The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-07-14
MR. BRYAN AT BALTIMORE


men, do it and take the responsibility
I refuse to take that responsibility.
(Applause.)
Some have said that we haven't &
right to demand the withdrawal Of
delegates from this convention. I will
make you proposition. One Of these
men sits with New York and the other
sits with Virginia. 1 make you this
proposition If the state of New York
jority of them-not Mr.. Murphy, but a
majority of the delegates Cheering
and loud applause)-I repeat that If
New York would on roll call, where
her delegates can have their names
recorded and printed, ask for the with
drawal Of the name of Mr.. Belmont,
and if Virginia will on roll call pro
test against the withdrawal of Mr..
Ryan, I will then withdraw the last
part of the resolution"
Mr.. Flood, Of Virginia, then said:
May I interrupt the gentleman"
Mr.. Bryan remarked: Wait a mo-
ment. I want to get through. I will
then withdraw the last part of the
resolution which demands the with
vention. I will withdraw the last part
at the request of the states in which
these gentlemen sit, but I will not
withdraw the 1rst part that demands
that our candidate shall be free from
entanglements with them" CAP
plause.)
The last clause which called for the
expulsion of Ryan and Belmont from
the convention, was finally withdrawn
in order, as Mr.. Bryan said, that no
delegate might hide behind 1t as an
excuse for voting against the material
part Of the resolution, and the reso-
luton was then adopted by a vote of
899 to 1S0.f Florida delegates voted Z
for and against. Had the same ratio
obtained throughout the convention,
the resolution would have been de-
feated, as it required two thirds vote
to carry it.
Some curious things transpired while
the vote was in progress. The Bryan
opposition started out to kill the reso-
luton. They were going to show him,
then and there, just where he stood
and how much influence he had. Then
suddenly some one woke up. The
came with a jolt. What is this we
propose to vote down. anyhow? An
endorsement of Bryan mo. An en-
dorsement of a candidate?-No. What
then-simply a proposition that puts
the Democratic party on record as
against the nomination Of any man
who. was or would be, controlled or
Influenced or obligated to the great
Money Trust and privilege hunting
class represented by Morgan, Belmont,
and Ryan. The adoption of the reso-
luton would mean the absolute di-
vorce of the Democratic party from
Special Interest domination. Its de-
feat would mean, by roll call and rec
ord, that the party was even more
nj RI hn WI 81 he
Money Juggernaut than the party of
Mr.. Taft. Such an admission, and
especially by record, would have meant
the overwhelming defeat Of the Dem
ocratic party in November. When they
awoke, the delegations began to change
their votes. Florida had already voted
10 against and 2 for, Judge Griggs
and myself voting for the resolution.
A new poll was taken and five more,
making seven in all, voted for it in the
Florida delegation OF the $50 dele
gates in the convention who voted
against the resolution, 1t is fair to as
sumo that they we're actuated by the
same reason given by B. S. Williams
who, in voting against it, said: "I am
against anything that w. J. Bryan is
for"
It is a safe prediction that this is
the last Democratic convention in
which either Ryan or Belmont will sit
as a delegate. No state will hereafter
dare risk its prestige by sending such
men to represent it in a Democratic
gathering. And after the adoption of
that resolution, taken In connection
with subsequent actions of the con-
vention, it is safe to say that the
country knows now-thanks to VIM J.
Bryan-that the Special Interests rep
resented by Ryan and Belmont no
longer control the Democratic party.
A day or two later when Mr.. Bryan
had referred to the New York dele
gates as Mr.. Murphy's wax figures
John B. Stanchf1eld, Ryan lawyer and
prominent in the New York delegation.
made a bitter personal attack on the
Nebraskan, repudiated the wax figure"
Characterization, and vehemently pro
tested that this was ''the most repre-
sentative delegation that ever came to
a national convention from the state
of New York" To prove 1t he men
toned the fact that he himself had
formerly been the Democratic nomi-
nee for governor that in the delega-
ton sat the present governor of the
state, the lieutenant governor, the
Democratic candidate for the presi-
dency in 1904, an ex-Justice Of the su-
preme court, a United States senator,
with lawyers of repute, business men,
professional men, and other represen-
tative citizens in every walk Of life-a
fine array indeed. On a poll of the
delegation, he himself with eight others
voted for Woodrow Wilson.
And then, hardly had Mr. Stanch-
fields voice died away when Chas F.
Murphy rose and in that smooth, easy,
quiet tone voted New York 80 for
Clark" and truth of Mr.. Bryan's wax
figure" illustration was demonstrate
to the amusement and contempt OF the
spectators almost before Mr.. Stanch-
field had taken his seat
After the voting on candidates had
proceeded beyond the stage where New
York. in pursuance Of agreement, had
thrown its vote to Clark and the Muir
uhy-Ryan -Belmo ont Hearst combination
began to look forward to an easy con-
quest OF the nomination, Mr.. Bryan on
the SOth ballot threw another bomb
into their plans which created almost
as much turmoil as his anti money
trust resolution had done. Standing
on his chair in the Nebraska delega-
ton the Commoner called Mr.. Chair
man"
There were cries Of Take your seat"
shut up" Regular order" and other