The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-07-30
BRYAN LOST OUT.
OPPONENTS OF COUNTY OPTION
WIN IN NEBRASKA.
Bryan Made ImpassiOned Speech.
Which Falls on Deaf Ears of Dele
gates Pledged to Liquor.

Grand Island, Neb., July 26.-Ne-
braska Democrats tonight took the
leadership of their State organization
from William j. Bryan on the issue
of county option. BY decisive votes
they registered their unbelief in his
present policies after listening to an
fmpassioned appeal from Mr.. Bryan,
who declared the liquor interests were
in an organized attempt to secure po-
litical control of the State. The min
ority plank submitted by Mr.. Bryan
was brief and his opponents declared
it was an effort to recede from his
former radical attitude. But the
workers against the county option
plank were unappeased and stood
firmly against it.
The attitude of many of Mr.. Bry-
ans former lieutenants toward him
was evinced in the speeches Of sew
eral who addressed the convention
after him. His reference to "assas-
sins" in the party was frequently re-
ferred to and as each speaker de-
nounced his present position, the
cheers Of the delegates showed that
the appeals Of Mr.. Bryan had been
Intellectual. The vote by which his
county option plank was rejected was
not taken until after midnight. It
was decisively against the acceptance
Of the measure. Mr.. Bryan made no
comment after the vote, and in an
swer to questions, referred to his
speech in which he proclaimed his
fealty to the Democratic party and
its platform.
The test vote came on a motion
made by Congressman G. M. Hitch
cock, a candidate for the senatorial
nomination, which in effect was to
eliminate the introduction of plat
form planks with accompanying
speeches unless submitted as a Sec
ton of the majority or minority re-
port Of the committee on resolutions.
Mr.. Bryan, seated as a member of
the Lancaster county delegation, was
on his feet Immediately with a pro-
test and offered an amendment that
would modify the intent Of the orig
fnal motion.
The Bryan adherents denounced
the Hitchcock motion as "gag rule
and their opponent declared that Gin
dividual rule" must not prevail. A
roll call was ordered. When two
thirds had been called opponents OF
Mr.. Bryan realized that he was de-
feated and a wave of cheers that
drowned the roll call began.
AS Chairman Smyth read the re-
suit. 4S6 against Mr.. Bryan's amend
ment to 394 in favor Of it, the dele
gates sounded a fresh volume of
cheers that seemed to indicate their
relief from the uncertainty that had
existed as to the strength which Mr..
Bryan might develop in the conven-
ton.
The original motion of Mr.. Hitch
cock hen was adopted.
The action of the convention prac.
tically prohibited any speech from
Mr.. Bryan unless, as a member of
the resolutions committee, he should
speak on one of the planks offered by
the committee to the convention.
Gov. Shallenberger and Mayor Dahl
man Of Omaha, rivals for nomina-
ton for governor, addressed the con-
vention and hurled verbal shafts at
each other.
Gov. Shallenberger promised the
delegates that if reelected with a
Democratic legislature he would give
them opportunity, through legislative
| action. to settle the saloon question
definitely