Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-07-03
NEWS REVIEW OF
CURRENT EVENTS
Democratic Convention War
of Fighting Factions
and Mad Tunult.
Bv JOHN DICKINSON SHERMAN

BY JOHN DICKINSON SHERMAN
yX7HEN the Democratic national
w convention, which opened Tues
day in Madison Square Garden, New
York city, adjourned Thursday eve
ming to Friday morning the net re-
suits were these: Two keynote
speeches; many tumultuous demon
STATIONS; a platform committee des-
perately struggling with seemingly in
superable complications, and an APP
parent deadlock between the forces of
McAdoo and Smith, with favorite
sons in plenty and going strong Of
the rival McAdoo and Smith demon
STATIONS the New Yorker staged the
longer and noisier: In the only test
vote-that Thursday afternoon on the
question of adjourning to Thursday
night or Friday morning-the Smith
forces won by vote of 5551a to 513.
The convention decided to stick TO the
two-thirds rule-which may or may
not have been a victory for Smith.
There are 1,O98 delegates; necessary
to nominate, 1872 Each state is a
law unto itself as to the unit rule.
As to the platform the situation was
this: The subcommittee was still at
work on a draft to be submitted to
the full committee. This draft con-
tanned alternative planks on several
controversial subjects, including the
League of Nations the Ku Klux Khan
and prohibition. It was hoped to have
the platform ready for the convention
sometime Friday. There was every
prospect of fight on the floor over
the League of Nations and Khan
planks.
These who had been placed In nom
nation were: Senator Oscar w. I'm
derwood of Alabama, Senator Joseph
T. Robinson Of Arkansas, William
Gibbs McAdoo of California, Gov. Al
fred e. Smith of New York, Willard
Salisbury, former senator from Della
ware; David F. Houston, cabinet off
Ger in the Wilson administration
Samuel M Ralston, former governor
of Indiana; Gov Albert G. Richie of
Maryland, Gov Jonathan NJ. Davis of
Kansas, Senator Woodbridge N. Fer
ris of Michigan.
T>HE feature of Tuesday, the open
/ ing day, was the address of Sen
ator Pat byron Patton) Harrison of
Mississippi, temporary chairman and
official keynoter In congressional
life he is "chief bear-baiter' of the
Republicans party duty which he
cheerfully performs with his tongue
in his cheek But nothing like that
here. His tongue was hung in the
middle with both ends working. He
Iambasted He fayed. He blistered.
He charged the Republicans with re-
sponsibility for pretty nearly all the
evils of the day, except the World war
and the foot-and-mouth disease. Ex
hausted by his own eloquence, he
brought in an artful and eloquent ref
erence to Woodrow Wilson and sat
down to rest and receive congratula-
lions for 10 minutes by the watch
while the vast assemblage made DEM
O0SCTdllOu VI IcSdIu IOI lAC uCdu
leader. Then he brought his keynote
to a Grassland close.
i Wednesday Thomas j. Walsh,
United States senator from Montana,
tireless watcher beside the oil well of
Teapot Dome and dark horse with
many admirers, took command of the
convention as permanent chairman
and made the second keynote speech.
The committee on platform not being
ready to reporter many and divers
reasons Chairman Walsh started the
nominations.
Alabama nominated Senator Oscar
wv. Underwood, its spokesman being
Forney Johnston of Birmingham. I'm
derwood is the original anti-Klan man.
Johnston led artfully up to climax
where he named the IA Klux Khan
right out in meeting. A large part of
the convention thereupon went plumb
crazy in long, riotous anti-Klan
demonstration marked by parades
land fist fights It's significance was
that it was spontaneous and not
staged.
Arkansas nominated Senator Joseph