Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1904-07-21
Bryan's Victory.


The national democratic platform
is distinct victory for Bryan and
the radical element OF the demo-
cratic party. During the thirteen
hours spent in debating the several
planks in the committee of re.
organizers found that Bryan was
very much alive. He routed the
reorganizers horse, foot an d
dragons, and emerged from the
committee room with a platform
largely of its own making and all
of it eminently satisfactory to him
self and the radical element OF the
party. Bryan, by his ardor and
logic and simple earnestness won
over the committee selected by the
reorganizers to frame a gold stand
ard plank, which was finally repu-
dated by vote of 35 to 10, and
thereby won one of the most mar
velous victories of his most marvel
Gus career.
The reorganizers lost much more
than their gold standard plank.
they were forced to accept an anti
trust plank W h ic h means some
thing. They were compelled to
accept tariff plank that is, in sub
stance, Bryan's own, instead of
the modified protection which they
had prepared. They had to accept
declarations for an eight hour day
and against government by injnnc-
ton, and strongly opposing such
methods in dealing with labor
difficulties as has been resorted to
by the republicans of Colorado.
Bryan's victory was almost COM
plete. He was obliged to yield but
twice. He could not secure salts
factory financial and income tax
planks, and the platform is silent
on these questions, thereby leaving
the Kansas City platform declara-
tions as the latest authoritative pro-
nouncement as to the position OF
the party on these questions. And
this was all he yielded to accomp-
lish one of the most unexpected
and sensational coups ever known
in the political history Of the
United States.
The demonstrations of popular
affection which Bryan received
during the proceedings of the con
vention shows that he has lost
none OF his old time popularity.
The reorganizers who came to kill
Bryan and to bury him, found that
their schemes to ignore him were
futile. Bryan was the greatest
force in the convention.
When j t became known that
Bryan had virtually dictated the
pl atform on which the nominees of
the convention must stand, and
that the plot to drive him out of
the party by forcing gold stand
ard plank down his throat had
failed, he received the greatest
demonstration ever known in the
history of any national convention.
The reorganizers came to st. Louis
with the deliberate and malicious
purpose of forcing specific gold
standard plank into the platform,
and they thought they had the
votes to accomplish their purpose,
but on the final showdown they
were defeated by the vote of 35 to
10.
And thus Bryan, in what was
seemingly the darkest hour of his
life, rose to the occasion and won
splendid and highly dramatic
victory. The indomitable Bryan
was the central figure of the con-
vention and his way was as re-
markable as it has ever been. No
man ever went into a national
convention against such odds and
accomplished SO much. He was
the giant OF them all, and he has
come out of the convention great
or man than he went into it.
The St. Louis Platform.