Omaha daily bee., 1908-01-25
HITCHCOCK DEFENDS BRYAN
Nebraska Member Takes Part in
Political Debate in House.
NEBRASKAN FAIR TO PARKER
He Says Bryanism IL strength of
Democratic Party for Present
and Its Hope for the
Future.
NEBRAsKAN FAIR TO PARKER

WASHINGTON, Jan. 4-Although the
urgent deficiency bill was technically up
for consideration in the house today, not
a word pertinent to the bill was spoken.
Under the privilege of general debate, sew
eral members addressed the house on a
variety Of subjects, but the one which at
tracted most attention was a criticism by
Mr.. Hitchcock of Nebraska of a political
forecast by General Charles II. Grosvenor
OF Ohio. The debate brought to the feet
numerous democrats. who sprang to the
defense of Mr.. Bryan, while General Keifer
OF Ohio supported by several other repub-
lcans, undertook to refute all the argu-
ments concerning Mr. Bryans two cam
paigns
Hitchcock Defends Bryan,
While the urgent deficiency appropriation
bill was under consideration in the house
today, Mr.. Hitchcock of Nebraska de-
lvered political speech, in the course Of
which he attacked certain statistics Of Cen
eral c. II. Grosvenor of Ohio regarding the
political outlook. His remarks were de-
voted mainly to a plea for william j. Bryan
for president
He spoke of the candidacy of Judge Par
ker and declared that 1t was not a case
in which his personal strength was put to
test. His weakness" he said, was the
weakness of the reactionary-the weakness
of the general who was leading toward
the rear and not toward the front"
"In order to hurt Mr.. Bryan, his enemies
had used letters written before Judge Par
ker's nomination" said Mr.. Hitchcock, but
no one pretended that Mr.. Bryan had not
Loyalty supported Judge Parker" He de-
clared that Bryan received 10000 more
votes in Ohio in 1900 than Parker received
in 1904, Notwithstanding Bryan had as his
opponent the popular Ohio president, Will
lam Mckinley, and added that while Judge
Parker was a New Yorker, he polled only
about the same vote in New York that
Bryan polled.
There seems" he said, "a systematic
conspiracy In high places among repub-
licans posing sometimes as the friends
Of the democratic party to misrepresent
and distort the facts regarding Mr..
Bryans attitude toward Judge Parker
"Bryanism," he added. instead of be-
ing the bane of the democratic party, is
It's strength for the present and hope for
the future"
Controversy with keifer.
Mr. Hitchcock became involved in an
animated discussion with General KeifeT
of Ohio as to the accuracy of the Figures
Of General Grosvenor. ollie James OF
Kentucky interrupted with the statement
that he had seen It charged that Senator
Foraker said that President Roosevelt
was prostituting the selection OF Off
cials under the federal governments FOR
the purpose of beating him out Of Ohio
and giving it to Taft. Is that true OF
false?'
General Keifer's response was that he
was not responsible for what was said
in the newspapers. Continuing, Mr.
Keifer declared his surprise over the cir
cumstances that the democratic members
applauded mention of the fact that In
the two campaigns of Mr.. Bryan that
gentleman ran ahead of Judge Parker
whom he referred to as "the poor old
Judge"
The reading by Mr.. Ansberry of Ohio
of extracts from the last republican plat
form on the money question provoked
loud republican applause, which was only
interrupted by a demand from Mr. Manr
of Illinois that he read from the demo-
cratic platform on the same subject. Tho
suggestion. however, was not needed. The
subject was pursued no further and the
house at 4:5S p m. adjourned until Mon.
day