The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-07-18
THE TICKET
For President
JOHN w. DAVIS
Of West Virginia
For Vice President
CHARLES w. BRYAN
OF Nebraska
BY EDWARD w. PlcKARD

Convention Hall, New York
After a convention battle unprece-
dented in Its stubbornne@- and its
length, the Democratic party pre-
SCENTS to the voters Of the United
States the ticket that heads this col
umn. sgs
The nomination OF Mr.. Davis was
accomplished on the 103rd ballot,
when the convention had been In ses-
sion Is days. all bu- five OF which had
been spent In trying to select man
to head the ticket
Day after day, night after night,
che deadlock continued unbroken,
with McAdoo leading and Smith a
persistent second. They and their
managers were determined, not to say
obstinate, and repeated efforts to per-
suade them to quit and thus to bring
about the nomination Of compromise
candidate were frustrated. The re-
ligious issue, which was forced upon
the convention in a fight over the
anti-Klan plank in the platform
played its part, and a big part, in
keeping the delegates from getting
together. Indeed, it must be admitted
that the struggle between the Khan
element and the Catholic contingent
dominated the proceedings of the con-
vention. Everyone deplored the in
PRODUCTION of such an issue into
American national politics but no one
could deny that it had been intro
duced.
When the Fourth Came
Independence Day came and found
the delegates still in session, weary
eyed, almost apathetic, but inmoy-
able. Not all immovable. to be sure,
for by that time many were running
short Of both money and patience and
several hundred delegates and alter
mates left for home on July 8. Some
of these deserters were recalled by
telegraph and steps were taken to
finance those who were "going broke"
The Fourth of July session opened
with "The Star Spangled Banner"
and every candidates banner contin-
ned to wave. Augustus Thomas read
the Declaration Of Independence, and
almost every delegate seemed confirm
ed in the opinion that his life and
liberty depended on his voting as he
had voted and that therein lay his
pursuit of happiness. Through bal
lot after ballot the count displayed
the same deadly monotony. Then
Tom Taggert created diversion by
reading telegram from Senator Raj
ston withdrawing from the race-at
least for the time being. Indiana
thereupon gave McAdoo 20 Of her
votes and Smith 10. During the 65th
ballot came a telegram from James
ID. Cox turning loose the Ohio delega-
ton. So the Buckeyes gave their 4s
votes to Newton D. Baker, which
didn't seem to help matters, since
scarcely anyone else took the hint.
Friday evening the Smith forces
brought forward two propositions,
one that the candidates be invited to
address the convention in executive
session, the other that Smith, as Gov
ernor of New York, be asked to come
In and talk half an hour Both were
defeated by the McAdooites, a two
thirds vote being required. The same
fate met various attempts, on Friday
and Saturday, to cut off the low can
didate on each successive ballot. One
delegate moved that the convention
adjourn to meet In Kansas City on
July 81, but received little support.
Ohio dropped Baker Saturday and
Smiths vote crawled slowly toward
the 400 mark, while McAdoo's totals
slowly declined. After the SEVENTEEN
ballot almost the only persons who
paid attention to the roll call were
the women in the California and
Texas delegations who mechanically
waved colored bandannas every time
q vote for McAdoo was recorded.
Late Saturday afternoon, when de-
spair and disgust had seized upon all,
that master politician, Tom Taggert,
stepped to the rostrum and presented
the first plan that seemed to offer
a chance to settle the conventions
trouble. This was that the chair
men Of the national committee and Of
the convention be authorized to call
the representatives of the candidates
into conference for the purpose Of
arriving at compromise agreement.
With glad shout the delegates APP
proved of this scheme, and the con-
vention was adjourned until II o'clock
Monday morning.