The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-01-10
What Does That
Referendum Mean
By DAVID LAWRENCE
Copyright, 1919, by The
Intelhgencer.)

WASHINGTON. \. c.. Jan. S.-Such a
night. twelve speeches. eight hours OF
banQuetinE. no booze. very LITTLE eating.
mostly speaking. mostly condemnihS Of
the other party and bOastnG or the
achievement Of their party. full OF chal-
lenges, plenty OF militaucy and a free
tor-all sort OF an expression on what
the issues should be. all this until long
after TWO o'clock IN the morning with
more than 'wo thousand diners hLLinS
the big banquet rooms or TWO DIE
hotels cheering. CathuSing and demon
stratIng just aS ii it were the national
convention 4 he party already assem-
blCd.
This was the Jackson Day celebration
by the Democratic party unique IN the
were speeches made BY pcmocrats-aS
for instance Governor Cornwrll. o. West
N!rginia-wh:ch might just as well have
been made =. a Republican banquet re
crItIC.Zcd The administration for III" Nd
amSon Act. warned against Socialism
and the liberation OF any labor aut"c-
ra~y ard spoke IA" conservative thought
OF Mtldi. Western Democracy.
There were speeches Xix" that or AZ
'orn"y General Palmer which gave gen
"-cuS praise o. n" Republicans Tor
their support of the war and n the same
i.me rid.cuiod the award II ten thous-
and dollars offered by Chairman Hays
for 4 Republicans platform. TIL" attor-
ucy general Smiling SAID h" would enter
III, contest. and read amid laughter q
proposed Republican program whicA
would undo everything the Democrats
had done m IN" last seven years. in
rlu,lng the FCdnrG R"Srrv" Act. the
Farm Loan Board and man. other meas
ur"S which the Democrats hold sacred.
u he won tn" prize. Mr.. Palmer sad
puhlicans rs they might need II to get
votes IN Michigan"
wide Range Of Opinion.
En-, while domestic issues brought out
n wide range OF opinion. from AmbasS-
ndor Gerard who SAID labor unions had
come 10 stay and had euanc patcd work
crs from industrial slavery 10 william
jennings Bryan who said II was easy
for those present 20 pay SIX u"'I0rS d
plate - CDJI" 10 - banquet. but the toll
er WASH getting the full share OK ms
work and Shuuid have moro money to
NEE, the cost OF living. there vas IN the
background and the foreground the
paramount question OF foreign policy.
he rauacaiI"n Of the peace treaty anu
League uI Nations.
President Wilson'S letter had the IN
QUESTIONED approval Of mos. OF the
Speakers at both h1nquctS. senator
l'nd,- wuod acclaimed It: Senator Hitch
rock praised II. speaker after speaker
ra.d trihut" 70 Woodrow wilson s
national and International leadership
Along came Brother Bryan IN the wee
hour, If tho morning with n disCordant
note. Ru, ne got a good reception he
pu; IN Practical form the question or
S,punjuS action IN the treaty ouI
Nfl"r tho next cleo ion. He said 1t
would take fourteen months 10 install a
Democratic Senate II n" people voted
for the Democratic contention in the
ucNt campaign and ne wasn't sure that
he Democrats could ct two thirds
-,
Bryan's Bombshsu.
There was "A dramatic interruption as
some ono cried vut stand by the presI-
dent" Veteran EryaU accustomed TO
hrckling shot back quickly. II the gem
tlcman Will guarantee that We viii win
by making the treaty It party issue. I
shall he glad to support It. II would
be ~,caSau; to do 50. But can We win
AnS then Mt Bryan proceeded I" an
allz,. NreL,t., ton and 20 argue that since
The Republicans had the majority and
since n. hrI..', rd IN popular government.
( was wise, ,o IA" m" facts and bow 10
no majority and get he best comPrO-
misc puNS3hlc Mr.. Erynu argued that
.naSmNch a. - majority ~ congress
COULD HrCiarr ~nr. a majority could
finish it. And without waiting 10 have
2 constitutional amendment adop'rd I"
abolish tn" two thirds ld"a In The SON
Ate. Nj. Bryan was ready u accept the
WI ns thu Republican majority.
I'm ne face Of Mr.. Wilson's uncOn-
~. nr'-'ur attitude. thrr" is no doubt
thar Mr.. Bryan struck sympathetic mote.
Ills hearers wcr" torn h"twc"u feelings
~ rlrty hd"ilty - the man IN tho
White HOUSE and the practical sense Of
Mr. R-yrus argument about getting
action now and changes n IN" treaty
later. NHit ono should not have The inn
nr,Ssrnu that he Other things Mr.. Bry-
an advocated. notably on domestic is
sues provoked much response. Other
speakers boldly hit at his suggestions
and plainly argued against r"%urrcctIng
some OF his "Isms"
That Referendum.
Hnt President Wilson ~ usual l"tt
much unSa!d in his lr:'"r :" the han
quot. u" didn't say whether hc meant
The word " referendum" 20 hC taken
f,gura,;yrIv or literally II" didn't say
Whether n" would or would not b. Z,
candidate for recollection. and plenty Of
inFrrrnccs wcr" drawn hat n" would b..
Ru, there * tn" best Of authority for
saying h" Will nor bF.
But whIi" on the surface II would
seem that thor" - a clean break BE-
twtcn tho President and Mr.. Bryan
about tho policy tho Democratic party
should follow. in reality the effect Of all
the pronounCem, nts from Tho Democrat
70 side and the comment made IN public
statements ny Republican senator's after
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