The Washington herald., 1908-07-07

Anotber Democratic national convention
is meeting In Denver to-day. and VIII
liam Jennings Bryan probably Will be It's
nominee. In the convention Of 1900. eight
years ago. he was nominated by acclama-
ton. In the convention Of 1904, four years
ago. he was the greatest man In the as
sembly. albeit he was defeated again and
again Twelve years is a long time ana
liz is interesting 10 refresh ones memory
by recounting the incidents OF that stormy
week. which thrust Mr. Bryan into the
forefront of national political affairs.
The silver coinage question had been
live and dangerous one for many years,
land both Democrats and Republicans had
carefully "straddled" in every national
convention The Vest and South leaned
toward the silver cause, the East was IN
opposition Mr.. Cleveland re-entered the
White House in March. 1898 with a ready
made panic to deal with. He called an
extra session Of Congress for the SPECIFIC
purpose Of repeating the silver purchasing
clause OF the Sherman act. His action
precipitated a war within his party
which was waged without ceasing, and
which resulted in an overwhelming Re-
ubrcan victory in 1894.
The Republican national convention al
St Louis adopted a near gold-standard
lplank. with international bimetallism at
ltached. The Western Silver Republicans
lbolted Mr.. Bryan reported that conven-
ltion for an Omaha paper. and few
weeks afterward went TO Chicago nurs-
ling a Presidential boom in which only he
and Mrs. Bryan had any faith. Few
others even knew that such boom ex-
listed.
The fight for delegates had been the
most exciting IN the party history OF th'
country. The Cleveland gold men came t'
? Chicago knowing that they were in th'
minority. but resolved to save somethin.
! from the wreck II possible. They con
trolled the national committee. and tina
body. recommended David 3. Hill. Of New
York. for temporary chairman by vot
of q 10 %. The silver men on the com
/ miftee brought in a minority report, rec
I ommending Senator John W. Daniel. o
: Virginia. for temporary chairman. III
. | silver report was presented by Henry /
Il CLAYTON. Of Alabama, who probably vi
IS be permanent chairman AT Denver. Their
l. was great show OF tight, bat Daniel va
elected over Hill by vote Of So TO 81
% Suu the gold men continued 20 night
When the national committee. on IN
= dav before the convention assembled, too
I'D the formation of the temporary roll,
is found two delegations from Nebraska
ID one was headed by Tobias Castor an
. had been elected by the J. Sterling Mo-
= ton administration Democrats. while tf
other was headed by William Jenning
d. BRYAN and came from the silver wing
ne the party The national committee,
usual IN such cases. voted for its oW
IS fellows. and the Castor delegation vi
u seated. ". S. Harwood was named as q
D, Nebraska member Of the committee Z
Is. resolutions. As soon as the credentia
committee met. the Castor crowd VI
thrown out. the BRYAN men seated, az
Mr.. Bryan went on the committee on re
olutions IL vas there that ne gained 2
r; first triumph. for he had somewhat 10
with writing the platform.
But as yet nobody though OF Bryan Z
Presldent-that Is. nobody except Mr- al
II Mrs. Bryan. who were both confde
III from the first. When the convenu
ia hosts began TO gather in Chicago ever
body thought the race was between IS
yer Dick" Bland. Of Missouri. and Go
ial Horace Boies. Of Iowa The Senatori
q. contingent-a feature Of national politi
which has well-night disappeared fro
Il, both parties under the combined infuen
-, Of Roosevelt and Bryan-was trying
get the convention to nominate Senat
Teller who had led the silver oolt fro
the Mckinley convention. The wise on
II among the newspaper men were tippi
John r. Mclean. Of the Cincinnati Z
ouirer and the District Of Columbia,
the winning dark horse
After twelve years and the chang
min they have brought. the Mclean ca
didacy Is ono Of the most INTEREST,"
Of the half-forgOtten things about I
lh; Chicago convention. The Ohio edit
went TO Chicago declaring his belief II
lots the platform should consist Of the Il
silver plank and nothing else. In secor
an ing the nomination Of Mr.. Mclean, RI
. ert E Mattingly. a delegate from
u. 10 District of Columbia. proclaimed
The Peerless Champion Of Free Silve
St Very soon thereafter the title Of "Pe
less was transferred 20 Mr.. Bryan.
mes Mclean is no longer a Democrat
oei' With the newspapers and the goss
,.k still guessing between Bland. Boies. q
are Mclean. the convention was Organi
and the platform was prepared and
,lph ported. It's chief interest was the o
and-out free-sllver plank. The minor
'eu- report. signed by sixteen members, he
,,-, cd by HILL Gray. and Villas, prOtes
and against the silver plank and against
failure 10 indorse the present Democrs
itan administration. Then came the a
go 60 which gave Mr.. Bryan his chance.
The first speaker in defense OF the p
fiery South Carolinlan was in the pr
ones of his pltchfork days, he had not yet b
mes. sobered by the Senatorial contact.
- the people did not understand him as {
Min do now. He was hissed from the bel
Tap ming. but he held his ground, declar
Io' There are only three things in the VI
I 7. that can hiss-a goose. serpent an
Ieno man" He made a savage assault u
PCT the East, and declared that the ST
ward issue was a sectional issue.
cure James K. Jones, Of Arkansas, chair
- Of the platform committee, was quicl
, H enter a denial of Mr.. Tillman's secti'
the views. and he cited the support Of Ar
I" ) Sewall. of Maine. and George Fred
aniel liams, of Massachusetts,, as proof
ecure silver had Eastern friends. Then c
cent Senator Hill. beginning with his of
Allies peated II am Democrat" and delive
NJ. a mastery speech in protest and war
nally' against the programme Of the silver !
BY the by the Denver convention is
70. first in many years in which Mr.. Hill
q not been prominent. -Four years ag'
semi was at the head Of the victorious Pa
forces at ST. Louis; eight years ag'
liner. was ostensibly on the Bryan band vi
WI az Kansas City. In 1892 he was suppC
~ 49,, =: by New York for the nomination
against Grover Cleveland. This year
,inerd in Europe. nursing his political gro