The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1912-06-26
PLATFORM WILL
Be ANNOUNCED
AFTER CHOICE
IS MADE

IL U0UI
(By United Press Leased Wire. }
BALTIMORE, Md, June 3d.
BY vote of forty-one TO eleven,
a motion by William J. Bryan to
adopt a platform after and not
before, the candidates are named,
was adopted by the resolutions
committee today shortly before
the convention assembled. The
new program VIII have to be
ratified by the convention before
it becomes effective.
BALTIMORE, Nd, June 26.--
An attempt by the conservative
forces now in control of the demo-
cratic national convention to
swing William j. Bryan into line
by making him chairman of the
resolutions committee which is
drafting platform failed today.
Not only did Bryan refuse, but
he made 1t plain in refusing that
he feared the committee had been
packed against him.
Bryan arrived at the committee
room unannounced, passing en-
route a committee composed of
Senators Cumberson, Raynor and
O'Gorman, which had been sent
to ask him to assume the chair
manship and stand before the
country as responsible for the
party declaration.
While waiting for the commit
tee to return the proposition of
the majority was put up to Bryan
and he refused 1t.
$50 far as l am concerned /
have no choice for chairman, and
/ will not assume that RESPONSE
bility, but as an individual men,
Der of the committee / can make
my fight for the principles for
which / stand and II defeated
here / can reserve the right to
carry the fight both before the
floor of the convention and be-
fore the voters of the United
States"
Former Congressman Fithian
of Illinois then suggested that
Senator Kern, the Indiana repre-
sentative on the committee, be
elected, Kern was unanimously
chosen, with T. J. Walsh of Colo
RADIO as secretary.
The committee Immediately
went into executive session to
prepare the platform.
AS soon as the doors were
closed Bryan was invited to open
debate preliminary to the discus
sion of the hundreds of platform
planks proposed. He pleaded
with the committee to strong pro-
gressive platform, concise, brief,
but emphatic, and clear in it's defi-
milton of democratic progressive
ness.
e. L. Garrison of Connecticut
sent for Bryan as soon as he got
through and presented to him the
platform prepared by Senator La
Toilette which was turned down
by the republican convention.
1t was generally accepted that
the committee would not be able
to report to the convention by to-
morrow.
President Gompers and Frank
Morrison of the American FEEDER
alton of Labor presented the labor
planks to the committee and urged
action on them. They seemed more
hopeful than their claims would
receive favorable action than they
were at Chicago.
A delegation from the Reform
club of New York presented q
plank which seemd to meet gen.
eral approval and part of which
at least will be Incorporated in
the document.
Bryan, In a lengthy speech In
the committee room, outlined his
plan to name the candidates first
and then adopt platform. He
was strongly supported by Sena-
tor Rayner but the scheme was
opposed by Committeeman Clarke
of Arkansas.
This program Is a new idea,
for which there is no precedent
in democratic convention his
tory" said Bryan. "But the con-
ditions existing here require new
precedents." A subcommittee
of the resolutions committee re-
ported the new plan to the rules
committee for formal report to
the convention. II viii be a new
rule or change in the regular
rules. If Bryan's friends do not
control the rules committee a mi
nority report will be made to the
convention.
After a brief discussion of the
platform suggestions the resolu-
tions committee recessed until 3
p. m. when subcommittee will
be named to draft the platform
and then report to the full COM
mittee. Kern will be chairman
of the subcommittee and it is
expected Bryan, Rayner and
0'Gorman will be among the 9TH
a 4.