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The Commoner.
TOLT 12, 1912
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dent and preparation of a platform
Is certain to bo marked."
The result of the convention bears
out what the Post said almost a
month ago. This demonstrates, with
convincing force, that one man with
a will is as good as a majority, and
on the shoulders of William Jen
nings Bryan the honor rests. The
Nebraska statesman was the domi
nating power from the first hour to
the casting of the final vote, and, by
his courageous stand, rendered it
. possible for the convention to steer
clear of embarrassing complications.
The heat of the contest will leave no
heartburnings, and a united, har
monious and enthusiastic party will
rally under the standard of the new
leader.
" As promised in the early stages of
the convention, the nominee has
been provided with a platform
"made to fit the candidate," and that
It fits him all who give careful and
unprejudiced perusal will agree.
The compilation of this declaration
of wisdom and assertion of principles
is another triumph for the com
moner, and for which he will bo ac
corded full credit; it was Mr. Bryan
who multiplied the elements that
resulted in the production of a certi
ficate of democratic fitness to meet
the great Issuob of the time. The
platform is as strong as the strong
man who stands upon it.
"Wichita (Kan.) Beacon: The
fight at Baltimore was a straight
out contest between the progressives
and the reactionaries, with all of
Tammany's influence thrown to the
reactionaries. Every progressive,
irrespective of party affiliation, can
.share in the gratification of the
Baltimore victory. The result at
Chicago contributed very largely to
the progressive victory at Baltimore.
' Johnstown (Pa.) Democrat: For
tunately for the democracy there
were at Baltimore men who, led by
William J. Bryan, had the Interests
of the party and of the whole people
at heart. They fought the interests.
They persisted in their opposition to
the reactionaries. Despite the cal
umny heaped upon them, despite the
slanderous lies, despite the venom,
they battled for the right.
And they won!
The people won at Baltimore!
In Woodrow Wilson tte democ
racy has a candidate for president
who will truly be the representative
of the people!
And Mr. Wilson will most surely
be the next president of the United
States.
Indianapolis News: Sixteen years
ago he leaped into national promi
nence with a speech which carried
the deep insurgency of the hour. He
lead, not once but thrice, to glorious
defeat. Each time he was followed
by the minds, "the hearts and the
votes of millions of his countrymen.
Today he is but fifty-two, which is
early noontide in the day of intellect,
of politics, of statecraft.
It is marvelous that a man who
leads only to defeat could retain his
hold upon the minds and the imagi
nation of men over so long a period.
The explanation lies neither in his
eloquence nor in his politcal prin
ciples, whatever may be said of the
quality of the one or the soundness
of the other. The explanation of
Bryan is character integrity, sin
cerity, fidelity, courage.
True moral grandeur is so rare,
especially among politicians, that the
world takes off its hat to it when
ever it appears.
" St. Paul Pioneer Press: We have
had many men in public life who
Lave been acclaimed loudly daring
a single campaign or have been the
popular champions of some appeal
ing iseue. Never has an. American
leader been defeated in threo cam
paigns, repudiated in a fourth and
still maintained a high placo in the
esteem of all the people as has Mr.
Bryan. The position ho has attained
in our public life is the tribute of
the nation to the man, as distin
guished from Bryan tho statesman.
However much tho peoplo may have
differed with him on questions of
public policy they generally have
recognized the sincerity of his belief
in whatever he has advocated. Al
though he has had tho votes of tho
minority, he has the respect of the
majority which recognizes tho worth
of a man who is not soured by de
feat, who puts service above personal
preferment.
New York Tribune: "The victory
of tho radical element at Baltimore
will be a killing frost to tho hopes
of the projectors of the new third
party. It was oven a
greater triumph for Mr. Bryan than
it was for Mr. Wilson."
MR. BRYAN IN REPLY
Baltimore, July 1. William J.
Bryan does not confine all his smash
ing shots to his convention speeches.
Before leaving for tho armory this
evening ho disposed of William R.
Hearst and John B. Stanchfield, spar
ing only about ten words for each.
