Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-07-27
MR.. BRyAN,s SETBACK.

last night wrested the leadership OF their
state organization from William J..
Bryan on the issue of county option.
By decisive votes they registered
their unbeIief in his present policies,
after listening to an impassioned APP
peal from Mr. Bryan, who declared the
liquor interests were in an organized at
tempt TO secure political control OF the
state. The minority plank submitted
by Mr.. Bryan was brief, and his oppo-
nents declared it was an effort TO recede
from his former radical attitude. But
the workers against the county option
plank were unappeased and stood firm
ly against it.
Twelve years ago Bryan prevented
Representative G. NJ. Hitchcock. OF
Omaha, from being elected United
States senator from Nebraska. Yes
terday afternoon Bryan stood on one
side OF the big tent in which the demo-
cratic state convention is being held
and heard Hitchcock introduce the
resolution which sent the once peerless
leader into political oblivion.
As the vote which deposed Bryan from
the leadership Of the party which he
has maintained for twenty years, was
slowly taken, Mr.. Bryan sat without
moving a muscle, his mouth tightly
closed, but there were small beads of
perspiration on his forehead. When
the result was announced, 400 to 1874,
and tremendous round of applause
followed, Mr.. Bryan folded his arms
and looked about him.
The opponents of Mr.. Bryan asserted
that il individual introduction Of plat
form plans had been permitted, with a
speech or speeches on each one, it would
have materially delayed the progress Of
the body. While they asserted their
willingness that he should speak on the
minority report, which it was expected
to introduce, the action practically pro-
hibited any other speech from him in
the convention.
In his speech Mr.. Bryan said.
Il am not willing to admit that this
is a final settlement Of this question,
and on a moral question | am not
afraid to express my opinion and stand
on it, If have to stand alone"
Mr. Bryan referred to the political
battles he had waged, and declared that
he had been fearless when his own
future seemed at stake. Continuing.
he said;
Il have been called dictator for ex
pressing my opinion Your candidates
here today have expressed their sentl-
ments By what law am | compelled
to remain silent, when | feel that the
good name OF my state is at stalker 1t
has been said that | am aggrieved be-
cause ! have been sold out by the
liquor interests in my own state. |
have been sold out by these liquor
democrats in my own state and saved
by the votes of self-respecting repub-
licans who refused to aid in it. | ex
pect to be in policies for many years
yet. / expect to aid in the work of
the democratic party, but | will not
remain silent when a band of political
assassins attack me. F"
C. J. Smythe, temporary chairman
OF the convention, in his address re-
ferred to William j. Bryan, without
mentioning his name, as follows:
1T may be necessary today for
some OF us to refuse to follow a lead
ership which for almost 20 years has
given lustre to our party in the state
and the nation. II it should, let no
man say that it argues any abatement
in the esteem OF him who embodies
that leadership. When this conven-
ton shall have adjourned our differ
ences, | am sure, will he forgotten, and
we will all fall into our accustomed
places, the leader in his and the
subordinates in theirs, to fight for our
platform and our party"