New-York tribune., 1912-01-09
Guffey Gets Pennsylvania Mem
bership, in Spite OF Nebras-
kan's Threat to Appeal
to the Voters.
LIE PASSED; BLOWS NEAR
Palmer Restrained By Force
from Assaulting Guffey-Wil-
sons Supporters Worried
by Threat - Convention
City Not Chosen.
[From The Tribune Bureau.l

900 people who voted for him for PIesi-
dent If James NJ. Guffey obtained men,
bership in the Democratic National Com
mttee. William Jennings Bryan was
overrued to-day by vote of 30 TO IL.
Before the question was put to vote
the lie direct was exchanged In the COM
mittee, and only the strenuous efforts OF
the husky member from Oklahoma, Mr.
Brady, and the valiant member from IL
lnois, Roger Sullivan, prevented the
irate contestant from Pennsylvania, A.
Mitchell Palmer, from springing at the
throat of the seventy-year Guffey.
Angered by the reiterated charges OF
the Peerless Leader, who insisted that
Guffey had never failed to play the part
of traitor to his party and that he nad
sought to play that role to Mr. Bryan
only four years ago. during the utter
ance of which Mr.. Bryan continually
| pointed an accusing finger at Guffey and
finally stung beyond endurance by the
deliberate charge Of Palmer that Guney
had sold out the Democratic party 10
Senator Penrose at the Allentown con-
vention OF 1910, Guffey. white and
( trembling with rage, shouted at Palmer;
| You're liar!'
Then il was that Palmer strove TO get
at the white haired Guffey and was re-
strained by the combined force OF the
Illinois and Oklahoma members.
How much is there In Bryan's threat
10 appeal TO his followers against the
| regular Democratic organization?" is the
question which the perturbed Democrats
are asking each other this evening. WIZ
| he actually have the nerve TO do 1t, ard
| II he does, what does 1t portend for the
| Democratic party?
Bryan's Threat Worries Wilson Men.
Nor are the advocates of Woodrow
Wilson's nomination at all comfortable
over the events of to-day's session OF the
committee. Although refusing TO say
publicly which candidate he favored for
the nomination, Mr. Bryan has not hesi-
tated to sa,r privately that he prefers
Governor Wilson to all others whose
names have been suggested. In view OF
down Mr.. Bryan to-day at every point,
is his friendship an asset or liability.
the Wilson men are anxiously inquirlnS
this evening. They would also like TO
| know how great is the danger that Mr.
| BRYAN will carry his resentment to
point which will make impossible the
| nomination of their favorite.
carefully devised plan for avoiding
| a conflict in the committee and referring
the question Of seating new members
TO a subcommittee had been prepared.
but Mr.. Bryan set the plans of the lead
ers all awry when the first name on the
roll was called.
1t was responded to by the presenta-
| ton of the credentials Of James A.
Weatherly, Of Alabama, who had been
appointed by the state committee In ac-
cordance with the rule adopted by the
last national convention. Mr.. Bryan
promptly moved that the appointment
Of Mr.. Weatherly be approved. and the
conflict was on. Norman +. Mack, in
the chair ruled that inasmuch as the
state committee had full power to APP
point Mr. Weatherly. 1t was not within
the province of the national committee
to approve or disapprove its action.
After a spirited debate, the ruling OF
the chair was sustained by a vote Of 80
to 13, which showed the strength Of the
BRYAN following in the national commits
tee at that time.
Bitter Contest Der Guffey.
A few moments later the case Of James
NJ. Guffey, appointed by the Pennsyl-
vania state committee to succeed dead
member, was reached. Mr.. Bryan I'm.
mediately took the floor TO oppose the
recognition OF Mr.. Guffey's appointments
AS has been said, his arraignment Of Mr..
Guffey was severe in the extreme, Mr..
Palmer made specific charges against
Mr.. Guffey and C. II. Williams. member
from Mississippi and brother OF the
Senator, supported Mr.. Bryan. Those
who spoke for Mr.. Guffey were A. @.
Dewalt and Messrs. Brown. of Vermont;
Cummins. of Connecticut; McGraw, OF
West Virginia; Kremer. of Montana.
and Senator Stone, of Missouri The
ruling of the chair was sustained in this
instance by vote of 80 to Is. Mr.. Bryan
losing three votes as compared with the
first ballot.
The case of John J. Vertrees. of Ten
nessee. who was contesting the appoints
ment of r. f. l.. Mountcastle. was not
pressed. and in that instance the chair
was unanimously sustained. 1t was OBJ
vious that nothing could be accom-
pished against the "old guard" which
controlled practically a two-thirds vote.
The committeeman who voted with Mr..
Bryan and against Guffey represented
Alabama. Colorado. Delaware. Iowa,
Louisiana, Mississippi. North Carolina.
New Jersey. Ohio. Oregon. South Caro-
lima, South Dakota, Utah, Washington.
Wyoming and the District Of
Columbia. making, with the vote OF Ne
braska. cast by Mr.. Bryan. eighteen in
all.
With the completion of the rolicail.
the passage of a motion to refer to the
committee on resolutions all resolutions
offered without reading and the APP
poiptment of that committee a recess
Of an hour was taken, and 1t was M
tended to hear the reports OF the vari ,us
cities seeking the convention at 5 p. m.
but at that time a quorum could no. be
found. so adjournment was taken Until
ii o'clock tomorrow morning.
The committee began its session with