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FEBBPABT, 1920
A Bit of History
As Bcveral individuals and editors have re
ntlv referred to Mr. Bryan's change froin
riark to Wilson in the Baltimore Convention,
it may not be out of place to recall the material
iicts In order that those who desire to discuss
the matter may do so intelligently.
First Mr. Bryan was under no special obliga
tion to' Mr. Clark, personal or political, other
than that imposed by the instructions voted at
the Democratic primary in Nebraska. He had
known Mr. Clark personally and been associated
with him politically since 189,3, the date of Mr.
Clark's entrance into Congress, but the personal
acquaintance was not more intimate than that
which existed between Mr. Bryan and thousands
of other Democrats. The same can be said oi
their political association. As Mr. Clark was a
candidate for Congress in each of Mr. Bryan's
campaigns his own success was identified with
Mr. Bryan's success. At their first meeting Mr.
Clark referred to the fact that he had used in his
campaign against a one term Congressman the
prominence that Mr. Bryan Jiad secured in a
single term.
Second, in the spring of 1911 Mr. Bryan
thought Mr. Clark the most available man in
sight for the Democratic nomination in 1912,
and, with the purpose of showing his friendship
for him, invited him to be the chief speaker at
the Bryan Birthday Dinner. Mr. .Bryan, as the last
presidential candidate, was the acknowledged
leader of the party and Mr. Clark's presence
was not calculated to do the latter harm. As
time went on Mr. Wilson, then governor, made
speeches which indicated progressiveness. He
opposed Senator Smith for the United States
Senate, advocated the initiative and referendum,
and denounced the money trust. Mr. Bryan on
reading these speeches announced that Mr. Wil
son ought to be included in the list of availables -but
never in public or private advocated either
as against the other or any other candidate as
against either.
Third, Mr. Bryan contributed to the strength
of both Mr. Clark and Mr.- Wilson by opposing
Judge Harmon on the ground that he was a
reactionary and later by opposing-Congressman
Underwood on the ground that ho was second
choice of the Harmon following.
Fourth, Mr. Bryan was a candidate for dele
gate in Nebraska on a platform declaring neu
trality between Mr. Clark and Mr. Wilson but
announcing that h'e would resign his commis
sion as a delegate in case the state instructed
ior Judge Harmon, his objection to Judge Har
mon being that he was the" choice of the Wall
eet element of the party and Mr. Bryan was
not willing to join .those who wanted to turn
we party over to Wall Street leadership. Mr.
wyan led the ticket by several thousand and
a largo majority of the delegation shared his
Fifth, Mr. Bryan did not vote at the primary
SiJm Qe8,ted two others living at his home to
Z?6 iLvote gIvIne on to Mr. Clark and
one to Mr. Wilson.
In 5?MM,r- Clark's supporters made their fight
aB9S!V?b,SBlca Primary for Mr. Clark and
vm wf' Yilson on the ground that Mr. Clark
son 11 ter friend ot Mr- Bryan's than Mr. Wil
hat i?f; and gave Prominence to the "cocked
son i r aild other criticisms which Mr. Wil
forniB A made gainst Mr. Bryan before the
8mwfcaxne eovernor of New Jersey.
Conwntf 5?veral Weks before the Baltimore
Besting V?n i,- Bryan wroto to Mr. Wilson sug
Jam , lle (Mr- Wilson) consent to Ollie
that wmi 5 as, temporary chairman, explaining
aa a SI!? ' JamGS was Mr- Clark's choice he
havinp tJ51,6.881 democrat and that Mr. Clark,
Sates n,Yi?.argQr number of -instructed dele-
chairman y ClaIm the rIght to name tho
chicaentU'tth?,telGgram SGnt by Mr- Bryan from
parWR il thG candidates, criticising Judge
he to ai, i J?ct 0n by the Committee and offer
as sen! candIdatos to defeat Mr. Parker,
Mr. Clartr' th Mr- Clark and Mr- Wilson.
endorsBrt MaSWOr was ambiguous; Mr. Wilson
Ninth vl; BI?an'8 Position..
uld nnf S?i M r- 'Bryan found that Mr. Parker
c,ark's cWm ?raw he asked Ollie James (Mr.
