The Detroit times., 1912-01-08
BRYAN PUSHES FIGHT
TO PREVENT COL GUFFtY
FROM TAKING HIS SEAT
Nebraskan Goes Down To Defeat
on Jurisdictional Issue, But
Continues Battle.
GETS 13 OUT OF As VOTES.
Bosses Want Taggart For I'M
portant Place-St. Louis and
Baltimore Want Convention.

| WASHINGTON, Jan. Sable to
control only 13 Of the 46 votes In che
national committee, William j. Bryan
went down in defeat at the commit
tees meeting here this afternoon.
| The test vote which indicated that
alignment was on a jurisdictional is
sue forced by the Nebraskan.
Despite his defeat, Bryan immedi-
ateIy went into the fray to prevent
his old-time enemy, James M. Guffey,
| from taking a seat as national COM
mitteeman from Pennsylvania. One
hours argument was permitted on
both sides. A. G. Dewalt spoke In
favor of Guffey.
A personal encounter between Col.
Guffey and Rep. A. Mitchell Palmer,
contestants for a place on the national
committee from Pennsylvania, was
narrowly averted when Col. Guffey. In
the executive session denounced
Palmer as "A liar" The statement TO
which, 'Guffey objected was Palmer's
declaration that he, Palmer, was Of
ficially elected committeeman by a
vote of 81 to 26 OF the re-organized
convention.
Palmer, who Is q Quaker. turned
white with rage, but said he would
not take offense, because Guffey was
an older mar than him. Members OF
the committee finally quieted the
rivals
Echoes OF the uproar were plainly
heard from behind the closed doors
Of the meeting.
Was was declared Immediately after
the Democratic national committee
xun tnfA
William Jennings Bryan leading a vote
committee.
When the first name in the list OF
committeeman MAS called, Bryan
moved that James Wetherly OF Ala
bama, be seated. Chairman Mack
ruled that such a motion was un-
necessary as Wetherly had been elect
ed by the Alabama state central COM
mittee. A point of order against
Bryan's motion was upheld and the
Peerless leader appealed from the de-
cision OF the chair. In the squabble
that ensued Committeeman John w.
! Coughlan, of Massachusetts, moved
that the committee go into executive
session. and the doors were closed
while the committeeman got down to
work.
Bryan's protest was the opening OF
his battle to prevent the seating OF
his enemy, Col. James Guffey as
committeeman from PennsytvHnta.
This point Is not important now"
said Bryan, In voicing his objection,
"but IL will be of immense import
ance in settling another contest that
will come up later In this meeting. n
the chair holds that this committee
has no jurisdiction to determine
whether or not a man shall be given
seat in Its deliberations, intend to
know whether the committee upholds
him In that decision"
Bryan's motion was made after
Mack had announced that Wetherly
was officially seated. II the Ne
braskan's motion were adopted, II
would declare the Alabama man a
member of the committee by the COM
mittee's own action and establish the
committees Jurisdiction In such cases.
Bryan did not waste any time in
showing his determination to fight
Wetherley's name was called first
| on the roll and the regular order or
business was halted right there. While
| Bryan was urged not 10 make any
| fight against Guffey as the latter had
the votes to win, he privately assert
ed that in order TO be consistent he
would have TO oppose the seating OF
the Pennsylvania. A. Mitchell Palm
er, who protested Guffeys seat. was
| in the meeting, holding the proxy OF
Committeeman Nebeker, OF Utah.
II was quite apparent from the at
titude of Chairman Mack and the
machine leaders in the committee,
| that Bryan's fight was well-nigh hope
less. Mack had Immediately at hand
the resolution of the last convention
which placed the power of seating ma
tionai committeeman solely In the
hands of the state committees and
was evidently prepared to declare that
the committee had no jurisdiction
when Palmer protested against the
seating OF Guffey on his state commit
tee credentials.
| II was three-Quarters OF an hour af-
ter the scheduled time when the com
mittee got down TO business. Bryan
was greeted with round OF scatter
ed applause. Mack was similarly
greeted
Before the committee went into
executive session, a resolution was
adopted setting o'clock this after
noon as the time for arguments by
representatives of the cities seeking
the convention. s. d. Warfeld, Of Bal
timore, holding the proxy of the Ari-
zona committeeman was In the meet
ing for the Maryland city, and former
Gov. Francis. OF Missouri. appeared
| for st. Loufs.
Bryan's appeal from Mack's deci-
4