The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-07-13
OF The Democratic Convention-Brya
Part Therein.

Part Therein.
WalterWellman's St. Louis Special to
Chicago Record Herald.
Colonel Bryan, with a husky throat
and smile on his face, said he would
be found on the stump for Parker and
Davis. Mr.. Bryan was not happy. not
enthusiastic, but he was determined. He
has disappointed all the prophets who
foretold his bolt and has justified the
expectations of those who thought they
knew the man and felt sure he would
take right good care of the future
political career of William Jennings
Bryan. The Colonel made his final
surrender at l o'clock in the morning.
when he gave US his futile fight against
the Geographic annex to the platform.
offered to withdraw his amendment ana
pledged his delegation to vote Tor tho
candidate for Vice-President New York
wanted. Colonel Bryan knew TINS t.'le-
gram to Parker committed The l'c'noc-
racy to the gold standard. He knew
know fifty times as much of the game
of politics as he does. He must nave
known that the nomination ~ Davis
meant abandonment of all the high
and precions principles for which he
had stood and about which he had
made ten million speeches. and
launching of the Demo n tic craft upon
the muddy waters of practical Cam
paign" with all 1t implies. And yes.
with a white face, wild eyes, an aching
heart also, he lowered his flag.
On every hand is heard the question:
why did Bryan surrender? Why did
he not fight 1t out to the bitter end,
especially when they ran in the amend
ment of the platform by means of
telegraphic Joker he did not know was
in the pack?"
1 think 1 can furnish the answer.
Colonel Bryan wants to SO /" the
TTnftai SfafoQ Sonata from Nnhrnsko
He aspires to have the opportunity to
use his wonderful gifts upon the ma
tional stage. to sit among the elect OF
the house of lords. there to bewitch the
nation with his eloquence. Bryan has
gone back to Nebraska to make his
fight for the Senate, and he hopes to
win. He wants the help of the new
rulers of his party. Presently he Will
be asking them for support, appealing
to them to make a contest Of the cleo
toral vote of his State in order that his
chance for the Senate may be improved
In exchange for a speaking tour OF
the country by Bryan Judge Parker
may consent to have a little money
diverted from the East to the prairies
which have their great expanses either
side of the shallow Platte.
Bryan will have a hard time explain
ing to his friends at home why he sur
rendered at st. Louis; The Populist
element will be specially difficult to
satisfy. Before he came to the town
Mr.. Bryan had assured his faithful FOL
lowers the Kansas City platform was
to be reaffirmed. He would listen to
nothing else. 1t must be that or war.
He came, he lost half his battle in the
Committee on Resolutions. bluffed his
opponents into leaving him the other
half as a trophy, and finally sat down
as meek as a lamb when Judge Par
ker himself played the joker and
knocked the remnant of Bryans salts
faction into smithereens. Bryan may
carry home with him the satisfaction
that If he Is no longer the leader of the
party he Is at least the most interest
ing personality. the greatest orator the
finest and most fascinating figure in
that organization. In this convention
of oratory. in this gathering of thou
sands, where 1t seemed that every other
man had aspirations of winning fame
as public speaker, Bryan was easily
first. None other got into his class.
He stood alone and probably will stand
alone for years to come as the greatest
and most artistic performer in the
country. Some of the men from the
East who never before had heard him
speak were dumfounded by this west
ern magician before them.
Now I understand the secret of
Bryan's power" commented August
Belmont, who. for the first time, heard
the peerless speaker. why, the man
is giant"
Judge Parker's friends are still en-
thusiastic over his success in swinging
the pendulum all the way over to gold
by means of well-contrived ruse.
They are proud of the skill with which
the convention was induced to vote
virtually into the platform the plank
which the candidate proposed. and by
a larger majority than that by which
the choice for President was made. Last
night they were exceedingly nervous
over the situation. When Bryan APP
peared in the hall somewhat unexpect-
eddy, half of them expected to lose the
battle. They might have lost IL but
Tor the fact that all\the fight already