He also denounced as a fake a tele
gram signed "W. J. B." printed this
afternoon in an anonymous adver
tisement in a Baltimore paper. The
advertisement, headed "Bryan's Am
bition," began thus:
"Tho following telegram was re
ceived by Senator Fred T. Dubois,
manager of Speaker Clark's cam
paign, this afternoon:
"Billings, Mont, June 30. To
Senator Fred T. DuBois, Baltimore,
Md.: That Mr. Bryan is not consis
tent is clearly shown by a telegram
which is posted in a local cigar store
here, posted hpre, I am informed,
by Mr. Losekamp, as follows:
" 'June 20. To John B. Lose
kamp, Billings, Mont.: Am observ
ing Chicago rumpus first hand.
Realize fully the mistakes made by
our republican brethren. In order to
be in position to avert such condition
at Baltimore, am requesting a few
of my closest dependable friends to
be on hand early. Have wired W. A.
Clark and Mr. Walsh to be in Balti
more on next Monday at the very
latest. Am asking same favor of
you. Leave Chicago tonight 7:50 p.
m. (Signed) " 'W. J. BRYAN.' "
Mr. Bryan declared the telegram
to be a fraudulent one, cooked up to
make campaign thunder. He' said:
"I have nothing to say about the
balloting today. I do not know any
thing about the expectations of the
managers for the various candidates,
and you can guess as well as I what
may happen. There are two things
you may be interested in. Someone
showed me a telegram this after
noon, signed W. J. Bryan, which was
sent, or said to have been sent, from
a man in Chicago to Billings, Mont
That telegram suggested that a simi
lar telegram would bo sent to others.
It being signed W. J. B., and my
initials being W. J. B., it undoubtedly
referred to me. I think I am justi
fied in referring to it. I never sent
any such telegram, and no one sent
any such telegram for mo and it is
a pure fake. I have no means of
knowing whether it was done as a
joke or with the intention of mis
representing me. It could not have
been sent by a friend."
Mr. Bryan was asked what he
would say about the banner planted
in front of him this afternoon by
Clark men, quoting an opinion of Mr.
Clark expressed by Mr. Bryan two
years ago, as follows:
"I have known Champ Clark for
eighteen years. He is absolutely in
corruptible, and his life Is above re
proach. Novor in all these years havo
I known him to bo upon but ono sido
of tho question and that was tho sido
that represented tho people."
Mr. Bryan said:
"As to the quotation which was
brought into tho hall this afternoon,
I take it for granted that it ia accu
rate. I havo said things fully as
complimentary and I am not willing
to withdraw anything I havo said
about Mr. Clark's record.
"I havo made no charges against
liim, except upon his own admission.
Ho says ho took no part In tho chair
manship fight. 1 say he should havo
taken part. If there is no difference
between Judge Parker brand of de
mocracy and mino then wo havo had
sixteen years of discussion for noth
ing. "If there is a dlfferonco Mr. Clark
ought to havo taken the progressive
side, or not having taken that side
ought not to complain of criticism
from "thoso who bollevo wo should
have had a progressive temporary
chairman.
"The other point is as to tho ac
ceptance of support from the Murphy
delegation. In his statement this
morning, Mr. Clark said: 'I know
of no reason why I should insult the
ninety Now York delegates by refus
ing to accept their votes.' In that
statement ho puts Mr. Murphy's dele
gation on the same footing an other
delegations, and ho must stand or
fall by tho correctness of his judg
ment I believe wo can not afford to
nominate a candidate with tho aid of
Mr. Murphy's delegation. Under the
unit rule ho (Murphy) controls it,
and I believo tho predatory interests
control him. Mr. Clark must take
the responsibility for his decision In
this matter, and I will take tho re
sponsibility for mine."
Mr. Bryan was asked to comment
upon a photograph of himself, shak
ing hands with Murphy at Lincoln
four years ago. which annoared in
W. R. Hearst's morning New York
paper. Copies of tho paper were
given away free by thousands in tho
convention hall, and about the
streets and hotels today. Ho said:
"I saw the picture in the Hearst
paper, representing mo shaking
hands with Mr. Murphy. I havo
Bhaken hands with Mr. Murphy. I
have even shaken hands vith Mr.
Hearst. In fact, a man in politics
has to shake hands with most any
body. I do not require a certificate
of character from a man when I
shako hands with him."
