100 years ago in the Rocky Mountain News

Rocky Mountain News

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Leading up to the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver in August, the Rocky is combing its archives to pull out the political news of 100 years ago, when the city hosted its first Democratic National Convention from July 7 to 10, 1908.

June 1:

Front Page:

Top Story: City Officials Will Take Oath This Morning

Chief Justice Robert W. Steele will administer the oath of office to city officials this morning, including Mayor Robert Speer for his second term, in a ceremony at the new Municipal Auditorium.

Speer began the effort to build the Auditorium, second in size only to Madison Square Garden in New York, in order to lure more conventions to Denver. The 1904 bond uissue was for $400,000 but the construction came in at $800,000. The building at 14th and Curtis streets should be completed just in time to house the Democratic Convention, which starts July 7.

Page 4:

Criticize Taft for Alleged Slur on General Grant

In a Memorial Day address, Secretary of War William H. Taft said that former President Ulysses Grant did not take over command of the Union Army sooner because he was a drunkard. Soldiers who fought with Grant are now furious Taft would say such a thing about their former general. But Taft claims Grant’s weakness only made him greater after overcoming the addiction.

Claims Nomination of Taft on First Ballot

Taft campaign manager A. I. Vorys says that nomination on the first ballot is a “foregone conclusion.” He said that of the 980 delegates, 563 were “guaranteed to vote for Taft.” At this point 36 state and territorial delegations have been pledged to Taft.

Page 5:

Cowboys cheer and ministers pray for Bryan

Three thousand people flocked to see William Jennings Bryan, the Democratic candidate for president, in his home state of Nebraska as he spoke in Valentine. Since it was Sunday, the devout Bryan would not talk on politics. “As is well known, I am greatly interested in the science of government, but I want to say that I am much more interested in religion, and I am sure that it is not too much too say that I would rather make a religious than a political speech,” Bryan said.

June 2:

Front Page:

Top Story: 596 Votes Pledged for Bryan; More Coming up

William Jennings Bryan will easily be nominated on the first ballot after the results of five Democratic primaries in the last week of May all went the commoner’s way. Democrats in Texas, West Virginia, New Mexico and Arizona all instructed their delegates to vote for Bryan. New Hampshire Democrats did not pledge for Bryan, but they elected delegates who are all supporters of the Nebraskan.

The latest results give Bryan 553 solid votes, but many of the uncommitted delegates are avowed Bryan men, which gives the commoner 596 votes.

New York city’s political machine, Tammany Hall, has sent word that Judge Alton B. Parker of New York will write the Democratic platform for 1908 and serve as chairman of the committee on resolutions. Judge Parker was the Democratic presidential candidate in 1904 and lost the election to incumbent president Roosevelt 56 percent to 37 percent in the popular vote. This would not be good for the Democratic Party, because Parker was the one who put together the platform when he ran four years ago, and suffered the worst defeat for the Democrats since Horace Greeley in 1872. “When will the New York Democrats learn?”

Former Sen. Jones dies; Was one of Nation’s Great Statesman; Friend of Bryan

Former Arkansas Sen. James K. Jones died at his residence at 60. He was in the Senate from 1883 to 1903, and was the chairman of the Democratic National Committee for Bryan’s 1896 and 1900 presidential races. Bryan was delivering a speech when he received the telegram, and stopped mid-speech to announce it.

Fierce Row Certain in Chicago

The 1908 Republican National Convention is expected to be an epic contest between the reactionaries and progressives of the GOP, because reactionaries have been given little voice during the Roosevelt years and candidate William H. Taft has pledged to continue the president’s policies. “There will be no lukewarm endorsement of President Roosevelt and his policies,” Taft said in one of his conferences before the convention.

Page 4:

W. J. Bryan speaks to thousands in home state

The Commoner traveled from Chadron to Alliance and spoke to big crowds along the way who wouldn’t be deterred by the rain. Bryan made an unscheduled stop in Belmont after the train passed the station and Bryan saw the big crowd that had waited for him.

Insley, Speer’s aide, agent in state of interests opposed to Bryan, as written proof shows

A letter sent to a man in Ouray from the campaign manager for Bryan’s Democratic presidential rival, Minnesota Governor John Albert Johnson, states that Mr. Harry Insley is looking after Johnson’s interests in Colorado. Insley is an aide to the powerful Denver mayor. This letter has opened up the possibility that Mayor Speer is anti-Bryan.

