Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-04-25
ARE WELL PLEASED
Bryan's Friends Generally Sat
isfied With Outcome Of the
Springfield Convention.
INTERESTS WERE CARED FOR
Strange Situation Would Have Made
1t Easy for Sullivan to Cause
Lot of Trouble.

Chicago, April 25.-Roger C. Sulli-
vans intentions regarding William
Jennings Bryan have been demon
strated to the satisfaction of almost
every friend the Nebraskan has in the
state with the exception of Millard
F.. Dunlap and Judge Owen p Thomp-
SON
Personal kilograms have been sent
to Mr.. Bryan by some of his closest
personal followers telling him his in
terests could not have been protected
better than they were ip the state
convention and that the delegates can
be expected to support him at Denver
to the fullest extent he could ask.
They We're the more convinced of
this when they realized that Mr.. Sui
Ivan merely by sitting still in his
chair could have prevented the adop-
ton of a platform and the passing of
any Bryan instructions. The situation
which made this possible was not of
his own creation but was the result
largely of Thompson and Dunlap,
working. as they thought, against
George Brennan, but in reality with
him for just what he wanted to do.
.Au in SuIIivan's Power.
Sullivan saw the possibilities which
were present. They were more than
i possibilities. They We're certainties
unless he stopped the proceedings
which were accountable for them.
Ii he had not told William O'Con-
nell to vote the 535 Cook county dele
gates for the adoption of the resolu-
tons, which contained the Bryan in
/ structions, and had not sent word to
Chairman Free p Morris to remind
the convention what would follow the
| failure to adopt the platform, there
would have been no instructions and
the Illinois delegates would go to
Denver foot loose.
! Went by Default.
When O'CCnnell, as chairman of the
/ Cook county delegates, cast the 535
votes in favor of the platform. the
roll call was going by default. The
confusion made by Judge Thompson S
attempts TO amend the Bryan fnstruc
tions was SO great and the convention
so disOrdered that the delegates did
not know what the question was and
the counties were not voting.
Sullivan may have been tempted
He does not say that he was not
George Brennan was waiting alertly
for the completion of the call and
the announcement of the vote. His
motion to adjourn would have follow
ed Instantly; it would have been pu
lhy Morris and would have been car
ried before the delegates knew wha
they were doing.
Nothing but adjournment woult
have been left for the convention. /
il had refused to accept the platform
there was no other on which it coulC
act without further action on the par
of the resolutions committee. MI
Sullivan could have withheld tn,
Cook county votes and there woult
have been no Bryan instructions AM
no platform He could have throw
up his hands and said that it was no
his fault that the delegates refused It
| vote for the resolutions.
would Have Been Disastrous.
Mr.. Brennan would have been file
With joy, Mr.. Dunlap and Mr.. Thoml
son with rage. Mr.. Bryan with I'll
imaginable emotions, and the stat
with more trouble than it has seen i
" 90 years, but Mr.. Sullivan could hav
said he didn't do it.
"That kind of trickery won't do i
II politics." he said yesterday. Th
statement and the occurrence are goo
, guarantees that Bryan will receive
votes from Illinois as long as there
any reasonable hope of his nomin
: tion.