beforo thn e for cllairm,an in the contest
Center , ?Jmittee) to allow hisiame to be
Mr- Jamn? i ,. Bryan against Mr. Parker, but
Clark's mL iTled on tlle ground that Mr.
as aakS ? Tgefs ejected. Mr. Bryan after
ea Judee OlGorman and Senator Kern
The Commoner
conted111 F hTSrn IT nly
when no other Ul nHoleg "to Cld 1,1
MrUnpaTke0r Wa8 WilHnB t0 b a
ParkerhforH,nClarkiH anagers wpportecl Mr.
i aricer for the position of Temporary Chair
man as against Mr. Bryan. 1Prary L,1r
Eleventh, many if not a majority of Mr Clark's
nTesouHn W the MoVgan-BelmoLt-Kyan
resolution introduced" by Mr. Bryan i'
resolution adopted by a vote ot more than our
to one, even tho New York delegation voting for
Twelfth; when tho Now York delegation was
thrown to Mr. Clark Mr. Bryan resolved not Jo
JinrfwSf e? J0? dolegatIon to nominate any
candidate, believing then (and still belioving)
that a Democratic candidate owing, his nomina
tion to the New York delegation would ho de
feated at the polls. Mr. Bryan had attended
the Chicago Convention where Mr. Taft had been
nominated by the Wall Street influences and ho
introduced the Morgan-Belmorit-Ryan resolu
tion because he was convinced that tho samo
crowd was attempting to control tho Baltimore
Convention. But Mr. Bryan continuod to vote
for Mr. Clark under the instructions hoping all
the time that the New York delegation would
withdraw its vote from Clark and leave him to
make his fight with the support of progressive
delegates. ,
Thirteenth, on Saturday morning a num
ber of the Nebraska delegation refused to vote
longer for Mr. Clark. Mr. Bryan tried to per
suade them to continue to support Mr. Clark, as
suring them that he would change if it became
apparent that his vote would help New York
name the candidate, but still hoping that New
York would leave Clark. Finding several of tho
Nebraska delegates obstinate and knowing that
the necessity for a' change might come unexpect
edly, Mr. Bryan prepared, before leaving the
hotel, an explanation of his change which ho
afterwards fead In the Convention.
Fourteenth, soon after tho convention ropenod
on Saturday morning a situation arose which
led Mr. Bryan to believe that he could carry
out what he knew to be the desire of tho Ne
braska Democrats, by changing his vote to Mr.
Wilson rather than by taking any further chance
of helping New York to nominate a candidate.
When a poll of tho delegation was demanded he
took the platform and read his roasons for
changing his vote, stating specifically that ho
would withdraw his vote from Mr. Wilson if
New York voted for Wilson.
The statement contained no criticism of Mr.
Clark but was based solely upon the belief en
tertained then and still entertained that under
the conditions then existing the Democratic party
could not afford to go into the campaign with a
candidate, no matter who ho was, who would
have to bear the odium of having been selected
so largely through the influence of the New
York delegation, controlled as that delegation
was by one man who worked in harmony with
the three financiers whom the convention had
specifically denounced. The Missouri delegation
containing -all the prominent Democrats in the
state, sat just in front of the platform and none
of them asked any question although Mr. Bryan
announced his willingness to answer questions.
Fifteenth, the Nebraska Democratic stato
convention, held a,fter the Baltimore convention,
endorsed Mr. Bryan's course at Baltimore.
. The above facts are submitted as proof that
Mr Bryan kept the pledge that he made to the
Democrats of Nebraska when they selected him
as a delegate; their endorsement of his course
in changing his vote when conditions made the
change necessary ought to be a sufficient answer
to critics. A delegate to a National Convention
is under obligation to those who selected him
rather than to the candidate whom he supports
oflie candidate's friends Mr. Bryan believed
then that he was acting In the interest of the
Democrats of the nation as well as in i the inter
est of the Democrats of Nebraska and he still
entertains this belief. It was no re lection upon
Mr Clark because Mr. Bryan would have taken
fh same course had ho been supporting any
She ? candidate8and New York had attempted to
make that candidate the choice of the party,
muiiu '". wfiin? to allow a Wall Street-
L It Mr Wilson! Tho telegraph companies
tlon ol Mr. """"; , telegrams received by
S'Tefega at ONE HutKED AND TEN
& & W
9
THIS rfoLli OP HONOR
r
T
States That Have Ratified (ho National
Woman Suffrage Amendment
1 WISCONSIN, Juno 10, 1910.
2 ILLINOIS, Juno 10, 1919.
3 MICHIGAN, Juno 10, 1919. , '
4 KANSAS, Juno'lG, 1919. ' " "
5 OHIO, Juno 10, 1919.
G NEW YORK, Juno 10, 19l'9. .
