The Washington herald., 1920-03-28

rsa Factor in Election.
1t is probable that on the eve
OF Presidential election, in
which it is not wholly impossible
that Champ Clark may be a
prominent factor, with Mr.. Bryan
again a powerful influence, read
ers- will turn first to this last
chapter of his book in which he
describes, with not unnatural feel
ing, his betrayal in the Baltimore
convention of 1912.
Betrayal" is the one word to
employ in this connection, for he
was struck down by one whom
he had every reason to reckon
as a friend, and who, furthermore,
was bound by the instructions OF
the State he represented to use
allf"honorable means to accom-
plish Clark's nomination. Many
friends of Mr.. Bryan deplore as
the only discreditable act of his
life his violation of his instruc-
tiors, and resultant defeat of
Clark at Baltimore. What the
victim thinks of it is very frankly
set-forth in this chapter. "The
only time in my life l was ever
flatly refused credit" he writes,
"was one day when l asked a
bank to cash a draft for $40 to
go some distance to make a
speech for Mr.. Bryan" And with
thar recollection in mind he goes
on Ito tell of his later rewards.
Details Still Remembered.
The circumstances of the Bryan
assault upon Clark in the conven-
tipR-are still fresh in the memory
Of politicians. Mr.. Clark is suffi-
cieptly confident that the procedure
itself showed it's injustice to re-
print verbatim the minutes of the
convention relating to Mr.. Bryan's
action, his speech, and the conse-
queRt debate. 1t was not a par
ticu4arly creditable episode in Amer
ican politics-whatever may be
thought of the results proceeding
from it-and the comments of the
sufferer, which I quote. do not seem
inexplicably harsh:
Bryan was dishonest in his con-
teption that he changed his vote
= because New York was voting for
me. The principal reason he
changed his vote, thereby fragrant
ly violating his instructions and
thereby proving that all his pratt
ing about ''the people rule" was
hypocrisy, was that he wanted to
create a deadlock and grab off the
nomination for himself. He had
no more idea of nominating Gov
error Wilson for President than
he, had of nominating him as
Ahkoond of Swat. His well-con-
sfdered plan was to kill of both
Governor Wilson and myself. As
I was leading, / must be killed
Oft first. AS he could not cite a
single act or word of mine on
which to hang a legitimate OBJ
lection to my nomination, he
ton that 1 would be under OBJ
legations to Ryan, Belmont, and
Morgan-which he knew was
false. The second step he had in
mind was to kill of Governor
Wilson.
TsBy his amazing insinuations
he unquestionably prevented my
nomination-for in the heat and
excitement of the convention some
men believed him, but he then
and there unwittingly killed dead
as door-nail another candidate
for the Presidency perennial
and perpetual candidate-William
Jennings Bryan.
Clark Disaster Unique. q.
A journalist. well known in Wash
fngton, who died q few years ago
ofa peculiarly lingering and terri
bic disease, used. with pathetic hu-
NOR, to laugh away condolences by
boasting that he was one of the
only two men. who had suffered
from that rare complaint. Mr.. Clark
suffered from a political disaster
almost unique. with the single ex-
ception of Martin Van Buren," he
writes. "who received a majority In
the Democratic convention of 1914,
on one ballot only-which was the
FIRST ballot am the only man de-
priyed of a presidential nomination
after receiving a majority, which
] 1dfd on eight ballots"
Among prominent Democrats to-
day there is a general feeling that
the party regulation which made
possible this gross injustice to Mr..
Clark in 1912-the requirement OF a
two-thirds vote to nominate
should be done away with. Within
two weeks a man who was recog-
nfzed as President Wilson's closest
adviser. until the Presidents phys
leaf breakdown, said to me that the
San Francisco convention should
declare that in future conventions
the two thirds rule should be abro-
gated. 1t has been commonly under
stood that the rule was intended to
offset the unit rule" by which
State conventions could instruct
their delegations to vote as a unit
It has been the custom of Dem
ocraflc conventions In the past to
enforce such instructions, though
the practice seems rather undemo-
cratic.
- Describes origin of Rule.
Ar. Clark. however. ignores this