July 9, 1908

Rocky Mountain News

Published July 8, 2008 at 6:43 p.m.
Updated July 9, 2008 at 3:01 p.m.

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Rocky Mountain News cover from July 9, 1908.

The Rocky Mountain News paper souvenir edition from July 9, 1908.

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Front Page July 9, 1908:

15,000 in mighty cheer for Bryan an hour and 27 minutes

The speech by Sen. Thomas Gore of Oklahoma to the delegates at the Democratic National Convention yesterday caused cheering and shouting that lasted for nearly an hour and a half.

"Taft waged war against our Constitution; and asked us to give up our right to liberty and self-government. But the greatest apostle of human liberty advised us to accept it, and by a majority of over 100,000 Oklahoma rejected the advice of Taft and accepted the advice of Bryan," Gore said.

The cheer was nearly twice as long as the one made at the Republican National Convention in Chicago for President Roosevelt. The cheer at the Denver Convention Hall broke all records for enthusiasm at conventions throughout the world.

The Oklahoma delegation, representing the "baby" state of the Union admitted less than a year ago, was first to begin the long shout as they followed the example of their senator. Before long, all of the other state delegations, save for three or four, were on their feet and cheering as well. The cheering might have ended earlier, but just as the delegates were beginning to tire a pretty girl stood up and waved an American flag, renewing the energy in the room.

Mitchell has lead; Dahlman campaign head

Now more than ever, it is certain that William Jennings Bryan will have more than enough votes to be nominated on the first ballot.

So the question remains, who will be the vice president? John Mitchell, former president of the United Mine Workers, appears to be leading for the post.

Guffey is thrown out of convention as a traitor and a tool of Standard Oil

The Democratic National Convention has voted 615 to 387 to bump Jim Guffey from his seat as Pennsylvania's national committeeman. The only big voices in line to keep the Standard Oil representative were the Illinois delegation, Tammany Hall and Denver Mayor Robert Speer, albeit just his one vote.

Page 2: "I 'saw' the shouting Bryan hosts; I felt the scene," says blind Senator Gore

Sen. Thomas Gore of Oklahoma says, "A blind man is not so remote from this world as the person who has good eyes and no imagination."

The blind senator had intended to deliver a longer speech, but after his now legendary quote, the place erupted and he could feel the excitement.

Page 8: Auditorium finest in world, says Martin

"The Denver Auditorium is the finest place in the world in which to hold a convention," Sergeant-at-Arms John Martin said. "In acoustic properties, arrangement of entrances and exits, seating capacity and everything, it surpasses anything that was ever seen either in Christendom or the glorious days of the pagans."

Alice scorns box; goes down on floor and cheers Bryan

Mrs. Alice Roosevelt Longworth, daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt, left her box high in the auditorium for a closer view on the floor of the convention hall. She even sprang to her feat and cheered just as violently as the most ardent Bryan supporters when the cheering began.

Special Section Page 5: How Denver went east and won the Convention

Denver was able to get the 1908 Democratic National Convention after it proved the city's merit and showed it had the money to make the convention better than any before. Even after the Republicans declined to hold their 1908 National Convention in the city, Denver was undaunted and has proved that the Republicans made a mistake in passing over the Queen City of the Plains.

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