Omaha daily bee., 1908-09-02
MR. LEWIS AND Mr.. BRYAN.
BEING In the Nature Of a card from
the Former.

BEING In the Nature Of a card from
the Former.
Human Life for September.
Two numbers back in this magazine, I
spoke Geographically Of Mr.. Bryan. l said
his earliest Washington appearance was
In November. 1S9l"-notc the dste-snd that
he made his congressional debut when he
entered the democratic caucus to assist in
selecting the party's candidate for speaker.
There were Messrs. Mills and Crisp, and
Mcmillan. and Hatch and Springer in the
caucus lists. The battle began; Mr.. Bryan
voting for Mr.. Springer. The war ragged for
hours, ballot on the hooks of ballot. Mr..
Hatch withdrew in favor Of MIR. Crisp. Mr..
Crisp won in the last Of it over Mr.. Mills
by two votes, l think.
As related, Mr.. Bryan voted in the be-
ginning for Mr.. Springer. After Mir.
Springer withdrew, he still voted for Mr.
Springer. That gentleman himself was out
Of the race. and on the caucus floor, vot-
ing for Mr.. Crisp. Yet to the final roll call
which gave victory by a messre brace Of
votes to Mr.. Crisp, Mr.. Bryan went vast
ing his vote.
Later, when asked why he thus threw
himself away in a contest where the second
office of government was at bay, MIR. Bryan
gave as his reason Messrs. Mills and Crisp
we're ex-confederates, and that he. MIR.
Bryan, didn't care for the record OF having
supported any gentleman thus dis
~tinguished. In short, MIR. Bryan, to dodge
what he thought to be a danger. threw
away his vote.
THE caucus rolls will show l said. "If
they be lost, then the files of that days
newspapers will show. Mr.. Bryan's excuse
was tho confederate past of Messrs. Mills
and Crisp. II he contradict the latter state
ment, let him give the true reason. Let
him tell why he wasted his vote, in an hour
pregnant OF presidencies and party issues
and many giant public things beside
That, in word and substance, was what
] printed. Among others It seems to have
excited, a certain gentleman, name un-
known because suppressed. in Greenville. S.
c. This anonymous gentleman, carefully
fixing the caucus as one held in 1S94-when
there was no caucus, and couldn't have
been a caucus-and avoiding 1891" the date
/ had given, wrote Mr.. Bryan asking II
the tale were true, courteously saying at
the same time that he did not believe it
as If his belief could by any possibility
have become important.
Thereupon, Mr.. Bryan with fine strategy,
put forward The Commoner, his paper,
which writing through u. r., Farris,
Supt.," spoke via the United States malls
as follows:
LINCOLN, Neb.. July 6, 1s0s.-Dear Sir:
Your kind favor of June 30, directed to Mr.
w. ]. Bryan, received. While it Is impos-
sible for him to make personal reply, owing
to the press of work, | beg to say on his
behalf that the charge which you mention
has been answered several times. Mr.. Bryan
voted for Mr.. Crisp three times-once in
the caucus and twice on roll call in the
house. He voted for Congressman Springer
for Mr.. Crisp because he was a confederate
he voted for Mr.. Springer because he liVeo
i'm his district and because he knew MIN
Mr.. Springer voted for Mr.. Crisp in the
caucus and he became chairman of resoiu-
lions. ..
Mr.. Bryan not only. voted for Mr., Crisp,
but in 1893 he voted for an ex-confederate
for postmaster; Mr.. ]. d. Calhoun was the
man and he now lives at Tampa, Fla. re
run with him in 1895. and he has on num-
erous occasions stated that no question
of a mans position in the war between the
states will be raised at THIS time, norrs
BY J. r. Farris, Superintendent.
This stuff, by The Commoner through
it's well informed "Supt." Mr.. Farris, is
50 full Of foolish errors as to be hardly
worth attention. Mr.. Farris, you observe,
explains laboricusly that Mr.. Bryan voted
for MIR. Springer because he lived in his
district'-when one was from Nebraska
and the other from Hlinois-providing the
cheerful inference that one district at least
possessed the house advantage of two rep
resentatives. He then adds the unusual
! piece of news that Mr.. Springer was made
chairman Of resolutions" whatever that
may mean. A t a time and place, too, wher
there were no resolutions and no committee
thereon.
The we'll informed Mr.. F., continuing for
The Commoner, then vouchsafes the in
teresting information that in 1893 MIR
Bryan voted for an ex-confederate fol
postmaster and so sets the world won.
dering when the office of postmaster be.
came elective.
However, poking about in this rubbish
of misstatement and misinformation, 1t Is
clear that it may be taken to be the
manner in which Mr.. Bryan chooses tC
meet the charge l made. That much true
let me offer a plain statement in return.
Mr.. Crisp was speaker twice. He was
selected as the caucus candidate, and sub
SeQubnlly cleCltu SpcdhtI II III llOuSts IL
1891 and 1898.
In the latter year, he had in caucus nj
opposition. He was selected by acclama.
ton, and Mr.. Bryan, under those less fear
Inspiring circumstances, may have voted
for him. l think this the more likely
since, the nomination being by acclama,
ton, there would be no roll-call and M
record.
But in the caucus Of 1891, the first eau
Gus that selected Mr.. Crisp, Mr.. Bryan
did not vote for him.. From first to las
he wasted his vote on Mr.. Springer, WHIT
in the latter half of the contest had with
drawn, was not before the caucus as a can
didate, and was himself on the caucui
floor voting for Mr.. Crisp.
When / asked Mr.. Bryan, perhaps tive
months later, why he thus threw away
his chance, he said:
Did It ever occur to you that both Mr.
Mills and Mr.. Crisp were eX-confederates?'
What of that?' ] replied. What differ
Fence should that mske?'
1T might make a good deal OF differ
ence,' MI. Bryan returned, lin the countr!
| come from. l don't know as l care to &