7 PENNSYLVANIA, Juno 24, 19i9.
8 MASSACHUSETTS, Juno 25, 1919.
9 TEXAS, Juno 28, 1919.
10 IOWA, July 2, 1919.
11 MISSOURI, July 3 1919.
12 ARKANSAS, July 28, 1919.
13 MONTANA, July 30, 1919.
14 NEBRASKA, August 2, 1919?
15 MINNESOTA, Sopt. 8, 1919.
16 NEW HAMPSHIRE, Sopt. 10, T919.
17 UTAH, Sopt. 30, 1919.
18 CALIFORNIA, Nov. 1, 1919.
19 MAINE, Nov.- 5, 1919.
20 NORTH DAKOTA, Doc. 1. 1019.
21 SOUTH DAKOTA, Doc. 4, 1919;
22 COLORADO. Doc. 12,1919.
23 RHODE ISLAND, Jan. C, 1920.
24 KENTUCKY, Jan. G, 1920. '
25 OREGON, Jan. 13, 1920.
26-INDIANA, Jan. 1C, 1920.
27 WYOMING, Jan. 27, 1920.
28 NEVADA, Fob. 7, 1920.
29 NEW JERSEY, FEB. 9, 1920.
THOUSAND. Mr. Bryan received ELEVEN HUN
DRED AND EIGHTY-FOUR with an average of
three names to a telegram.
RAISING THE BLACK FLAG
Answering an Inquiry as to tho New York din
ner given to Chairman Cummings, Mr. Bryaifo
said: "Who will now accuse mo ol doing Injustice
to Mr. Cummlngs? He shows no fnterost in tho
Democratic party; h's chief business seems to bo
to act a a sounding board for tho champions of
tho liquor traffic. Ho lends official sanction to
the program of a criminal buslnosB which has
been outlawed by tho conscience of tho nation.
Governor Edwards and Governor Smith, both of
whom owe their election to a lawless business
which conspires against public morals, have en
tered upon tho task of burying tho Democratic
party in the grave with tho saloon. If the'r fight
rests upon the.'r individual merits, it will be a
farce; if tho browors and distillers finance it, tho
preconvention campaign will mako the Newberry
campaign look like a Sunday School picnic. It
is fortunate for the country that Ddwards and
Smith have raised the black flag early both
parties will bo warned. Who will be the Ed
wards and Smith of the Republican party, or is
our party the only one to bo disgraced?"
GREY'S HELPING HAND
Viscount Grey's letter ought to hasten ratifica
tion. If Great Britain is willing to accept any
reservations this country Wants, why should sena
tors quarrel so long? Why not get together and
ratify at once?
! !! 1
MR. HOOVER'S STATEMENT.
Mr. Hoover's statement appears in the morn
ing papers Just as The Commoner goes to press.
It is a very frank confession of confusion of
thought and lack of interest in public questions.
Ho does not know yet with which party ho will
act this fall. Ho will carefully examine the plat
forms when written and support the party which
comes nearest to his views That might seem ery
sensible policy for one who feit himself so Insig
nificant a factor that he could not Influence any
party's action, but can a man big enough for the
presidency be content to do .nothing to influence
party action in a crisis like this if he waits until
parties act? He must choose tetween the part" es
even though neither pleases him. Can't he help
some party to make a good platform and take
the right stand? He might make enemies, of
course, but it is worth while to make enemies if
one can by doing so servo his country. Is Mr. "
Hoover interested enough In politics to render
some service or just interested enough to wait
for an honor to be conferred upon him tho,
greatest honor In tho world?
W. J. BRYAN.
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