The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-24

be somewhat irresponsible St. Louis paper. had caused great furry. excite ment, and Intense anger. It was to the effect that he had "demandede that a gold standard plank be put in the plat form" They know little of the freedom of action which dominated that conven- ton, its exemption from boss or machine | control of any sort, who can not appre- ciate the effect of the pretended telegram. We will stop Rooseveltism in the dem oeratic party before it starts,' was the cry; we will receive no dietation; democratic candidate must learn that he receives his instrustlons from the demoo- raey. and not the democracy their in- structions from him. Judge Parker had been nominated by Southern initiative; if the pretended telegram had been genuine, he would have been taken off the ticket | by Southern Initiative. Already enough | had agreed to do it. When 1t was found, l however, that he was merely expressing | his own opinion, and the opinion by which he would be guided if elected President and supplying the hiatus in the platform, as he had right to do, the revulsion was sudden and enthusiastic. Men said: "Hs is demanding nothing and dictating noth- Ing: he is merely being manly and hon. l est"
 Was a Dramatic Scene.
 Perhaps no more dramatic scene was | ever presented in a convention than when Judge Parker's telegram was read, to- gether with the proposed reply to 1t. After the author of this article had completed reading them, and a few remarks in ex planation and in advocacy of them. and while Senator Tillman of South Carolina was on his feet Mir Bryan came into the hall lips compressed, gait not too steady, because he had been both sick and overworked. The excitement was so intense that even in that immense hall whisper might almost have be an heard. It was rumored about that he had come for the purpose of opposing the reply suggested to the convention. He was ap. plauded as he passed through the dele gates but 1t was noted that the applause was neither so deep, nor so long, nor so loud as previous otbursts in his honor had been. Some resentment was crea ted by his conduct and by his speeches in opposition to the telegram proposed. The absolute truth of all the statements con- tained on the teegraphic reply could not be questioned. When one of the speakers from the platform made the statement that before the receipt of Judge Parker s telegram the convention had already known how he stood and that therefore no one had right to affect surprise-that utterance was cheered, and when later
  Is 1t not true that the gold standard Is established, and that 1t neither Is nor can now be made an issue, and that nothing but issues are contained in the platform, and challenged any man who denied that statement if there was even on.s to rise to his feet, and then when he turned from the body of the convention to the geu- tlemen sitting on the platform, and look ing directly at MT. Bryan himself, asked him or anybody else If they did not agree absolutely with the assertion to arise and then added, Nobody arises; TO. not one"-the feeling became intense and the | applause hearty.
 1 The whole thing looked like an un- toward circumstance at the time, but looking back over it. it seems now fortun- ate, because if there really had been anybody in the United States fool enough to have said on the stump, In T news paper, or otherwise, that the action of the party in convention assembled had been tantamount. directly or by infer | ence, to the reimbursement of free silver as an issue, then even the lips of that man are now sealed, and nobody not even fool or an interruptions enemy. can now pretend to misunderstood in the slightest degree the position of She party.
 Papers Mlsinformed.
 The papers were filled with misinforma-
 
 lines: Hill Surrendered to Bryan" Hill overawed by Bryan" Hill and Bryan Compromise" Bryan and Hill | Agree, the First to Withdraw the Income | Tax Proposition. md the Second the Gold Standard Plank" "Hill. Williams and Bryan Appointed a Committee of Three to Agree on a Money Plank" all this ad nauseam. There was no compromise Bryan was voted down. Hill was voted down. Neither ever surrendered or com promised, unless by surrender or com promise it Is meant that both agreed when beaten not to make a minority re- port to that unable-to-hear convention.
 It was I who offered the income tax provision and who, on full consideration of the improbabiity of Constitutional amendment and the inequity of an income tax exempting rents of and-and fer other reasons later withdrew it. MT. Bryan renewed 1t. The req sons which had satisfied me in withdraw wing 1t satis- fled a majority of the committee in vot- ing 1t down. Senator Bailey os Texas did propose compromise, whereby Hills gold standard plank and Bryans lncome tax plank should both be withdrawn Hill positively declined. Bryan never assent ed. Hill Bryan and Williams were ap- pointed a subcommittee to agree about certain minor financial questions. but not the question of momentary standard. That subcommittee never met. Hence no minor matters were reported or adopted.
 Hard Work in Committee.
 I would not consider it within sne llm- it's of propriety to say anything about what occurred in the meetings of the committee on resolutions, whose transae- tions ought to have been considered as If in executive session, were it not that the newspapers have published what pur- ported to be the proceedings of that com- mittee in detail. These reports contain just enough truth to be harmful if not dangerous. as half truths alwsys are just enough truth in certain particulars to necessitate telling the whole truth as to the points thus "set down in malice" or in error. Then, too. Mir. Bryan, Senator's Carmack and Tilman, on the floor of the convention, and ex-Senator HItll and others in interviews, have discussed its proceedings with regard to the points re- ferred to by me here. I have referred to nothing which had not become in one of these several ways in some sense public. I have never wit messed anything more intense nor more self-contained than the determination of every member of that committee to bring out a unanimous report without the sac rifice of any principle.
 1 There was need in the committee. and need indeed, of sleepless work and cease Iaea tact and Of that rara xyfrt,a +1,>