Evening journal., 1912-01-08
MR.. BRYAN
STIRS UP The
PARTYLEADERS
With Old Enemy Guffey in
Mud, he Moves Committee
May be Seated
RULED AGAINST AND
EXECUTIVE SESSION FOLLOWS

By The United Press.
WASHINGTON, Jan. S-War was
declared Immediately after the Demo-
cratic National Committee went into
session here today, with William Jen-
nings Bryan leading a vote against
the machine" controlling the commit
tee.
When the first name on the list OF
committeeman was called Bryaa
moved that James Wetherly. of Ala
bama, be seated. Chairman Mack
ruled that such motion was un-
necessary, as Wetherby had been
elected by the Alabama State Central
Committee. point of order against
Bryan's motion was upheld, and the
Peerless Leader" appealed from the
decision of the chair. In the squab-
bic that ensued Committeeman John
W Coughlin, 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 ancint enemy, Colonel James Cuff
fey MS committeeman from Pennsyl-
vania.
This point is not important now, ="
said Bryan in voiciug his objection,
but it will be of immense omport-
ance in settling another contest that
will come up later in this meeting. If
the chair holds that this committee
has no jurisdiction to determine
whether or not a man shall not be
given a seat in it's deliberations. in
tend to know whether the committee
supports him in that decision.
Bryan's motion was made after
Mack had announced that Wetherly
was officially seated If the Nebras-
kan's motion were adopted, it would
have declared the Alabama man a man
of the committee by the cOmmittee's s
own action, and established the COM
mittee's jurisdiction in such sases.
Bryan did not waste any time in
showing his determination TO fight
/ Wetherly's name was the first called
when the roll was begun. and the reg
ular order of business was halted
right there While Bryan was urged
to make no fight against Guffey as
!
| privately asserted that In order to be-
consistent he would have to oppose
the seating Of the Pennsylvania. A
Mitchell Palmer. who protested Guf
fey's seat was demonstrating. holdinl
the proxy of Committeeman Nebeker
of Utah.
1t was quite apparent from the at
titude Of Chairman Mack and the ma
Z oh fn. . ~.
Bryans fight was well nigh hopeless
, Il was three-quarters Of an houi
after the scheduled time when tn,
committee got down to business
Bryan was greeted with round o.
scattering applause. Mack was simi
larly greeted
Before the committee went int,
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. Warheld OF
Baltimore, holding the proxy Of the
Arizona committeeman. was I'm the
meeting for the Maryland city and
former Governor Francisco Of Mis-
souri, appeared for St. Louis
Bryan's appeal from Mack's deci-
sion in the Alabama case was lost
33 to 13, after a bitter squabble be-
hind closed doors.
Senator Owen of Oklahoma gave
Senator Lea. Of Tennessee. a proxy to
attend the committees sessions. and
the Tennesseean went into the execu-
tive session determined TO fight bitter
for the seating Of Robert p. Lee
Mountcastle. as national committee
man from his state.
After disposing Of the Alabama
squabble another row ensued as 10
whether the committee should i'm
mediately take up the Pennsylvania
contest or postpone it until later