The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-20
Competency a. Exrmpllnrd nv sec.
rotary Bryan

While the delegates In the Demo.
cratic convention of 1912 were st-ig.
Cling over the nomination Of a can.
dldate for President thos. who held
membership in the committee on rcso-
lutIonS enjoyed Il calm aud peaceful eX-
is'cnce. Their fellow platform maker.
WILLIAM !. BRYAN Of Nebraska. volun.
tecred to do all the work. and lid II.
Mr. BRYAN let IL bp known that his
presence ut Enlflmorn wns due tn three
ambitions
lie wanted II campaign committee
which would not "bushwhuck" the can.
didatc. lie wanted 10 help bring about
the nomination Of II progressive for
President. lie desired Tho adoption NJ
Il progressive platform. Throughout
the deliberations Of the committee on
resolutions the declaration Of party
principles was known NJ the Bryan
platform" Mr.. BRYAN's ascendency In
its preparation was recognized by all.
That he was pleased with It the sub.
Joined excerpts from his numerous out.
gvings on this subject two years ago
AFFORD convincing evidence:
In knowing what the platform IL We
feel that n will help him 1.-THE nominee1
In his night.
1T Is the most progressive platform
ever framed In a Democratic convention.
THAT means IL Is the most progressive
platform ever adopted in this country.
D l.. anl t,a 10
will respond TO 1t.
"It is "A remarkable document
The unsnimity with which It was ac-
cepted was inspiring.
"On the questions of party principles
the Democrats this year are apparently
In accord "
These enthusiastic phrases and many
others Of II similar tenor were used
by Mr.. BRYAN when the platform was
, warm under his hand at the time he
and senator O'GoRMAN were busy rs
II subcommittee of the subcommittee
Of eleven In whipping II into shape. In
his remarks there is no hint of con
cealed purposes, imperfect declarations,
no suggestion that convention. commit
tee or subcommittee did not know ex-
actly what they We're about.
Yet to-day the same BBYAN dignitied
by the title of Secretary of State, re.
cords ia his personal newspaper the re-
Republication of plank Of that plat
form by the men who composed that
convention as II triumph of Democracy
and remuneration Of false. dishon-
est aud lndefenSible doctrine. In his
| CommOHer. over his own signature,
, Secretary BRYAN writes thus:
! BALTIMORE CONVENTION AGAINST rREE
TOLLS.
Senator GORE has made poll OF the
| delegates to the Baltimore convention Of
1912 and has 50 far received answer from
| s45 delegates out OF the loo.
"Of those voting $50 favor the repeal
| of the free tolls law. 1876 are against re-
peal and IS are noncommlttal.
1.-THE advocates Of repeal therefore num-
Der more than 1870 in excess OF a major
! ity: that IL to say, II the convention
were now In session and the question
were put up to the delegates the advo-
Gates Of repeal would have a majority OF
| more than $50 even If all Of those who
, have not voted and those who answer
noncommittal were counted with the OPP
ponents.
This would seem to be a conclusive
answer to those who in spite Of the plank
against subsidies regard the free tolls
plank as binding on the party
Nv. j. BRYAN"
The career of WILLIAM j. BRYAN has
been rich in contradictions and absurd.
tiles. His untrustworthiness AS "A coun-
sellor and guide has been frequently
exposed Among the incidents that
have dlscredited his Judgment and
exhibited his Incapaclty surely none
Is more extraordinary than the dis.
closure of his incompetency which is
involved in the history OF the Panama
tolls plank OF the Democratic platform
of 1912.
The Peace Conference.