The San Francisco call., 1908-07-08
BELL SILENCED BY
FEAR OF JAP WAR
Reyises Exclusion Sentiment to
Set Democracy Right
With 0rientaTs
Keynote Speech Also SHES at
Specific Declarations on
Injunction
By Edward F. O'Day
SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE CALL


become possible to tell in advance what
the Injunction plank in the democratic
platform Will be and to explain. why
Theodore A. Bell omitted from his key
note speech specific reference to Japan
ese exclusion.
Grave fear that the election Of Bryan
would be Immediately followed by a
declaration of war with the United
States by the Japanese government
caused the deletion from Bells speech,
as originally written, of specific refer
ence to Japanese immigration. This
may be stated positively. So may the
fact that Bryan heartily approved the
value in the nature of the reference to
Asiatic exclusion.
Bryan regards the adoption of a
proper injunction plank as essential
to the success of the democratic ticket.
Bells reference in his speech to this
crucial question was couched in terms
OF studied generality and affords no
clew TO the action of the platform COM
mittee. Nevertheless it may be stated
here that the democratic injunction
plank VIII be substantially the same as
the plank in the Nebraska platform
with one modification of the most i'm
portant character. The Nebaska plank,
which was written by Bryan, contains
three provisions:
l. That no injunction shall be issued
without due notice.
2. That no injunction shall be return
able before another judge than the one
who issued it.
3. Trial by jury for contempt
The Denver plank will differ from
this Nebraska plank IN its first pro-
vision. 1t will provide that temporary
restraining orders may be issued with
out notice for limited period, follow
ing as nearly as possible the law in
the state where dispute arises.
WILL 1T SUIT LABOR.
Here is a fortnight injunction plank.
It has the o X of Bryan. VIII it satisfy
the labor unions? Or will Samuel
Gompers, John Mitchell and the other
labor leaders who are in Denver go
away declaring war on the democratic
ticket? The plank that labor wants
is strong on the subject of due notice
Wise persons may guess what Gompers
and his associates will do when the
platform with the plank outlined
above is reported to the convention.
There is a sensation hidden behind
Bells reference in his speech to the
question of Asiatic exclusion. though
none who heard him in the vast audi
1 torium suspected it, In the original
III.
Some protection has been offered by
the exclusion of Chinese Iaborers, but
the evil is but half met If the immi-
grafton of japanese, Koreans, Hindus
and other Asiatic people be not also ex-
cluded from our shores"
There followed a paragraph advo-
eating the exclusion of Asiatic immi-
grafton, "Of whatsoever character" In
the speech IS Bell delivered it the latter
paragraph was eliminated and the
former was delivered thus:
Some protection has been offered by
the exclusion of Chinese laborers. but
the evil is but half met If the immi-
grafton of other Asiatic people be not
also excluded from our shores"
No reference TO the Japanese? Why?
Because 1t was seriously feared that
If the democratic party was specifically
committed TO a program of Japanese
exclusion, Bryan's election would be
the signal for the beginning of hostili-
ties by Japan. Bryan has no desire to
plunge the nation into war. So Bell
changed his speech, using the method
Of the diplomat AS the keynote speech
! foreshadows the platform, it remains
! to be seen how the Pacific coast will
receive the plank of the democratic
! platform covering the exclusion mat
ter. 1t will undoubtedly interest Cal
J ifornians to learn why Bell revised his
utterances. The bogey of war with
| Japan has raised its ugly head once
more.
to the clerks desk list of committee
I assignments which would create a du-
! plication, although 1t might be that the
sitting delegates were absolutely uncon
/ tested.
DISCRIMINATION IN RULING
This is exactly what happened in the
! Pennsylvania case. Men whose right
to seats had not been passed upon by
the national committee joined with the
minority of the sitting delegation and
sent forward a list of names This
was the whole basis for the extraordi-
nary action taken under the James reso-
! luton, which was bad enough In IT.
self
The action Of the presiding officer
| however, was infinitely worse. He made
the fantastic ruling that no other mo-
ton could be entertain except to re-
fer the Pennsylvania case to the com.
mittee on credentials. If this ruling
had been followed in other cases. Hi.
nois, Idaho. Ohio and New York would
1 also have been added to the disfran.
| chised list and would have been. de.
prived of the right TO vote In the res.
olutions committee on the platform. OF
/ AZ tire uAtS NOUiNulllee on the method Of
| conducting the convention business OF
in any other preliminary steps of nomi.
mating the candidates for the presi.
dency and vice presidency.
1t is extremely unfortunate for BRYAN
such action should have been taken In
the case Of the Pennsylvania deIesa-
tion. Colonel Guffey had charged that
the Nebraska leader was arrogant and
dictatorial and had asserted that he
was attempting to pursue the rule O,
ruin policy in his own interests.
1t would have been good policy tc
say the least, for the Bryan men in the
convention to have treated Guffey witt
absolute fairness. AS 1T is now the
Pennsylvania man has splendid case
on which to go before the country.
No student of convention proceed.
ings can hesitate for a minute in de.
claring that the position taken by the
pennsylvania delegation in demanding
a poll for the purpose of determinins
who had right to vote and who haC
not was absolutely right The Jane.
resolution was denial of representa-.
tion to eS delegates out of total Of
LOOP in the convention.
CAUSE FOR DISRUPTION
Finally the ruling made bv the tenn.
porary chairman was a gross absurdft,
which would cause smile If ft xuer,