Palisadian., 1915-07-10
SATURDAY, JULY 10, 1915
Bryan.

There are so many people who be-
lieve in William Jennings Bryan that
any kind of criticism against the
man finds the most resentful recep
ton. The adroitness with which the
great Nebraskan plays the game of
politics makes it well night impos
sible to pierce his armament. He is
the most vulnerable man before the
public to-day, yet he has the smallest
observable target at which his critics
may shoot. He is simply impossible
on the issue of hitting him in a vital
spot, because he is so skilled in the
art of covering up. But with all OF
his skill, there are certain funda-
mental facts relating to his associa-
tion with President Wilson that can
not be evaded. Here we find him
posing as the man who nominated
Wilson, when as matter of fact he
never at any time intended doing
anything of the sort. He saw that
w llooIl llClu uppCI hllius iSoiiJ
the winning hand, with over one
third of the Baltimore convention
delegates, and since he could not
himself get the nomination, and did
not want Champ Clark to have it,
he grudgingly turned to Wilson.
The best exposition of the simple
facts in regard to Bryan's Baltimor,
convention pose is contained in re-
cent editorial by Col. George Harvey
which follows:
1t is impossible to withhold from
Mr.. Wilson very considerable meas
ure of responsibility for his own Pre-
miers ruthless tempting of Fate. He
appointed Mr.. Bryan Secretary of
State with full knowledge of his men
tai incompetency and of his moral de-
linquencieS. Excuse for the selection
was found in the Presidents presumed
obligation to the man who achieved
his nomination at Baltimore, but none
knew better than Mr.. Wilson himself
that no such debt existed as conse-
IuCHSC VI any lHDCHUlOIl VII GilC pGl y u
Mr.. Bryan, none knew better than ne
that the very consummation so graft
flying to himself was the result of as
base betrayal of trust as ever STAIN
ed the annals of American politics;
and yet he accorded to him the high
est honor within his gift and has since
lauded to the skies "Mr. Bryan's char
acter, his justice, his sincerity, his
transparent integrity, his Christian
principle" and so on ad nauseam.
Let us recall for moment the in
stance to which we have referred as
the chief indication of Mr.. Bryan's
possession of these admirable attri-
butes which confronted Mr.. Wilson.
Q) Mr.. Bryan demanded and obtain
ed in Nebraska primaries for the
election of delegates to the Baltimore
convention who should pledge them
selves to heed the instructions from
the primaries respecting candidates.
(2) AS a candidate for delegate, he
promised definitely to support either
Clark or Wilson, but announced that
he would not serve if instructed for
Harmon. (3) Clark carried the pri-
maries and Bryan, as an instructed
uClCSdJC, dCCcDJcu lllS COIllllllSSlOll VI
Bryan deserted Clark as soon as Clark
obtained a majority of the votes in
the convention and seemed certain to
be nominated, upon the ground that
he must be unworthy because he had
received the vote of New York. (5)
Bryan proposed several candidates
who were obviously unavailable care
fully excluding Mr.. Wilson's name
from his list. (6) Wilson was nomi
mated, not in the consequence of
Bryan's support but in spite of his
subtle efforts to the contrary. CD |
Bryan urged the nomination of Clark
for Vice-President- of the self-same
Clark whom he had pronounced un-
worthy of the Presidency, to which as
Vice-President he might at any mo-
ment succeed; thereby in his fright at
possible consequences to himself
brazenly belying his own professions
of virtous opposition and revealing
himself as a self-seekihg marplot, dis
loyal to a friend, a repudiator of his
own pledges and a betrayer of his own
people.
With this record of perfdy before
his eyes President Wilson took Bryan
to his bosom rather than have him
on his back" and extolled him to
American youth as the embodiment of
Character, justice, sincerity, trans
parent integrity and Christian prin-
ciple." If now he has discovered that
the Prophet Isaiah spoke truly when
he said, chat which is crushed break
eth out into VIPER" and later shall
learn with Job that 'the viper's tongue
shall slay him." can any one but him
self be held to blame?
Thus we find 'man who knows"
telling the truth about Bryan. AT