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The Commoner.
TULY 12, 111
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Power of Truth Bryan Keeps the Faith
Editorial in Dubuque (Iowa) Telegraph
Herald: Champ Clark failed of the domocratlo
nomination for president because at a crucial
moment when confronted with choice between
right and expediency, he choao the latter.
Ho had been a supporter of Bryan in three
campaigns to have opposed Bryan would have
cost him his seat in congress. Ho had pro
fessed himself a progressive democrat and on
many occasions had voted for progressive
measuros. To have done otherwise would have
resulted in his defeat for re-election. He was
accepted the nation over as a progressive demo
crat and he had received the support of pro
gressive democrats because they assumed him
to be one of them in sympathy with Bryan and
out of sympathy with the privileged interests
speaking in the voice of the machine politicians.
He did nothing to discourage this view; on the
contrary he encouraged it. At the moment
when choice was presented him of Bryan or
Parker it appeared that the element opposed to
the progressive element was in majority in tho
convention. It appeared that alliance with this
reactionary element would win him the prize he
sought tho much coveted nomination. Vanity
called, ambition beckoned, and the promised
land stretched out In vista before him. To yield
to the expediency of the hour, it seemed to him,
was to gain the highest honor within tho gift
of his party and perhaps the presidency of the
nation. Why should ho not yield? . He yielded.
The fact that yielding would be his undoing
never dawned upon his mind. The fact that It
would turn against him men drawn to his sup
port because they believed him to be ono kind
of man and found him to be anothor kind ap
parently found no place in his reckoning. Tho
thought that he was abandoning right to take
up wrong, if ho had the thought, may not have
bothered and certainly did not restrain him. If
he were of the fibre the high office of the presi
dency should command, if he had the stuff of
greatness, he would not have yielded, but would
have resisted and if he should be cut oft from
reward the great satisfaction would be his of
knowing that he was yet the captain of hiB soul
and square with" God. It is perhaps fair to say
that if ho had not yielded he would have been
the convention's nominee, for forces in the con
vention would have gone to him in preference to
any other reckoned among the progressive can
didates. We may pass over in charity the thoughts
that are Champ Clark's today, and do no moro
than apply the lament of Wolsoy: "Ah, Crom
well, Cromwell, If I had served my God with but
half the zeal I served my king he would not in
mine age have left me naked to mine enemies."
If Champ Clark had served the right as he
sought to serve himself he would be tho con
vention nominee.
It is always a tragedy when men fail at the
critical moment in their lives. It is always
occasion for rejoicing when they meet the test
and with heads erect, their eyes brilliant in the
light of the myriads of stars, ride on in a path
of glory.
BRYAN KEEPS THE FAITH
Editorial in Washington (D. C.) Times:
When Mr. Bryan introduced his ' resolution
Thursday night pledging the democratic con
vention not to nominate any man representing
the sinister influences of special privilege or
bossism in its corruptible aspect, it was passed
with a rush. Every boss in the convention voted
for it. Tammany Hall voted for it. Belmont
and Ryan, both occupying seats as delegates in
tho convention, voted for it.
Per se, the resolution was meaningless. It
settlecl nothing. It was merely a promise not to
do a thing which was morally dishonest, but left
the- definition of what Is morally dishonest to be
determined later. Having put tho convention
on record as being against any candidate under
obligation to special privilege and bosses, it was
up to Mr. Bryan to hold the convention to the
spirit, as well as tho letter, of the promise.
It was apparent immediately that lt.was incum
bent upon Mr. Bryan to give life to the resolu
tion, to mako the abstract promise concrete
action. It devolved upon him to apply the test
to every. candidate showing strength enough to
be counted as a formidable factor in tho fight.
This would mean personalities, the reading of
records, the narrowing down of the fight to
where it would be necessary for him to take
the platform . and, like Nathan of old, exclaim
"Thou art tho man." Eithor this, or tho reso
lution would bo tho choapost kind of 'political
clap-rap, and Bryan tho veriest charlatan.
