The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-07-11
PENSACOLA WILL PAY THREE CENTS EACH FOR RATS
Unafraid of Political Death, Bryan Wins
Great Fight When Timid Friends Falter
BY Virgil V. McNitt.

Washington, July 10.-What is to be
the political future of William J.
Bryan? His enemies have ceased pre-
dieting that he is eliminated You
cannot eliminate a man-who holds the
confidence of great numbers of people,
nor can such a man abdicate his
leadership when his followers decline
to let him.
1t is part of Mr. Bryan's phil
osophy that to be worthy of par
ticipation in a great cause, one must
not be> afraid to die. There were
plenty of good men at the Demo
cratic convention-timid good men
who feared to disturb harmony, who
shivered with apprehension every
time Bryan set out to make stand
for principle.
To oppose Parker, to denounce
Ryan and Murphy and Belmont, and
to renounce the aid of the predatory
interests, in view of the spirit of the
convention, looked like political sui
eide for Bryan. He undoubtedly took
his political life in his hands when
ever he rose in his seat He knew
that he could not help making
enemies, and he knew that any chance
he might have for the nomination
would be destroyed. He was not seek
Ing the nomination, and he preferred
to tight for the right rather than avoid
enmities
During the Chicago and Baltimore
conventions l worked in close as
ISOLATION with Mr.. Bryan, and, a
non -mobatant myself, was enabled
to see a great deal of his fight from
the inside.
! FINDS FlNANCIER ON
JOB AT BALTIMORE.
Bryan expected to find a progress
a he
planned to take an inconspicuous
part in its affairs. He felt sure that
| assembled Democracy would realize
that is supreme opportunity had
come. He found instead that Thomas
F. Ryan was on the job ahead of
him, a very busy delegate, though a
very quiet one. He found Charles
Murphy, Of Tammany, in high favor.
he heard rumors of plans for a
money bags campaign, with plenty
OF swag for the workers.
Amid almost fearful pleadings to
keep out and to let harmony prevail.
EsryanF made his f1ght for the tenn
porary craftsmanship, and was de-
feated. Very few men in Baltimore
had the sagacity to congratulate
Bryan on this defeat, and very few
could understand his appearance of
good cheer afterward. There was great
gloom among some of his friends. If
Bryan had only listened to reason!"
they exclaimed mournfully.
The truth of the matter is that
| most of Bryan's enemies and many
| of his friends lacked the clearness
of vision which should have made
plain the fact that his first defeat
was In reality a victory, as it
brought to him reinforcements of mil
/ lions of home folks who stayed by
his side from that time, and helped
| him win his final victory.
| 1t is needless to recount the Incl
! dents connected with the presenta-
| tion of the Morgan Ryan Belmont
resolution. 1t took a bitter struggle
| to get it before the convention, and
even after it was adopted it was de-
nounced as the monumental work of
folly of a determined trouble maker.
A week afterwards the newspapers
| that so denounced it were forced to
admit that by this act Bryan divid-
| ed the sheep from the goats, gave
| the convention a character, and
made possible the nomination of
Wilson.
1--WE WIN If WE LOSE"
WAS 5RYAN'S VIEW.
! Mr.. Bryan was sure of the success
of his resolution. Even if it should
fail of a two-thirds vote,'' he told
me, 'the delegates would have to
| nominate a progressive to square
| themselves"
The resolution contained a con-
Guiding clause stating that the same
| influences Morgan and Ryan, had
dominated the Chicago convention
and nominated Taft. Soon after Mr..
Bryan reached the platform to make
his fight. Mrs. Norman E. Mack sent
tor him to come to her box and meet
Mrs. Taft, who was attending the