The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-10-19
The Commoner Explained
the Workings Of the Chi
cago Convention to an Ov-
erfloW House.
FORETELLS VICTORY
OF THE DEMOCRATS
Compares the Qualities of
the Three Presidential AS
pirants.-A Good Word for
Ralston and Finly Gray.

IotdHUlIlS UtlOlc "AA4>N
taxed the Coliseum to its utmost capa-
city, William Jennings Bryan last
night declared that although Col.
Roosevelt had been disabled by the
bullet of a madman the great issues OF
the present campaign must be put
before the people.
The "silver-tongued'' orator from
the West, thrice defeated for the high
est honor which the American people
can bestow upon fellow countryman,
was given a rousing ovation when he
stepped upon the platform. When in
troduced by Henry z. Johnson, chair
man of the meeting, the applause re-
verbrated through the big hall and it
was some minutes before quiet was re-
stored.
Every available seat and chair was
occupied. The aisles and passageways
were filed and many admirers of the
Commoner could not gain admittance.
Prior to Mr.. Bryan's arrival, l.. Ert
Slack former member of the general
assembly, talked for few minutes. A
local committee went to New Castle
yesterday afternoon to accompany Mr..
Bryan to Richmond. He spoke at New
Castle from 1880 to s o'clock and his
special car arrived here about S:25
O'Clock.
Democratic Victory.
That Democratic victory is assur-
ed was the statement of Mr.. Bryan.
He presented the following figures to
prove his assertion: -Four years ago
the Republicans had a vote OF some
o IN &c
had a vote of about $500, 600. Now the
Republicans are split and I'm sure
that neither faction will secure two
thirds of the G. o. P. vote four years
ago"
The recent Chicago convention,
which Mr.. Bryan attended in roper
torial capacity, was discussed. The
convention, Mr. Bryan said, began like
tragedy and eliminated like COM
Sdy. The steam roller was used by the
4'aft men with telling effect upon the
Progressives, the speaker declared.
Republicans Silent.
"The Republicans know nothing of
that convention said Bryan. "They
don't want to know anything about it.
They don't talk about it. The steam
roller used by the bosses-repudiate ted
men like Penrose, Barnes, Guggen-
helm and others-was operated by
skilled labor and it ran mechanically.
One could leave the convention hall
and know just what was going on.
One man would come in from the Gre
dentials committee room and move to
seat four Taft delegates. A Roosevelt
man would get up and move to have
Roosevelt delegates seated. A motion
would then be made by the men on
the big roller to lay the latter motion
on the table and the chairman would
announce that such had been done.
"At Chicago the stand patters pass
ed over the Progressives. The chief
difficulty was that four-year-old COM
mittee organized a new convention.
The Taft committee holding over and
containing repudiated men, conscious
ly. purposely and deliberately misrep-
resented the sentiment of the state.
/ inspected the steam roller, however,
and found that it was an old machine
and that on each nut and bolt was
stamped the letters T. r. | found out
that both factions at Chicago were
honest but biased. Roosevelt, if he had
had control of the credentials commit
tee would have done the same thing.
Believed Both Right.
Roosevelt believed that it would be
an awful thing to have Taft elected
for a second term and Taft believed it
would be equally awful to have Roose-
welt elected for third term. I believe
they We're both right.
sDt.t p,1
changed it's rules on organization so
that no old committee would organize
a new convention. The Progressives
have not done this. What We did in
this respect was progressivism set to
music"
Mr.. Bryan then took up each presi-
dental candidate, speaking upon his
good and bad points. However it was
a noticeable fact that he spent more
time talking on Roosevelt than Taft
or Wilson. When he was through he
declared that the most serious objec-
tion to Roosevelt was the so-called
third term idea.
Assaiis Taft
TAFT is repudiated man." Mr. Bry-
an continued. No other president has
suffered the humiliation that he has.
He has lost more than one-half of his
own party and has gained no friends
from the outside. He does not trust the
people. That is the most serious indict-
ment / could bring against any man
running for public Office and especially
for the Office of President Why hasn't
he helped us in securing the direct
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