Page 6:

Women compose song for convention here

Mrs. Mary Harris and Miss Mabel Barnitz of Denver wrote a song dedicated to the Democratic National Convention entitled “Denver, the Queen City of the Plains.”

Page 9:

Dahlman gives lie to World charge that Bryan received cash

The New York World ran an article stating that Bryan received a large cash donation from Thomas F. Ryan and that Bryan used the money in his campaign. But Nebraska Democratic committeeman Dahlman says there was much less money than reported and that Bryan never received any of it.

Editorial Page:

Taft called down by an old soldier

The Rocky Mountain News received a letter from George G. Whiting. He heard about the General from his father, who served with him in Mexico. Whiting admits that Grant had his “toddy” like all the old officers of the day, but states that neither he nor anyone he has talked to ever saw Grant drunk.

June 3:

Front Page:

Top Story: Bryan’s trip continuous ovation

Bryan arrived in Kimball, Neb., last night after his most strenuous day of travel, in which he visited more than a dozen towns. Businesses were suspended and schools were deserted as everyone took a holiday to shake the commoner’s hand.

Never in the history of the state has any man received such praise as has been given Bryan since he began his tour of his home state last Friday.

Bryan spoke on a variety of issues, and in a few places he spoke from the back platform of the train to large crowds. When the commoner reached Kimball, he was met by a group of high school students who refused to stay in class while Bryan was in town. Bryan shook the students’ hands and gave all of the high school girls a “Bryan Volunteer” button as a souvenir. Bryan showed no fatigue when he gave his final speech of the day at the Fraternal Hall in Kimball, even though he did not begin his speech until 10 p.m.

Editorial Page:

If not Roosevelt, then Bryan

A column from the National Food Magazine declares that the people have two idols, Roosevelt and Bryan. The people would rather choose the more experienced Roosevelt first, but as he is not running, then the people will vote for the commoner as the successor. A column from the Des Moines Register makes the claim that Bryan would take over President Roosevelt’s progressive banner if Republican reactionaries won the nomination over Taft.

June 4:

Front Page:

Top Story: Bryan ends triumphal tour

The commoner ended his speechmaking tour through Nebraska, having made 42 speeches. His speeches usually focused on local issues, but most included talk of national politics, including the present financial situation and last year’s recession.

He called Republican candidate William H. Taft “an honorable gentleman, but not a reformer.” Bryan said Taft believes that fighting the trusts is akin to extinguishing industries, whereas the commoner said “competition would help every element of society.

“When you exterminate trusts, you revive business instead of destroying it.”

Bryan finished his trip in Lexington, Neb., where the city stopped to attend his open-air meeting on the high school grounds.

Taft’s slurs on Grant fatal?

William H. Taft’s Memorial Day speech about Ulysses Grant being a drunk earlier in his life is thought by many people to be fatal to his bid for the nomination. Anti-Taft managers have immediately taken advantage of the indiscreet statement and have been able to gather more support from people who are now disappointed with Taft, the Secretary of War.

Mormon question splits Idaho Democrats

The Democratic Party of Idaho has split between the pro and anti-Mormon faction. The party has decided to send both to the convention in Denver after a heated state convention nearly led to blows. The anti-Mormon party, led by former Gov. Dubois, appears to have the majority of the delegates.

Page 5:

Fund to entertain the convention visitors

The board of directors of the Denver Convention League has begun to raise the $15,000 needed to entertain the delegates during the Democratic National Convention. They have decided to hold a large picnic and celebration June 27 at Manhattan Beach to benefit the league, and have begun trying to get the cooperation of every business, political and city organization for the events.

• May 31, 2008

  8:56 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  scastaneda writes:

  I agree, artstarz. That was pretty cool. Interesting that the government couldn't stay within budget back then, either.
  I've always wondered, and maybe someone reading this can answer. When the voters approve a $400,000 bond to build something that really costs twice as much, where does the extra money come from? And why don't the voters learn that the real price for municipal projects is ALWAYS quite a bit higher than the price its supporters tell them.
  And why isn't the government somehow bound to stay within the budget that the voters approved or go back to the voters and ask for more money?