The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1908-07-29
RECORD DOES NOT SUSTAIN THOS. E,
WATSON'S CHARGE AGAINST BRYAN

er of the house of representatives.
when all opposition to him on the
democratic side had melted away,
Can't afford to vote for an ex-con-
federate soldier" declared the cal
culating Mr.. Bryan.
He did not dream that the time
would ever come when his very life
POLITICALLY, would depend upon that
oesplsed soldier, his son and his sons
SON But that ugly blot was upon
the Bryan record, and he ought to
nave telt 1ntuitively that when
native of Illinois was known to have
carried his perjudice against the Lost
Cause so far down the era of recon
clllatlon and sectional peace as 1891!
the taking of the Foraker side of the
Brownsville fight was just about the
maddest thing he could do"
Before the charge was made OMEN
ly made by Mr.. Watson it had also
gained currency in certain parts of
the south. 1t was asserted in the
presence of at least one Virginia
colonel of Pickett's division of the
confederate army, who has written
a letter to the Sun saying:
Many gentlemen would be pleased
II you can give an authoritative an
swer to these frequently circulated
fumors, and If Mr.. Bryan did or did
not support Mr.. Crisp when elected
speaker, and if not, his reasons, if
he assigned any. This may be a mat
ter or supreme Importance in the en-
suing presidential contest, if Mr.. Bry-
an is to be the nominee at Denver.
and it might be well to STAY this ghost.
If it is not a real one Having been
colonel in the confederate army my
self L and comrades am much in
terested in establishing the truth or
falsity of the above rumors."
Thinks Watson Should Give Proof.
So far as can be ascertained in
Washington there is no basis for the
rumOr. Whatever it's inception there
is no doubt that the report has been
assiduOusly circulated throughout the
south, and there are men in Wash
ingtOn who are inclined to believe
that Mr.. Watson himself should fol-
low up his charge with whatever in
formation he may lave warranting
so serious an allegation.
Bryan Voted for Crisp.
The facts of the case are that in
the first of the Crisp Speakership con-
tests, that of December, 1891, Mr..
Bryan voted for William M. Spring
er of Illinois as the democratic can
didate for speaker in the party eau
Gus, but when the actual balloting for
speaker occurred in the house of rep
resentatives on the following day Mr..
Bryan, like Mr.. Springer, and all of
the latter's supporters, openly voted
for Mr.. Crisp and was so recorded in
the Congressional Record. Two
years later, when Mr. Crisp was
chosen speaker, practically without
opposition, Mr.. Bryan voted for Mr..
Crisp both in the party caucus and
then at the actual election of speaker
in the house of representatives In
other words, Mr.. Bryan voted three
times for an eX-cOnfederate soldier
for speaker.
In the official record of the
speeches and remarks made by Mr..
Bryan in his four years service in
the house of representatives there is
nothing to be found that is derOg
atory to the character or patriotism
of the confederate soldier. On the
other hand the Congressional Record
of February %, 1895, shows that Mr..
Bryan spoke in the highest terms of
eulogy of the life work and charac-
ter of the late Senator ZebulOn B.
Vance of North Carolina. That day
had been set apart for eulOgies of
Senator Vance, and Mr.. Bryan was
one of those who like Springer,
Swanson of Virginia, Hooker, Hen
derson, Wheeler and others were
asked to speak in memory Of the
dead statesman. Mr.. Bryan wiling
ly accepted, although he was new
member, and the record shows that
he spoke in the highest terms Of
praise and admiration.
Pleaded for Closer Union.
Again on August 10, 1894, Mr..
Bryan made an argument on the
floor of the house in favor of gov
eminent appropriation for the Cotton
States Exposition at Atlanta. Ihat
proposition had been strongly op-
posed, but Mr.. Bryan, among oth-
ers, argued strongly in behalf OF the
appropriation, and the proposition
was adopted In his argument III
favor of the project Mr.. Bryan de-
clared the exposition would bring the
north and the south together, and
that it would show the progress Of
the south.