The Newport plain talk. (Newport, Tenn.) 1909-1939, 1912-07-11
Gave the Convention a Thrill
With His Valedictory
at Baltimore.
REVIEWS FIGHTING CAREER
In Declining Nomination for Vice
President the Great Commoner
Said it Was Not Because of
the Smallness of the Office as
There Was No Office Too
Small for Party Service.

small IOr Fdfty Service.
William jennings Bryan had numer-
GUS opportunities 10 Thrill the convert
ton at Baltimore. He created ire
mendous sensation when lie deEourc-
ed Ryan, Belmont and Morgan, but his
closing speech, his valedic,ory was an
effort which will live for years. This
speech which was given Tie very
closest of attention, SO close that the
!eas. wh:spc. sounded like yell in
the great hall, was as follows:
"Mr. Chairman and members Of the
conventions: You have been so generous
with me in the allowances of ,ime that
l had notexpected to transgress upon
your patience again; but the compli-
ment that has been paid me by the
gentleman from the District of
Columbia iustifies, hope, word in
the form of valedictory. (Applause.)
"For sixteen years have been
| fighting man. Performing what re-
] garded as a public duty. have not
hesitated to speak out on every pubic
question that was before the people of
the nation for settlement, and | have
not hesitated TO arouse the enmity of
individuals where felt 1t i'm my duty
to do SO in behalf of my county. zap
plause-)
~ have never advocated a man eX-
cept with gladneSs and have never
opposed man, except in sadness.
(Cheers.)
+ "lf l have any enemies in this
country, those who are my enemies
have monopoly of hatred. There is
not one single human being for whom
] feel a hatred. (Applause.)
"Nor is there one American citizen
in my own party or in any other that
l would oppose for anything except
believed that in not opposing him /
was surrendering the interests of my
country which | hold above any per-
son.
~ realize that man who fights
must carry scars zap ;iause) and de-
cided long before this campaign com
menced that had been in so many
battles and had alienated so many,
that my party ought to have the lead
ership of some one who had not thus
offended and who thus might lead
with greater hope of victory. ZAP
plause. .....
Sand tonight | come with joy to
surrender into the hands of the chosen
by this convention, astandard which
/ carried in three campaigns, and /
challenge my enemies to declare that
it has ever been lowered i'm the face of
the enemy. Great appause.)
1.-THE same belief that led me to pre-
fer another for the presidency rather
than to be a candidate myself leads
me to prefer another for the vice-presi-
dency, rather than to be candidate
myself.
"Itis not because the vice-presidency
is lower in Importance than the presi-
dency, that l decline. There is no
office in thenation so low that would
not take ii, if | could serve my country
by accepting il. Great applause and
cheering.) .....
II believe that l can render more
service TO my country when ! have
not the embarrassment of nomina-
tion and have not the suspicion Of a
selfish interest, more service, than
could as a candidate, and your candi-
dates will not be more active in this
campaign than shall be. Great APP
plause and cheering.) My services are
at the command of the party and feel
a relief now that the burden of leader
ship is transferred to other. shoulders. |
"All / ask is that having given us a
platform the most progressive that
any party of any size has ever adopted
in this nation, and having given us
candidate who / believe will appeal
not only to the Democratic vote, but
to some three or four millions of Re-
publicans who have been alienated by
the policies of their party, there is but
one thing left, and that is to give US a
vice-president with our president who
is also progressive so that there will be