The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-07-03
CommOner and His Dry Plank
Were Showed Under.
Congratulations on Speech Only
Reward of His Efforts.
WILSON men RIDICULED HIM
Colby and Glass Take Turns
Roasting Fallen Leader.
Dove of Peace and Harmony
Flutters Over Debris of Hopes.
81 HuGH RAILLIE.

San Francisco, July 3.-The adnin-
istration today remained IN control OF
the Democratic convention.
William J. Bryan. who Ioomed as
the biggest fight in the situation as he
conducted his whirlwind fight to
break President Wilson's platform, has
been beaten down by the administra-
ton forces. He got the cheers, but
not the votes, in his dramatic appear
anee before the convention where he
attempted to sidetrack the League of
Nations issue and put a dry plank In
the platform.
Early this morning Bryan. very
tired. scarcely able to keep his eyes
open. but still retaining his famous
smile. stood in his room at the St.
Francis, shaking hands with scores of
admirers who crowded the place,
eager to congratulate him on his great
speech. He murmured a few words
to each but even the effort to talk was
almost too much.
May Not Attend Today.
Bryan said he was rot sure whether
he would sit with the Nebraska dele
cation today. and he would not say for
whom ne would vote If he did so.
There were a few crumbs OF comfort
in the fact that the convention had
turned down the wet plank offered by
w. Bourke Cochran of New York.
Bryan's friends professed to believe his
oratory had something to do with
that.
Bryan's speech in support of his dry
plank and his plank favoring a con-
stitutional amendment to make pos
sibIe senate ratification of treaties I-y
a single majority instead of two-thiris
which would have killed tine straight
out ratification issue Wilson wants
was masterpiece of eloquence- At
the end, hundreds of delegates stormed
the platform to cheer him and many
state standards were massed before The
rostrun1 in his honor Tears glisteaed
on his cheeks as he proudly held aIoft
the Nebraska standard, thrust into his
hands by an enthusiastic delegate,
while a tumult of noise filled the audit
torium.
Colby RidicuIes Commoner.
few minutes later, Bainbridge
Colby. administration spokesman, was
convulsing the same audience with
quiet sarcasm directed at the Me-
braskan. He brushed aside the dry
plank as of no consequences. aud
treated Bryan's league of nations oian
just as brusquely. as amateurish. uI5-
workable dream, not worth while both
ering the delegates about
Then Senator Carter Glass, who Is
very close to the president, made q
speech of biting sarcasm, discarding
the Commoner's proposals with con-
I &
looking very stern, sat on the plat
form within a few feet of Glass, his
lips tightly set as he was ridiculed.
Dry Plank Showed Under.
Bryan's dry proposal was showed
under, 929h to 155 u. Richmond p.
Hobson's dry proposal was buried be-
| meath an avalanche of noes" And
/ the same chorus of noes" sounded
the doom of Bryan's league plank, his
profiteering amendment. his planks
! dclaring against compulsory military
training and in favor of a govern
ment published newspaper The
amendment to the Irish plank, the
! wet proposal and a soldier bonus de-
claration. all went the same way.
The platform itself went over and
| the dove of peace and harmony fluf-
| tered over the debris OF Bryan's hopes,
far beneath which the peerless Lead
| er" himself lay buried. at least in the
estimation of the administration men.