A statement accompanied tho pho
tograph in tho paper to the effect
that Bryan had telegraphed to
Murphy at Denver asking him to stop
at Lincoln on his way homo from the
convention. In regard to this Mr.
Bryan said:
"I do not remember such a tele
gram. I went to the station and met
over 500 people returning that day.
I also met other trains."
"Would you care to comment on
tho speech made today by Mr.
Stanchfield of the New York delega
tion?" was asked.
With a deprecatory smile Mr.
Bryan said:
"I would not care to assume that
the convention had leisure for the
discussion of such criticism as might
bo made of me. I am not concerned
about any one's opinion of mc, I
am trying to draw a clearcut line be
tween Wall street and the people. As
Mr. Stanchfield admits he Is on the
Wall street side he saved me the
necessity of furnishing any proof."
KEEP OFF THE ROCKS
The New York World, In its Issue
of June 21st, printed the following
editorial: The World recognizes
in Judge Parker an eminent citizen
and democrat, but it disapproves
most emphatically of the Tammany
enterprise, Indorsed by tho commit
tco on arrangements, to make him
temporary chanrman of tho Balti
more convention.
If tho boss-ridden organization in
Fourteenth street did not havo a
positive genius for blundering and
for mischief, this movoment could
not havo started. Tho prcHent dis
position of intelligent democrats in
to avoid unncccHsary friction and to
tako no action that will bo needlessly
offenslvo to any clement of tho
party.
No Important Issue hangs upon
tho chairmanship. Tho work of no
stoam-rollor Is to bo safe-guarded.
In addition to sound principles and
approved ability only ono thing
should ho required of the presiding
officer, and that is comploto scpara
tlon from tho unhappy divisions of
tho past
Every stato In the union has Buch
a man. If Now York ia to bo honored
in this way It might present a scoro
of candidates whose selection would
rovlvo no bitterness and reopen no
old controversies. Tammany lacks
sense and sagacity, as usual, or it
would perceive at once tho impro
priety of its suggestion.
With much difficulty a Thomas F.
Ryan lawyer was chosen as tempor
ary chairman of tho republican con
vention at Chicago. What good
reason can be urged for conferring
the same distinction upon another
Thomas F. Ryan lawyer at the Balti
more convention?
If it is Tammany's purpose to test
the sentiments of democrats in this
respect, wo hopo that the delegates
will accept tho issue at onco and by
a decisive vote show that it still is
possible for the representatives of
an American political party to meet
in convention and proceed to busi
ness without a boss.
CHALLENGING A BOSS
The New York World of Juno
22nd, printed tho following edi
torial: Tho first response to tho
selection of Judge Parker as tem
porary chairman of tho Baltimore
convention is a threat that William
J. Bryan will bo brought forward
as a candidate for tho presidency.
Thus is tho spirit of reprisal awak
ened. Tammany's firebrand in disquiet
ing not only because it produces
alarm among democrats but becauso
it is likely to be used to tho advan
tage of both factions of tho republic
can party. Mr. Taft's followers will
not have to apologize for EHhu Root,
their own Ryan lawyer if the demo
crats honor in like manner another
Ryan lawyer in tho person of Alton
B. Parker. Of the use that Mr.
Roosevelt, reformed and regener
ated, will make of the coincidence
there need bo no doubt
Boss Murphy's pretense that
Judge Parker was selected as chair
man for the reason that he had once
been a candidate for president is
preposterous, and everybody knows
it. If that consideration is to be
pleaded, Mr. Bryan in entitled to
the honor, for he has been a candi
date threo times.
Tho truth of tho matter Is thai
Judge Parkor has been named for
chairman by Tammany and its help
ers for precisely the same reason
that Senator Root was named at Chi
cago. He is offensive to a large ele
ment of his party. Ho is expected ta
sound a keynote of conservatism it
not of reaction. Ho probably repre
sents a combination opposed to the
nomination of a progressive and
popular candidate.
In protesting against these destruc
tive Tammany tactics, Mr. Bryan ex
ercises the right of a democrat. H
is not setting himself up as a boss.
Ho is challenging a bess, anil a very
offensive one.
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