The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1903-08-14
HE is A DEMOCRAT.
Bryan Gives a Full History Of His
Political Career.

Bryan Gives Full History Of His
Political Career.
WHY HE VOTED FOR WEAVER.
He Has Never Denied His Amliation
With the Democratic Party
| or Permitted it to he
Questioned.
The gold democrats, unable to make
a successful attack upon the princi-
pies for which b1r. Bryan stood as The
nominee OF the party, and which lie
now defends, are attempting to qucs-
tiOn his right TO membership in the
democratic party. Three points arc
urged against him. First, he is quoted
as saying at some time (the date is not
tiXcGD prior to 1906, that he was not q
democrat but Il bimctalliSt. Second,
that he voted for General Weaver in
1892; and, third, that he advocated
principles which are not democratic
Tile first charge is entirely without
foundation. Mr.. bryan never at any
time or place denied lis political ar
tiiation with tile democratic party or
permitted 1t to be questioned. Ills
parents were democrats before him,
and he counted himself u democrat In
his youth because his parents were,
and after he WIS grown, was demo
crat because of his belief in demo-
cratic principles and policies. lie
made democratic speeches In 1850, be-
fore he was old enough to vote, and
has made Democratic speeches in
every campaign since. He has at
| tended democratic conventions for
about twenty years aud hns never been
a delegate to Il convention Of any other
party. He has favored fusion with the
populiStS in Nebraska for The reason
that upon the questions Immediately
before the country the pupulistS and
democrats agree, their differences be-
ing as to questions not reached.
| In 1890 Mr.. Bryan was nominated
for congress by democratic conyen-
tion and was elected, defeating both
the republican candidate and the poLl-
list candidate. He was rcnomirlated
for congress In 1892 and again elected,
defeating this time also Il populst as
we'll rs u republican. In 1894 lie was
| the nominee OF the democratic state
convention for the United States sen
| ate, but was not indorSed by the popu-
| list state convention. While lie would
| probably have received the votes OF
populist members OF the legislature If
their votes could have elected him,
just as Senator Allen had received the
democratic votes in the legislature
two years before, the republicans had
Il majority in the legislature elected
| in S94-t the year in which Mr.. Cleve-
lands administration was SO ovcrwhcl-
| fhingly condemned. Nearly all of the
populists voted for u member Of their
| own party.
At tlrc close of the 53rd congress,
in March, 1895, Mr.. Bryan Joined
with Mr.. Blsnd in preparing and cir
| culating an appeal To the democratic
believers i'll bimctallism to organize
and secure control Of tue democratic
organization. From that date on to
the meeting Of the Chicago convention
he visited all parts Of the country, at
tending democratic meetings and con
vcntions and giving whatever asSis-
tancc he could TO the democratic be-
levers in bimctallism. There was
never any question raised lis TO his
party relations.
In 1894 q few democrats left the
democratic state convention and nomi-
mated what they called "a straight
democratic ticket" This ticket re-
ccivcd about five Thousand votes in the
state. The boiling organization was
maintained until after the election of
| 1896. In 1895 the organization Sc
cured for this ticket an unfair advan-
tagc by cOlluSiOn with the rcpublica u
judges. In 1896 both organizations
sent delegates to Chicago, and the
| national committee, by strict gold
and silver vote, gave temporary Gre
dcntials committee Of the convention,
however, after full hearing, decided
in favor of the regular delegation
headed by Mr.. Bryan, and the tcsti-
mony before this committee was so
clear and convincing that the minority
did mol present report.
| During all this period it will be seen
that Mr.. Bryan was active in party
work and gave no excuse for any one
| w bouOl HIS plIOy COlllCCblOUS.
Congressman O'Earrall, aftcrward
governor Of Virginia, has stated that
Mr.. Bryan in the fall OF 1894 ntcndcd
to speak in favor of the populist candi-
date for governor in Virginia, but was
persuaded not to do SO by Mr.. O'Far-
rail-, then the democratic candidate
for governor. MIR. O'Farrall may have
been so Informed, but if so his inform
ant was in error, for Mr.IBryan never
contemplated any such thing. The
criticism, however, comes with poor
grace from Mr.. o. Farrall, for while as
serting that he prevented Mr.. Bryan's
speaking against him when he was a
candidate for governor, he boltcd the
national ticket when Mr.. Bryan was a
candidate for the presidency. Ger
tainly his fight againsta Il national can
didatc nominated by the aid of Vir-
ginia's votes was Il more serious breach
than the failure to osupport gubcrna-
torial candidate, even if MIR. Bryan
had opposed Mr.. OFarrall, which he
did not do.
The charge that Mr.. Bryan voted
for MIR. Weaver has already been cx-
planned and the facts have been pre-
scnLcd SO Often that one must confess
himself misinformed il he circllatcs