c
rs agreed upon Governor Charles 0
bryan. Davis o. KID Bryan. With T
bis O. K. the leaders went among the
elegates and told them that Bryan t
CONTINUED on page q