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

1 10
rs ----------------
/ Written for the St. Louis Republic by ].
| A. Graham.
| In spite of all that men who saw the
Chicago convention OF 1896 at close range
may hereafter place upon the dry records
OF history they will probably never be
impression that the nomination OF Bryan
was the result OF romantic impulse kim
died by the superb delivery Of powerful
speech.
| In fact, as time rolls on and details are
no longer able to hold general attention.
| the romance will appear more romantic.
| and the picture OF great assembly moved
to irresstiblo enthusiasm by the ringing
words or darling young champion VIII be-
come the accepted capitalization OF the
proceedings which led to Mr.. Bryan's nom
inatioD.
am glad to know that the picture, like
most OF the romances Of history, Is wholly
unlike the actually. A true democrat is
always loath to believe that any great
determining event rs controlled by the
personality OF n single man, or that ono
man can be so gifted above ordinary NOR
tails that he can lead a deliberatiye body
representing great mass OF people away
from a path previously marked out by q
collective purpose.
am sorry to admit that the American
people do not in thought recognize how
fully theirs is a representative Nation.
do not limit the phrase to representative
government, because the habit OF repre-
sentative action in all departments of pub
lie and private life has proceeded now so
far that 1t is, as n rule impossible for
man to become successful in business or
profession except as he learns to adjust
himself to the representation of CLIENTS.
customers or stockholders. In thought and
word he may be called II leader. In truth
he may be leader In the best meaning of
that term, but only because he has insight
aud force enough to see the best way of
reaching the ends which his supporters
seek
We are still prone to love OF romance
Many men who know better have by this
time permitted themselves TO really believe
that Mr.. Bryan sprang before the Chicago
convention unknown and unheralded and
unexpectedly waved wand of verbal
witchery to which thousand strong men
yielded before they could recover mental
independence.
Yet, before that convention, Mr.. Bryan
was az we'll known In the politics oil the
West and South rs any man In the couu-
try. He has made great speeches before.
both on the stump and In congress. Be-
fore the convention met II was plain that
he was more favored than any other demo-
crat by the populists, and by that very
large element Of democrats who threat
ened TO vote With the populsts II any
compromise were made on the money ques-
ton. Ia his Nebraska fusion campaign he
had been brought BY the eXigencies OF
party politics into close relation with the
populist leaders and with the leaders of
that element OF democrats Just mentioned.
The convention itself, while composed
largely OF men who had attended few Ma
tIonal gatherings, was nevertheless by no
means a meeting of novices. The leaders
OF the delegations were. without exception,
veteran politicians The other members OF
the delegations were thoroughly acquainted
with State politics and knew precisely what
the voters at their homes would and would
not support in National ticket and plat
form.
II would be a shallow observer who would
confuse their yigor of expression with I'M
bridled and unguided mpulsiveness. Day
after day and night after night, not only
during the convention. but for weeks ahead,
the qualifications OF various possible can
dldates were discussed by these men and
their friends carefully and extensively.
do not say that they went TO Chicago
intending TO nominate Bryan, but | DO
know that Bryan was not o,lt of their
minds and that each delegation went to
Chicago ready TO continue the canvass OF
qualifications and unite with other dele
cations on the man who would best repre-
sent the issue and at the same time pro-
duce the greatest voting strength In he
respective States.
Now see how Bryan's nomination came
about us a natural result OF forces and cal
eulations at work in the convention. Not
only was the speech itself striking intel
leotnal performance, but the nomination
OF the speaker was effected by intellectual
processes in the convention and not By an
outourst OF hot enthusiasm. 1t was not
one man, but 800 men, chiefly from the
West and south. who produced the result.
And the result was produced because the
400 men had been sent after the result by
several millions OF American people.
Up to the time OF delivering the speech
Bryan had little OF formally organized
strength in the convention, but he had
host of friends and perhaps no enemies
This was strikingly advantageous po-
sition, In view OF the fact that the silver
forces We're divided among four or five
candidates, not one OF whom had in hand
or In sight enough strength to nominate
and every one of whom had encountered
difficulties which had brought him almost
to a standstill at that jnncture.
Boies was out of the fight in the judy
ment of impartial students, before the con-
vention opened.
Matthews had, outside OF his own State.
no strength that could be depended upon
10 stick TO him.
Mclean had no grasp on the forces
which were really molding the shape Of
the convention.
Bland was by far the strongest among
those around whom structure OF organi-
cation had been built. and yet we who We're
lighting for Bland had seen before the
dawning OF the Bryan morning that the
great Missourians strength had reached a
point were further accession came reluct-
antiy and with dubious reservations Not
withstanding the loyal and cordial support
rendered by such favorites in populist
sirongholds as overmyer of Kansas, the
delegates from half dozen Southern
States reported that the populists would
never unite with the democrats IL Bland
were nominated
do NOT yet know the reason for the
popnlist unwillingness to support Bland.
beyond their vague statement thnt M w,s |