Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1912-06-28

Another historic case of a dark
horse" winning the Democratic nomi-
nation occurred In 1886, when William
Jennings Bryan "The Boy Orator OF
the Platte" made his famous crown
of thorns and cross of gold" speech,
sweeping the convention off its feet
by his eloquence and winning the
ballot. This was probably the most
dramatic example of convention STAN
peding in the history of either party.
When the Democratic national con.
Yention met in Chicago on July It'll.
1896, for the purpose of nominating
a candidate of the United States, the
the delegates were overwhelmingly
pledged to the cause of free silver.
1t seemed inevitable, therefore, that
that Richard p. Bland, of Missouri,
Familiarity known as SILVER Dick"
Bland, because of his advocacy of the
free silver doctrine, would be the
Democratic nominee. For twenty
years Bland had worked for the cause
of free silver teaching his tenents
throughout the country till he was re-
garded in many quarters as the poll
tical saviour of the people, By all
the laws of logic therefore, he should
have been the man chosen to head
the party ticket.
Bland had been proposed as the
Democratic presidential nominee by
"Pitchfork" Ben Tillman of South
Carolina Tillmans nominating
speech had been a vitrolic denuncia-
ton Of the minority of gold demo
and had stirred even the friends of
ton that the delegates met his words
with a storm of Kisses and cat calls,
Then came Senator Hills shrewd dis
section of the free silver platforms.
1t has been said that after Tillman
had shamed the free silverites Hill
showed them how they had shamed
themselves.
There could have been no time more
propitious for the speech of free sill
yer advocate of Bryan's eloquence.
TiImans speech had thrown the con
vention INTO an uproar and had Great
ed dissention among the free silver
men, while Hills address had brought
Joy to the gold minority and had
heightened the disaffection in the free
silver ranks 1t was at this moment
when William Jennings Bryan, then
young man of thirty-six. rose to ad-
dress the delegates. He said:
"Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the
vention, ! would be presumptuous, in
deed, to present myself against the
distinguished gentlemen to whom
you have listened, If this were but
a measuring of ability, but this is not
a contest among persons, The hum
blest citizens in all the land when clad
in the armor of righteous cause
is stronger than all the hosts of error
that they can bring. ! come to speak
to you in defense of a cause as holy
as the cause of liberty-the cause OF
humanity"
Bryan's speech was short, occupy
ing scarcely 5000 words and during it
he dwelt upon glittering generalities
in his advocacy of free silver. He
closed his masterpiece of eloquence
with these ringing metaphors, you
shall not press down upon the brow
of labor this crown of thorns. You
shall not cruelty mankind upon
cross of gold"
With this stirring admonition ring
ing in their ears, the delegates began
the ballot. There We're 76S delegates
voting and under the two-thirds rule
SIP votes were necessary for nomina-
ton. j, T, Hill, of Georgia, the young
est delegates on the floor, who was
only u years old secured the services
of Hal T. Lewis. of Georgia, TO place
Mr. Bryan in nomination and on the
first role call, Georgia was the first
state to asst its vote for the boy ora
tor
When the votes on the first ballot
had been cast, it was seen That Silver
Dick" Bland led with 235. Bryan came
next with 1i9. Robert +. Pattison, of
Pennsylvania, was third with 95. and
Horace Boies of Iowa, was fourth with
50. Joe Blackburn, of Kentucky, got
SO and the wealthy John r. Mclean,
of Ohio. 54.
On the second ballot Bland got 2S5
Bryan 1870.
On the third ballot Bland received
POI, Bryan 2l9.
On the fourth ballot Bland at last
fell behind. He got PAL votes, while
Bryan drew 2So,
On the fifth ballot the land slide be
gan. John r. Mclean withdrew his
name and cast the 46 votes of the
Ohio delegation solidly for Bryan, and
Governor Stone, the champion Of
Bland, strobe to the platform and with
drew his candidates name, casting
the "a votes of Missouri for the Ne
braskan.
Iowa, discarded Boies for Bryan, Ar
kansas followed suit, Montana shifted
to the winner and then Senator Tur-
pie OF Indiana, arose and proposed