The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-07-23
CRISP Is THE MAN
Who Planned Last Winter for the Nom
ination of Bryan.
Letter to Philadelphia Press


New York. July 13.-Mr. Whitney Is
reported today as of the opinion that
the nomination Of Bryan was due to no
sudden emotion. and was not the tribute
Of convention 10 the charm and In
ruence OF eioQuence. Mr. Whitney has
reason to think that the nomination of
Bryan Is a triumph OF politics, quite as
skiilfully employed as any of which he
has had knowledge in all his experience.
Senator Hin goes even farther than Mr..
Whitney. IL the reports which are in
circulation here today have truth in
them, for the senator believes that the
nomination of Bryan was In large part
due to the cunning ard 10 the influence
of the ex-speaker of the house. Mr..
Crisp. Ii is true that Mr.. Crisp did not
appear personally at the convention, and
had. in fact. SO timed bis departure for
Europe as to be upon the water when the
convention was in session But his plans.
which had In view the nomination OF
Bryan, were made last winter, and they
had been carried out with the smooshness
and perfection Of action Of an admirable
machine.
Both Mr.. Whitney and Senator Hill,
il is reported, were satisfied after being
day or two in Chicago, that the con-
yentton. instead OF being without a leader,
had one. But they could not put their
finger upon him. The steady. persistent
ways surely. was there. bat the person who
exerted IL was not TO be discovered. The
active men there had all the mannerisms
OF lieutenants, or of those who were car
rying out a weil-conceived plan. and Il
was not until after the platform had beef
adopted that something caused Senator
nm. with his quick intuition. to point to
the absent leader, the real directing,
though admirably concealed power,
Charles f. Crisp.
II is inferred from some things we have
heard today that some word, perhaps in-
cautiously uttered, or some act of Mr..
Lewis. the delegate from Georgia. who
placed Bryan In nomination, caused SEN
ator Hill to turn with quick wit to the
leader and master of the Georgia Dem
ocracy. Mr.. Crisp. as the real director of
that convention. The senator is 10 be for
titled in his opinion by information which
will be taken to him while he is in this
city this week.
gentleman who has large business In
teresis in Eastern Tennessee. not far from
the Georgia line and who is there much of
the time, although his home is in this
city. was thrown in business way into
association with some Of the leading Dem
ocrats from Georgia last winter. This
man Is Democrat and Is brought into
close relations with Democrats OF in
huence In Georgia by reason OF his mar
riaEs TO a Georgia woman. II happened
last winter that he had long converse
ton with Mr.. Lewis, In fact several OF
them. In which the silver question was
discussed. and the programme OF the sill
yer Democracy, as laid out by the Georgia
leaders was revealed TO him. Then II was.
six months ago, that Sir. Lewis said 70
him. The nominee of tho Democratic
National convention will be Bryan. OF Ne
braska. He viii not only be supported by
Georgia but his nomination has been sug-
gesfed as an ideal one by Mr. Crisp
Mr. Lewis went on TO say, as reported by
this man, that Bryan in the first place was
peculiarly available. because he lives In
Nebraska; in the second place because he
Is a young man, and has no record or as
soclations TO emharrass him or those who
Will direct the campaign. In the third
place Mr.. Crisp regarded him as perhaps
the most effective speaker for the stump,
AZ least in campaign such as would fol-
low his nomination in the Democratic
party And there were other reasons given.
perhaps more specifically political and per-
sonai why Mr. Crisp saw IN Bryan the
candidate for the free silver Democracy.
IL WAS then pointed out also that ac-
coralng 10 Mr.. Crisp's view Bryan should
net be prominently mentioned In Assoc
citation with thu nomination. but that he
should be kept well in the background
until at the proper moment he could be
brought before the convention. ana IN
such dramatic and sensational manner
as would persuade IL.
These things were told 10 this business
man last winter. and the history Of the
convention shows THAI the purposes then
entered into have been carried out with
almost amazing exsctnes.
To those who know what the relations
between Mr.. Crisp and Mr.. Bryan have
been eve. since Bryan entered congress.
Il vii seem entirely reasonable thar
NJ. C-isp being entirely ineligible for the
presidency. and certainly not avaiisnla
even though he had not been born abroad
should have chosen Bryan as a man AZ
ter hts own heart Those who will study
the course cf the Georgia delegation will
see how rea SoaaSle IL IS 20 iafes that those
men weat 20 Chicago having Bryan "a
rafrra as the candidate. The impression
OF his business man - that II Bryan be
elected Mr.. Crisp viii be tire real power
ia hss administration. ard Will proaGkSy be
named as secretary % rhe treasury.