1908 Democratic National Convention

1908 Democratic National Convention
1908 presidential election
Nominees
Bryan and Kern
Convention
Date(s)July 7–10, 1908
CityDenver, Colorado
VenueDenver Auditorium Arena
Candidates
Presidential nomineeWilliam J. Bryan of Nebraska
Vice-presidential nomineeJohn W. Kern of Indiana
‹ 1904 · 1912 ›
Bryan addresses the convention

The 1908 Democratic National Convention took place from July 7 to July 10, 1908, at Denver Auditorium Arena in Denver, Colorado.

The event is widely considered a significant part of Denver's political and social history.

The convention

The 1908 convention was the first convention of a major political party in a Western state. The city did not host another nominating convention until a century later, at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

The convention was the second Democratic National Convention to include female delegates.[1][2] They were Mary C. C. Bradford (Colorado) and Elizabeth Pugsley Hayward (Mrs. Henry J. Hayward) (Utah). Alternate delegates were Mrs. Charles Cook (Colorado), Harriet G. Hood (Wyoming), and Sara L. Ventress (Utah).[3]

Presidential nomination

Presidential candidates

Convention Hall, Denver

Three names were placed in nomination: William Jennings Bryan, John A. Johnson, and George Gray. Bryan was unanimously declared the candidate for president after handily winning the first ballot's roll call.

Presidential ballot
1st Unanimous
William Jennings Bryan 888.5 1002
George Gray 59.5
John A. Johnson 46
Blank 8


  • 1st presidential ballot
    1st presidential ballot

Vice presidential nomination

Candidates

John W. Kern Charles A. Towne Archibald McNeil Clark Howell John Mitchell
Former State Senator
from Indiana
(1893–1897) 		Former U.S. Representative
for New York's 14th District
(1905–1907) 		Coal Merchant
from Connecticut 		Former State Senator
from Georgia
(1901–1905) 		5th President of the UMW
from Illinois
(1898–1907)
NW: Before 1st Ballot NW: Before 1st Ballot NW: Before 1st Ballot DTBN
Jerry B. Sullivan David R. Francis George Gray William G. Conrad
Attorney at Law
from Iowa 		20th U.S. Secretary of the Interior
from Missouri
(1896–1897) 		Federal Appeals Judge
from Delaware
(1899–1914) 		Banker and Businessman
from Montana
DTBN DTBN DTBN DTBN

Speculated candidates

Lewis S. Chanler John B. Stanchfield John A. Johnson Judson Harmon William H. Berry Morgan J. O'Brien Herman A. Metz
46th Lieutenant Governor
of New York
(1907–1908) 		Attorney at Law
from New York 		16th Governor of Minnesota
(1905–1909) 		41st U.S. Attorney General
from Ohio
(1895–1897) 		State Treasurer
of Pennsylvania
(1907–1908) 		Justice of the First
Judicial Department
from New York
(1896–1906) 		New York City Comptroller
from New York
(1906–1909)
[4][5][6][7] [5] [5][8][9] [5] [10] [7] [7]
Francis B. Harrison William L. Douglas Martin W. Littleton Ollie Murray James William J. Gaynor Herman Ridder Joseph W. Folk
U.S. Representative
for New York's 16th District
(1907–1913) 		42nd Governor of Massachusetts
(1905–1906) 		Former Borough President
of Brooklyn
from New York
(1904–1905) 		U.S. Representative
for Kentucky's 1st District
(1903–1913) 		Justice of the Second
Judicial Department
from New York
(1905–1909) 		President and Editor of
the New Yorker Staats-Zeitung
from New York
(1907–1915) 		31st Governor of Missouri
(1905–1909)
[7][11] [7][8] [8][11] [9] [12][11][13] [11] [14]

John W. Kern of Indiana was unanimously declared the candidate for vice-president without a formal ballot after the names of Charles A. Towne, Archibald McNeil, and Clark Howell were withdrawn from consideration.

Vice presidential ballot
Unanimous
John W. Kern 1002

See also

References

  1. ^ "Think you know your Democratic convention trivia?". CNN.com.
  2. ^ "Conventional Facts". Smithsonian Magazine.
  3. ^ America Comes Alive: A First For Women (1908)
  4. ^ "Bryan flirting with tammany" (PDF). The New York Times. April 22, 1908. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d "Bryan will not write platform" (PDF). The New York Times. June 17, 1908. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  6. ^ "Taggard brings Kert's doom" (PDF). The New York Times. June 26, 1908. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  7. ^ a b c d e "Bryan men expect little opposition" (PDF). The New York Times. June 29, 1908. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  8. ^ a b c "Hard fight over Denver platform" (PDF). The New York Times. July 2, 1908. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  9. ^ a b "Open field for Bryan mate" (PDF). The New York Times. July 2, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  10. ^ "Berry has money plank" (PDF). The New York Times. June 23, 1908. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  11. ^ a b c d "Worried over second place" (PDF). The New York Times. July 5, 1908. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  12. ^ "Tammany men hold train convention" (PDF). The New York Times. July 5, 1908. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  13. ^ "Bryan and Kern put on ticket" (PDF). The New York Times. July 11, 1908. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  14. ^ "Second place race shows no leaders" (PDF). The New York Times. July 10, 1908. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
Preceded by Democratic National Conventions
1908 		Succeeded by