Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-17


itself with honorable mention" Of Roose-
welt policies. ! attribute the subsequent
complete reversal Of Mr.. Morton's Views or
principles touching the money question In
part to the growth IN the democratic party
OF the New York idea through the great
influence Of Tilden, but largely, also. to
his study OF Prof. Perry's work on
political economy, which srdently advo-
Gated sound money and free trade. and
with which Mr.. Morton came in contact
a few years after his g%reenback period.
Clriously. the study OF Perry's work in
college had been influential In fixing my
own attitude toward theAe two questions,
and which ten years later drew Mr.. Morton
and myself together in politics. I was
thus scheduled against the greenback
heresy before practically meeting it's allure
ments, and my first active work in politics
and Journalism was directed against II.
individual FRvOrites.
In 1872 DR.. George L. Miller beaded the
Nebraska delegation which favored the
endorsement Of Horace Greeley for presi-
dent and the adoption Of his platform. In
1880 General Victor vifqusin led an anti
monopoly faction in opposition to the New
York idea, but was defeated in the state
convention. The delegates to the national
convention were Morton, Miller, r. s.
Molony, John Pollock and F. s. Harmon.
But General Vifquain regarded the nomi.
nation of General Hancock for president
as a consolation prize. Under the lead OF
Morton, the delegation originally supported
Samuel j. Randall. The party sentiment
was decisively for Cleveland In 1884, bui
Morton. who always opposed Cleveland
and thus won a cabinet place for him
voted for his personal friend, Thomas f
Bayard. All The rest Of the delegation
voted for Cleveland. In 1883 Cleveland was
renominsted by reclamation. James E
Boyd headed the delegation and Morton
was shut out entirely. But Henry Waiter.
son and other leaders invited him to as
sist in making the platform. Still Mortor
felt very keenly the humiliation of being
a mere hanger-on and he Away cher.
ished resentment at the rubbing-it-lr
treatment.
l suppose that revenge was never sweetel
or more complete than that which camt
to Morton with the cabinet place fouI
years later from the same Cleveland II
whose confidence Boyd felt safe ant
serene and whom Morton had PERSISTENT,
opposed.
Entrance of Bryan.
The first great clash with Bryan came Il
the delegate convention Of 1892. The al
ready remarkably aggressive young leade
apparently sought only the adoption Of
free silver plank; but, fearing that hi
magnetism might draw delegates iva
from Cleveland II II should be exerted. OF
consultation with the Cleveland Leaders
Immediately after the convention was or
ganized, I introduced a brief resolution
which declared that by common consent o
the national democracy Cleveland stood be
fore all others for the great primary issue
tariff reform, and for its seco1d, homes
administration; that he would command
more general support inside and outsid,
the party than any other man, and tina
therefore he would be the fittest and bes
candidate for president. An instruction
followed this declaratory preamble. No
unexpectedly. the instruction melted erie
of opposition, while the rest Of the res
olution was greeted with great applause
The instruction was therefore promptly
dropped and the remainder OF the resolu
ton passed almost without dissent. Afte
a Cleveland delegation had been ~selecte,
Mr.. Bryan exhibited his rare dramati
power and influence over a mass Of mel
in an attempt to put through a free silve
resolution.
Old Leaders Pushed Aside.
At the next national convention Bryal
led the Nebraska delegation, a gold
delegation headed by Tobias Castor havinI
been elected. He was nominated for presi
dent on the fifth ballot. His celebrate,
crown Of thorns" speech which won tn
nomination also established in the part
the ascendency of the progressive or radi
cal policy over the ancient conservativ
regime. The northeastern states signifi
cantly refused to vote after free silver ha
been adopted, and they nave been virtual
aliens ever since. Bryan was in conplet
control in 1900; and though there was a
apparent reaction in 1904 when Psrke
was nominated. it was not real. and tn
radical spirit which first found itself /
1895 completed it's dominance at Danver la.
week. Bryan has absolutely controlled til
party in Nebraska since 1884.
Mankind may be roughly divided int
two classes, one largely influenced by trs
ditiop and guided by the past, the otht
inclined bodily to cut loose from then
|, been more favorable for rapid advancemer
than ever before. Bryan did not creaI
them, but he has been quicker than ar
! other contemporary popular leader to pc
l ceive, and alone has beer bold enough
D make the most of them. Herein is h
= remarkable success-for defeats for Il
presidency nave been merely incident
= failures and, on the whole, have expedite
E his general orward movement. Tor
a over, whatever his faults, he has not bee
too f~ast.-Albest Watkins in Lincoln Jou
D nal.