It was very evident whon tho forces in tho
convention at war with Bryan and at war with
the principles for which ho is fighting voted for
tho resolution they had no idea that Bryan
meant to onforce it. They thought in tho boaten
path of politicians and that path led them to
tho conclusion that it was simply a shrewd,
demagogic by-play of Bryan's whereby ho might
administer balm to his own feelings and afford a
shelter for himstlf within tho party aftor tho
forces denounced in the resolution had named
tho nominee.
In short they did not think Bryan meant it.
They didn't know tho gun was loaded.
Mr. Bryan kept faith with tho pooplo, kept
faith with his promises, and kept faith with
himself. Called upon to rido tho storm and
direct the whirlwind, he did so. There was not
the least hesitancy. Ho may have been moro
oratorical in 1896 at Chicago, ho may have boon
more dramatic in Baltimore Thursday night
whon he Introduced tho resolution declaring tho
party's independence of Wall street and Tam
many Hall big business and crooked politics
but he never beforo aroso to the point of intense
sincerity, absolute tiovotion to a principle no
matter what tho personal cost, as when ho
ascended tho platfor.ni Saturday and announced
his purpose of voting against Champ Clark.
Friendships of a lifetime, tho traditions of
party, the prejudices that burn against doing
anything irregular, tho political associates of
two score years, tho fear of being called a
traitor, tho heavy burden of justifying to his
own people tho violating their Instructions all
these ho cast in tho balance and found them out
weighed whon the devotion to a principle was
on tho other sldo of tho scale.
His refusal to bo longer bound by anything
other than his conscience, his sense of duty to
tho people,, and his fidelity to a principle marked
the climax of Bryan's lifo up to date and ho
has attained many lofty summits.
Mr. Bryan has kept faith with the pepplo. ' Ho
has ridden the storm. Ho has directed tho
whirlwind. Ho has won his right to the titlo
of "Peerless Leader."
VINDICATION
Editorial in Baltimoro News: When William
Jennings Bryan sprang into prominence sixteen
years ago the west went wild over him. West
ern populism took him as its leader. Tho cam
paign that year was almost one between tho west
and tho east.
But in 1896 the issue of gumshoo politics
versus control of tho party by and for its rank
and file had not been formulated. Mr. Bryan's
western strength was organization strength.
Tho doctrine he advocated was one seized upon
by tho state machines In pursuit of tho old and
familiar careless policy of gaining votes where
and by whatever means one could. There was
popular unrest; and a sop was thrown to it.
In this convention Mr. Bryan is tho dominant
figure. Ho is stronger today than at any time
in his previous political career. He has gono
into previous conventions opposed by tho" most
thoughtful element In tho party, by those most
concerned for tho country's ultimate and real
good.
There Is still somo doubt as to Mr. Bryan's
perfect wisdom, as to whether his progressivism
Is not tainted with radicalism. But in tho last
few months the source of his influence has .ma
terially changed. Despite his dangerous quali
ties, he has been accepted as the ally of and
handed the leadership by those same men who
so short a time ago were resisting him to tho
utmost. Perhaps wore he to be tho candidate
himself, this would not bo the case. But in
falling In line with Governor Wilson, Bryan
has at last come into his own.
Mr. Bryan has made mistakes. But In this cam
paign there has crystallized tho definite issue
of popular rulo versus organization rule; and
here, as before, he has unhestitatingly thrown
himself into the people's fight. That fight
centers about the influence of Charles P. Murphy
upon national politics. But the organizations
of the western states have tho same stake in
the fight as has Murphy himself. They can not
willingly see Mr. Bryan or Mr. Wilson win in
such a contest as this.
