The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1924-07-18
RESULT OF 103 BALLOTS
Most Remarkable Political
Gathering in History of the
Nation-Contest Contin-
ued Through Sixteen
Days and Nights.
THE TICKET
FOR PRESIDENT
John W.Davis, of West Virginia
FOR VICE PRESIDENT
Chas. w. Bryan, of Nebraska
Nv WRIGHT A. PATTERSON

BY WRIGHT A. Pal EHSON
Convention Hall, New York-"Ala'
bama casts t-w-e-n-t-y-f-o-u-r votes
for Oscar w. Underwood! tor
one hundred and three times the great
hall had rung with that shout. Sew
enty-seven times up to Saturday night
and 1t started again on Monday morn
ing. for the committee that had been
named on Saturday for the purpose OF
effecting some sort of compromise
between the contending candidates
had been unsuccessful, and there
seemed TO be no hope for q solution
of the difficulties in which the Democ-
racy OF the nation found itself.
But the break came at last, and on
the one hundred and third ballot John
w. Davis of West Virginia was named
as the standard-bearer of the party.
His selection marked the conclusion
of the greatest fight in American poht-
icaI history. 1t was followed by the
selection of Gov. Charles w. Bryan, OF
Nebraska. for second place on the
ticket, and the historymaking gather
ing was at an end, after being IN SEES
sion for is days.
saMonday, July 7, was day OF false
hopes. At the close of the elghty-
second ballot a resolution was ADOPT
ed releasing the delegates from any
instructions. and that was expected
to bring about a break. 1t ola, out
It did not result in nomination.
brought the McAdoo vote tumDllhg
from 511 to 1888 when the convention
adjourned at night.
Tuesday brought no ray OF nope.
Tn the afternoon Governor Smith and
Mr. McAdoo got together, but Mr..
McAdoo refused at that time TO re-
lease his delegates, and Governor
Smith would not withdraw so long as
Mr.. McAdoo remained in the race the
fruitless balloting continued through
the day session, and up to the ninety
ninth. completed at 2:15 Wednesday
morning. At that time Mr.. McAdoo
released his delegates and on the one
hundredth ballot his vote dropped 10
100. After that ballot the convention
adjourned until noon on Wednesday
in an effort to get together on some
dark horse.
The one hundred and first, and the
one hundred and second ballots did
not indicate ANYTHING more than the
elimination of both Smith and McAdoo
from the race. Alabama, leading the
roll call of states, continued to cast
its % votes for Underwood, but there
was a drift in both ballots to Davis.
On the one hundred and third ballot
Alabama again started off with "a
votes for Underwood" but it was soon
demonstrated that Davis was going
strong. Before the ballot was COM
pleted he had more than a majority.
and then the delegations began chang
ing their votes in order to get into
the band wagon. Before the result
of the ballot was announced it was
moved to make the nomination by ac-
clamation, and it went through with a
whoop. to be followed by a demOnstra-
ton lasting several minutes.
The night session of Wednesday,
following the nomination of a candi-
date for the Presidency, was in the
nature of a Democratic lovefeast. 1t
was addressed by Governor Smith,
Governor Cox, the Democratic nomi-
nee, Mr.. Davis, and several others. At
midnight the convention recessed for
one hour, at the end of the recess one
ballot was taken for the vice presi-
Dental nomination, and the conven-
ton adjourned shortly before three
o'clock Thursday morning.
The contest in the Democratic con-
vention broke all records and all pre-
cedents The greatest number of bal
lots that had ever been cast in po-
litical convention before was that of
the Democratic party in 1860 at
Charleston, when 81 ballots were cast
In that city, and the convention was
then adjourned to Baltimore where
two additional ballots were taken, re-
sulting in the nomination of Stephen
A. Douglas. The recent convention !
sets a record that is not likely to be
equaled, at least not in the present |
generation.
campaign of the leading candidates |
were conducted by principals and not |
by managers. Mr.. McAdoO and Mr.. |
Smith were both on the ground they
were within 100 feet of the entrance
to the convention hall, and within 80 |
feet of each other, and from these
points of vantage they directed their
own campaigns and were their own
political stategists.
Back of it all, lay the shadow of |
the Khan. The fight over the Khan |
plank in the platform had engendered |
an intense feeling on the part of the
two contending factions the one led
by Governor Smith and the other BIZ
Mr. McAdoo. When on Monday, June
20, the first ballot was taken, it
fssl,.ass=ss-- se--sy,=,4-s ~. . ,--gss f,..s,..