The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1904-07-15

when he got up to speak wave Of BIZ
hand brought a silence 50 penetrating
that one could hear the fan OF a pins
silence which Senator Joe Bailey wns
had presided through the whole night
had been unable ID obtain with hi'
gavel. Here was the great figure n
last. TO make his final effort. He hac
fought Parker bitterly; he had fought
the Hopkins gang from Illinois; be
had fought the gold forces in the plat
form fOl sixteen long hours He had
lost on the Illinois contest. but had
won ON the platform. Now what
would he dOl As he began to speak
not an intimation was known as 70
whose nomination he would second.
The pale light of dawn began &c
creep through the windows. As he
began has speech and referred to the
two times he had carried his party s
banner, and said, while you may
dispute whether / fought good fight,
you may dispute whether have finished
my course, but you cannot deny that
| have kept the faith. he was loudly
cheered; and when he said as private
citizen today he was more interested
in Democratic success than he ever
was when he was candidate. pro-
longed shouts went up from ten
thousand throats. Men who were to
vote against him within the hour.
cheered time and again as he spoke.
1t was a magnificent speech, such as
only Bryan alone can make. And as
he proceeded and announced his devo-
tion to his party, and his intention
to submit to the conventions decision.
the great crowd went wild with shouts
of approval. II was manly speech.
Some have called Bryan a dictator.
Let them be answered in Bryan's own
words:
"Some of you have called me a die
tator. 1t was false. You know it was
false. How have tried to dictate /
have suggested that | thought certain
things ought to be done iIave not
you exercised the same privilege? Why
have l not right to suggest? Because
l was your candidate am | estopped TO
ever make suggestions? Why, sir, if
that condition went with a nomination
for the presidency. no one worthy to
lie President would ever accept NOM
nation; for the right OF man to have
an opinion and to express 1T is more
important and more sacred than the
holding of any office, however high.
II have my opinions about the plat
form made suggestions. Not all of
them were received. l would like to
have seen the Kansas City platform
re-affirmed / am not ashamed OF that
platform. believe in it now, as /
believed in it when / was running
upon it; when / was your candidate ;
but the people in the Democratic party
did not agree with me, and their will
was supreme. When they veto my
suggestions. have to accept. There
is no other court to which | can ap-
peal. have not attempted to dictate
about candidates / have not asked
the Democrats of this nation to nomi-
nate any particular man. l have said
that there were many in every State
willing to be President. and L have
said that out of six millions and half
who voted for me in both campaigns
we ought to be able to find at least one
good man for President. |"
Can any reasonable, sane, sensible
man deny to Mr.. Bryan the right to
his opinions and to express them?
/ Finally. IN the close of his speech he
seconded the nomination of Senator
Cockrell, of Missouri. This started a
demonstration which lasted many
minutes. But in vain did Bryan
charge the Parker column. The Ioll
was called and in solid phalanx the
Parker strength lined up, the nomina-
ton being made ON first ballot.
And now that it is all over, this much
remains to be said: that William Jen-
nings 5ryan will be written in history az
one of the greatest Americans this coun-
try has ever produced, and one OF the
greatest men of the world; as an orator,
second to Cicero or Demcs' henes, If
second he be He went to the st. Louis
convention, made his fight, ana submit
ted. No man ever fought more gamely,
and he stands today ten times stronger
than he was ten days ago; he stands to-
day in the hearts of millions of people,
the uncrowned king of American
statesmen and patriots, the most VOL
derful man OF his time. He lowered
above his fellows at st. Louis like
Colossus, and whatsoever says that
Bryan's star has passed knows not the
spirit of the people, nor what the future
holds. God makes too few men like him.
for the star of his destiny so soon to set.