The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-08-12
HE Is A DEMOCRAT.
Bryan Gives Full History of His
Political Career.
WHY he VOTED FOR WEAVER.
He Has Never Denied His Aiffliation
With the Democratic Party
or Permitted it to be
Questioned.

The gold democrats, unable to make
a successful attack upon the princi
pies for which Mr.. Bryan stood as the
nominee OF the party, and which he
now defends, are attempting to queS
tion his right to membership in The
democratic party. Three points are
urged against him. First, he is quoted
as saying at some time (the date is moi
tiyed) prior to 1896, that he was not a
democrat, but i bimetalliSt. Second
that he voted for General Weaver il
1892: and, third, that he advocated
principles which are not democratic.
The first charge is entirely without
foundation. Mr.. Bryan Dever at any
time or place denied his political at.
iliation with the democratic party or
permitted it to be questioned. His
PARENTS were democrats before him
and he counted himself q democrat in
his youth because his parents were,
and after he was grown, was demo,
crat because o. his belief in demo
cratic principles and policies. lie
made democratic speeches in 1880. be
fore he was old enough to vote, and
has made democratic speeches in
every campaign since. He has at
tended 6emocratic conventions for
about twenty years and has never been
a delegate to convention Of any other
party. He has favored fusion with the
populistS in Nebraska for the reason
that uron the questions Immediately
before the country the populists 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 popu'
list candidate. He was renominated
for congress in 1892 and again elected,
defeating this time also populist as
well as a republican. In 1894 he 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 he would
probably have received the votes OF
populist members OF the legislature If
their votes could have elected him,
lust Is Senator Allen had received the
democratic votes in the legislature
two years before, the republicans had
a majority in. the legislature elected
in lS94-the year in which Mr.. Cleve-
lands administration was SO oyerwhel-
r2ingly condemned. Nearly all OF the
populists voted for u member of their
own party.
At the 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 in bimetallism to organize
and secure control Of the democratic
organization. From that date on to
the meeting Of the Chicago convention
be visited all parts Of the country, at
tending democratic meetings and con-
ventions and giving whatever asSis-
tance he could to the democratic be-
levers in bimetalIism. There was
never any question raised as 10 his
party relations.
In 1894 a few democrats left the
democratic state convention and nomi-
mated what they called "a straight
democratic ticket" This ticket re-
ceived 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-
tage by collusion with the republican
Judges. In 1895 both organizations
sent delegates to Chicago, and the
national committee, by strict gold
and silver vote, gave temporary Gre
dentialS committee Of the convention,
however, after a full hearing, decided
in favor Of the regular delegation,
headed by Mr.. Bryan, and the testi-
mony before this committee was so
clear and convincing that the minority
did not 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
to doubt his party connections.
Congressman O'Farrall, afterward
governor of Virginia, has stated that
Mr.. Bryan in the fall Of 1894 intended
to speak in favor Of the populist candi-
date for governor in Virginia, but was
persuaded not to do 50 by Mr.. O'Far-
rail-, then the democratic candidate
for governor. Mr.. O'Farrall may have
been so informed, but if so his inform
ant was in error, for Mr.. bryan never
contem plated 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 ne was a
candidate for governor, he bolted the
national ticket when Mr.. Bryan was d
candidate for the presidency. Ger
tainly his fight against national can
didate nominated by the aid OF Slr-
ginia's votes was more serious breach
than the failure to support guberna-
torial candidate, even if Mr.. Bryan
had opposed Mr.. O'Farrall, which he
did not d..
The charge that Mr.. Bryan voted
for Mr.. Weaver mas already been eX,
planned and the facts have been pre-,
sented so often that one must confess
himself misinformed il he cIrculates
the charge as an evidence OF MIR. bry'
ans abandonment Of the democratic
party.
AS The election of 1892 approached
it became evident that it was impoSsl'
bic foc the democrats to carry severa
OF the western states, but that it was
possible for the democrats to assist
the populists in carrying them. Th.'
situation having been fully discussed
the democratic national committee, o.
which Mr.. Harrity was chairman ant
Mr.. Whitney the controlling spirit
re 49, ,,orS ii,E,,irit:: can nr0Der1V bt