Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-07-29
BRYAN GOES DOWN IN
STATE CONVENTION
Commonere's County Option
Plank Is Rejected BY Ne
Braska Democrats

GRAND RAPIDS. Neb, July 27-Ne-
braska Democrats last night wrested the
, leadership Of their state organization
from William ], Bryan on the issue Of
/ county option.
BY decisive votes they registered their
unbelief in his present policies after lis
tening to an impassioned appeal from
Mr.. Bryan, who declared the liquor in
! terests were in an organized attempt 20
secure political control of the state.
The minority plank submitted by Mr..
Bryan was brief and his opponents de-
clared II was an effort to recede from
his former radical attitude. But the
workers against the county option plank
were unappeased' and stood firmly
against IL.
The attitude Of many OF Mr.. Bryans
former lieutenants toward him was
evinced in the speeches of several who
addressed the convention after him His
F! reference to "asss ssins" in the party
was frequently referred to and each
speaker denounced his present position,
the cheers of the delegates showed that
] the appeal Of Mr. Bryan had been inef-
fectual.
! The vote By which his county option
plank was rejected was not taken un-
/ til after midnight. 1t was decisively
against the acceptance OF the measure.
| vote and in answer to questions, re-
ferred to his speech in which he pro-
claimed his fealty to the Democratic
party and Its platform.
| PLANKS IN DISPUTE
The committee on resolutions reported
after recess and the majority report was
read. There was unanimity OF opinion
on every phase, save one, and its adop-
/ ton was asked.
| diSnute
I'VE heartily approve of the daylight
saloon law and we commend the coura-
geous atcion of Governor Shallenberger
in approving it
/ The plank was adopted by vote Of
| 10 TO 163.
nority reports would be submitted, one
by w. ]. Bryan and the other by H. B.
Fleharty.
| That Of Mr.. Bryan read:
I'VE favor country option as the best
! method of dealing with ths liquor
question
That of Mr.. Fleharty was:
I'VE favor local option as now pro-
/ vided TO- by law. but are opposed to
{ county option
The majority plank on the liquor
question, favored by FIVE of the seven
members, then was read follows:
/ I'VE are opposed 20 making county
| option or any other plan for the rsgula-
ton of the liquor traffic question OF
| party creed. We stand for and insist
upon strict Endorsement Of our present
laws and believe that any further
changes in our liquor Legislation should
! be decided by a direct vote Of the peo-
ple and that the cause of good govern
4 ment and public morals will be better
! served In that way than by DIVIDING
1.-THE people into hostile factions on pure
/ ~ moral issues
Speeches we're made BY the sponsors
OF the pIanks and the convention then
! settled down to the final battle.
BRYAN SPEAKS.
Mr.. Bryan speaking from the platform
In behalf of the minority plank presented
by him, was greeted By shouts OF ap-
| plause and was listened to In silence. He
| said In part:
OF have advocated that which In
NOT rood for the state, let me feel your
wrath II you ind ! have done any
| thing that Is not for the good OF the
Democratic party, I do not ask your
mercy Who, less than I, could desire
to disrupt the Democratic partyf Am
/ 1 not aware what a reputation at your
hands will mean to met
TT has been said that I am making
| this fight because I am not a candidate
| Nothing could be more untrue
Mr.. BRYAN here referred to the polit-
zeal battles he had waged and declared
| that he had been fearless when his own
! future seemed at stake. Continuing he
| said:
'T have bene called a dictator for ex-
pressing my opinion. Your candidates
here today have expressed their senu-
ments BY what law am compelled 70
remain silent when feel that the good
name OF my state is at stake?
cit is said that I am aggrieved be-
cause I 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 Republicans VINO relus-
| cd to aid in II.
.T expect TO be in politics for many
years yet 1 expect TO aid in the work
Of the Democratic party. but l win not
remain silent when a band Of POLITICAL
assassins attack me.
81 am not willing to admit that this
| Is a final settlement of this question"
| continued Mr.. Bryan. and on a moral
| question, I am not afraid TO express my
| opinion and stand on 1t, II I have to
stand alone.
| GRAND. ISLAND, Neb., July 81 -
Hardly an echo of yesterdays Demo-
cratic state convention was heard to-
day. Most Of the delegates left the city
on late trains and the few stragglers
got away this morning Mr.. Bryan him
self was among the first to leave and
declined to speak Of last nights occur
rences before starting for home, except
to refer interviewers to his convention
| speech. It was apparent that he had
anticipated the action of the convention
and IL he felt any chagrin he did not
manifest 1t after the adjournment.
A close friend Of the former leader.
however, stated that Mr.. Bryan's partic-
ular disappointment was in the boiling
from mis- standard Of many men who
had been his ardent supporters in the
past No intimation of what his future
noliticaI nlans might be could be secur-