The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-01-08

in the morning and urged him to remain
most memorable incident of the convention.
He could not stay being called away by
business, but began to ask me about Bry-
ems career. AS l had known Mr.. Bryan
personally-during the period of his first
triumphs as an orator along the Missouri
river and had kept up a close acquaint-
ance with his rapid rise meantime | was
able to convey to my friend tolerably
accurate idea of the young Nebrasltan' S
talents and of his situation with reference
to the different clemens of party strength.
If you Missouri people are not careful. !"
he said. after moments thoughtful
glance out toward the lake, your friend
Bland will be beaten by just such man
as Bryan IN this convention"
The next morning, Just before Bryan
was called to the platform, l ran across
another old friend in the vast space which
constituted a lobby between the entrance
of the Coliseum and the space cut off for
the convention. He had been a compan-
ion of my boyhood and had read law in my
fathers office. l had sailed in his pleas
ure boats on the Chesapeake, and had often
received courteses from him and his fam
lily. He had for some years been practice
ing law in Omaha, where he had become
familiar with politics aud public affairs
generally. l was, OF course, very much
pleased TO see him, and we moved over to-
ward the restaurant, where we could sit
down and talk for few minutes. With
him was the chairman of the democratic
State committee In one of the most i'm
poriant Northwestern States.
My friend was very much excited and
scarcely took n seat before he said: I'VE
must not on any account miss Bryans
IL. h., ,itt.au
this convention The State committee
chairman expressed belief of the same
sort. / asked for reasons
The two gentlemen explained how they
with a large number OF other friends OF
Mr.. Bryan, had been engaged in an ex-
tensiYe correspondence for several months
with leaders of the silver forces through
out the West and South. My lawyer friend
and others had all the week been vigor-
ously canyassing among the delegates. He
gave me number OF figures and names
which Indicated that his confidence in
Bryan's nomination was not wholly un-
founded, though he admitted that few
pledges had been either exacted or re-
ceived and that no effort had been made
to secure systematic organization. He
also admitted that Bryan himself knew
little or nothing about the plans which had
been undertaken in his behalf The fac
tors In his expectations Were:
i. lNat not one OF the candidates who
had an organized support possessed the de
gree OF availability which would bring
enough delegates 10 secure the nominal
ton.
2. That Bryan did possess exactly the
best possible availability for such con
yentlon and such campaign
3. Tina, Bryan's magnificent presence.
trumpet-lke voice and inspiring eloquence
would, in contrast with the ineffective
speeches which had so far been made be
fore the convention, arouse enthusiasm.
which would cause his availability to ap
pear In unmistakable colors before the
eyes OF every Southern and Western dele.
gate.
The rest is a familiar story In ever,
household The speech was made. II was
a marvellous success as an appeal to the
opinions and feelings OF the majority in
The convention, and, after the other can
didates had been voted for just enough 10
show the obstacles before them. Mr.
Bryan became the nominee OF the demo
cratic party.
think have recited enough of the
PREDATORY history OF that nomination 10
show that the event did not possess the
triyialfy OF an accident or OF an impulse
hut was the deliberate. though animated
cooperative action OF hundreds Of men
who knew what they wanted and who were
spnrred on by millions whom they repre-
sented ~