It is here that Champ Clark's- progressiveness
falls down. Granting to him fair .liberality of
views, ho is the political organization's repre
sentative of progrosaivism. Mr. Wilson is the
pooplo's. That Mr. Bryan has thrown his weight
to tho latter at tho cost of his influonco in th
western states, controlled by rock-ribbed organi
zations, is a vindication of his past record, a
proof of his devotion to a hlqhor causo than that
ordinarily described by' tho word populism of
his honest wish to bo tho aorvant and champion
of tho people that ho claims to be.
All huil to him!
CLOSING llOUHS OV CONVENTION
Aftor Governor Wilson's nomination for tho
presidency tho democratic national convention
took a recess until 9 o'clock in tho ovenlng,
Tuesday, July 2nd. Champ Clark was urged
to take tho nomination for vice president, but ho
declined. Governor Burko of North Dakota,
Governor Marshall of Indiana and Senator
Chamberlain of Oregon woro put In nomination
for vlco president. Ono of tho delegates from
tho District of Columbia proposod W. J. Bryan
but Bryan declined and tho vote was takon.
Marshall 389, Burko 305 and Chamberlain 157.
Other votes scattered. On tho second ballot
Thomas It. Marshall, governor of Indiana, was
nominated for vlco president. Tho platform was
then adopted and tho convention adjourned at
1:56 o'clock In tho morning of Wednesday,
July 3rd.
All other candidates sent dispatches to Wil
son pledging him thoir support. Champ Clark
issued a long statement on tho day following
tho nomination In which ho promised to support
Governor Wilson but made a bitter attack upon
Mr. Bryan.
Following is a United Press dispatch: Sea
Girt, N. J., July 2. Whon notified of his nomi
nation Woodrow Wilson said:
"You must sometimes have wondorod why I
havo not shown more emotion, as tho news
enmo in from the convention, and I have been
afraid that you might get tho improsslon that
I was so self confident and suro of tho result
that I took tho steady increase In tho vote for
mo in Baltimoro complacently and as a matter
of course. Tho fact is that tho emotion has been
too deep to como to tho surfaco as tho vote ha
grown and as it has seemed moro and moro
likely that I might bo nominated) I havo grown
moro and moro solemn. I havo not felt any of
this as if it were a thing that centored on my
self as a person. Those fine men who havo
been fighting for mo In Baltimoro I havo not
regarded as my representatives. It is tho othor
way round.
?,I have felt all the while that they woro honor
ing me by regarding mo as their representa
tive and that they were fighting for mo because
they thought I could stand for and fight for
tho things that they believed in and desired for
tho country.
"I do not see how any man could feel elation
as such responsibility loomed nearer and nearer,
or how ho could feel any shallow personal pride.
The honor is as great as could come to any man
by tho nomination of a party, and higher under
tho circumstances and I hope I appreciate it at
its true value, but just at tho moment I feel tho
tax It Involves, oven moro than I feel the honor.
I hopo with all my heart that tho party will
never havo reason to regret It."
Mrs. Wilson said:
"I feel very, very solemn." ;
Following is from tho report given by tha
Philadelphia Public Ledger: William J. Bryan
entered tho hall whilo political and patriotic
songs wore still being sung and they were in
terrupted by tho cheers that greeted Bryan.
Bryan took his seat with the Nebraska dele
gation and immediately became tho centor of a
group of delegates anxious to congratulate him.
Following is a press dispatch: Baltimore,
July 2. William J. Bryan tonight declared tho
nomination -of Woodrow Wilson on a progres
sive platform meant an overwhelming victory
for the democratic ticket next fall.. Colonel
Bryan said:
"I feel sure that the action of the convention
thus far will appeal to the country. I had no
choico among progressive candidates, but from
the first included Governor Wilson in every list
I had occasion to mako. His action In coming
out strongly agalnBt Judge Parker for tempor
ary chairman was the turning point in his cam
paign. Tho country is progressive. Nearly all
of the democratic party and more than halt of
tho republican party are progressive.
"The paramount question before this conven
tion was whether wo would take sides with the
reactionaries and thu3 , encourage the organi
zation of a third party and give to the third
party tho hope of .defeating tho reactionaries
, iiyt
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