Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1896-12-02
HOW BRYAN COR IT.
inside History OF ma Ns.lina,ion 10 Dis-
cbosed-


ccrned. When hc stood up to make his
cycntfui speech he was throwing loaded
dice. which had been prepared nearly
assisted his friends in pulling the wires
for many months. and every move in the
GENE had been studied out.
This Information was CLEANED in Ne.
braska during the. week preceding elec-
ton. and the authority for the story
which follows is no less person than
James G. Dahlman. chairman of the
democratic state central committe OF
Nebraska. MIR. Bryan's confidential po-
Etical adviser and friend. He gave the
Tribune correspondent permission TO
print the story after election. and mean
while every statement he made was
verified from other sources, the whole
proving conclusiveiy that William Jen-
nings Bryan knew he was playing for
high stakes when he made his cele-
brated cross of gold speech at the Chi
cago convention.
He was not only fully aware of the
plans of his Nebraska friends, but was
consulted at every stage. and on him
self alone depended the final maneuver
which secured TO him the opportunity
to speak just at the right time to cap
ture the convention. The story, rs
told by Chairman Dahlman, supple
mented by the statement of others.
bears the Impress OF truth on its face.
and can easily be verified by anyone
who cares to do SO.
In the summer of 1894 parties were
more or less split in Nebraska. The re-
publicans were divided. and so were the
democrats. The former split over the
goNernoiShip. The latter broke into fac
tions on the money question. William
Jennings Bryan had been elected TO
congress twice and had demonstrated
first great power of glib oratory, and,
secondly. marvellous facility for unit
ing different factions and parties.
The democrats. divided, could do notn-
ing. BY II union with the populists they
might control the state. Bryan was Just
the man TO unite the free-silver wing of
the Nebraska democrats with the
pops" He was for free trade and free
silver, had always affiliated with the
populists from the day he went into
politics, and possessed glittering ora
torical powers from which much could
be expected
Bryan was still in the lower house of
congress and fully expected to be can
didate for reelection, when n little
coterie of democrats OF the silver faction
in Nebraska put their heads together
and determined that the hard times and
the general feeling of unrest were an
opportunity not TO he missed. and that
the talkative young lawyer from Lin
coin could, II handled properly. be
landed In the white house.
Until the extra session of 1893 Bryan
had been tariff reformer only, and his
! first speech on the silver question was
admitted to be n failure. He began TO
study IL, however. for use in the next
congressional campaign, and the long
period OF idlenss I'm the house when the
senate was wrestling with the tariff bill
gave him abundant opportunity TO post
himself.
The Nebraska silver democrats led
the young congressman up into a high
mountain md pointed out the richness
of the land which should be his IL he
obcyed Instructions. They promised to
make him first senator from Nebraska
President 10 succeed Grover Cleveland
1t was pointed out TO him that the
brains and leadership of the democratic
party were all in the gold faction. while
the silver men had no candidates who
were really strong except In the south,
and the selection of man from that
section was out of the question.
1t was believed that the situation In
Nebraska was such that the necessary
start in the presidential race could
easily be secured. IL was proposed TO
form nm active coalition with the popu-
lists, giving them the state government
and reserving the United States senator
for the democrats. Mr.. Bryan consent
ed to the plans outlined to him. and the
! necessary steps were at once taken to
put them into execution.
The Nebraska silver coterie got TO.
gether during the early part of 1894 and
began TO look over the ground, the
scheme even then being to secure the
necessary amount of notorietV for Bry-
an. so that when he came TO make his
grand-stand play people would already
know about him.
II was soon discovered that the Oma-
ha World-Herald. which was not silver
paper in the full sense of the word. was
in need OF money. Then 10 was found
that for S13.5OO invested in the concern
control Of its editorial policy could he
secured. A deal was fixed up with Mr..
Hitchcock. the proprietor. whereby the
silver men were TO contribute the
money needed for typesetting machines
0nd other things. and in return Bryan
was 10 be made editor in chief. with full
authority to commit the paper to the
widest coalition doctrines The deal
was contaminated aud close agree
ment entered into guaranteeing con
troll Of the piper until after the national
convention. though Publisher Hitch
cock did not know just what the limit Of
time meant
Meanwhile Mr.. Bryan had been la-
boring at Washington. He wrote long
letter announcing his candidacy for the
United States senate on plntform
which he laid down for himself includ-
ing free trode. free silver, on income
tax. election of senators BY the people.
opposition 10 moDopoIies and trusts
and other things democratic and popu-
u