The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-07-04
Bryan'S Last Stand Sensational But Futile; Great
Commoner Meets His Waterloo After aQuarter Of a
Cenurys Dictatorship of the Policies of Americas
Democracy; Pitcher Went to Well the One Fatal Time

convention, at meeting last night,
pledged themselves to vote indefi-
nltely for their candidates, regardless
Of any turn the convention might
take.
Georgia May Swing to Mac
During the early hours there were
many reports as to what certain
delegations would do. One Of them
was that the Georgia men might
leave Palmer after a ballot or two
and 90 to McAdoo. Another was that
Nebraska would give four or five
votes to Owen and the remainder to
McAdoo. Virginia, it was said, with
some show of authority, would stick
to Senator Glass for awhile and then
also swing into the McAdoo column.
Prospective Drift TO Cox
Scattered delegates We're talking Of
first making a drive with Palmer and
with Cox. Illinois votes We're con
sidering trying out Cox if Palmer
chances appeared hopeless. New Jersey
and Indiana delegates, it was said.
we're also considering going along
with the COX prOCeSSIOll.
White-Faced, Bryan Goes Down
White with fatigue, wet eyes with
emotion, deafened by the roaring
tribute of thousands, William ]. Bryan
last night stood before the convention
with a new crossing in his quarter
century OF public life.
Silent, with sober eyes, his heavy
figure in wrinkled black alpaca under
the merciless glare of the spotlights,
he heard a sonorous chorus of noes, "
one by one, strike down the issues he
had raised. But there was no gain
saying the genuineness OF the tribute
he received even in defeat. 1t was
given to the man with an utter aban-
don, without aid of band or pipe or
gan or other trappings of organized
political demonstration. It spranS
from the galleries, the voteless mul
titude that made the moment its own
and swept into tumult its admiration
for the eman. But there were Others
who sat unmoved. They formed a
solid block in the center of the floor
about which the sea of sound and
feeling ragged unheeeded, and even as
Bryan grasped the Nebraska standard
thrust upon him from below, and lift
ed it high on the speakers stand, II
must have been given to wisdom
born of his long political career, for
the man who was the center of the
great scene to know that it was ad
miration, not agreement, that moved
the people: that defeat, not victory
awaited him.
Even His Climax Failed
From the moment wh6a reading OF
the platform was finished, and he took
the stand amid cries Of Bryan, Bryan
Bryan" to present the planks for
which he proposed to fight, the old
leader was keyed for the effort Of his
life. Against him, he knew. were
giants Of doubt. For that reason, he
economized his time, swiftly present
ing the outlines of his case, then
yielding to others who would pave the
way for the climax he had planned
for himself. 1t was plain that it was
the bone-dry issue on which Mr. Bryan
would center his effort to sweep the
convention off its feet. He had some
thing to say for the league of ma
tons program of ratification with res
ervations, which he proposed. On this
he flatly differed with the president
at the Jackson day dinner in Wash
ington, to set going the struggle that
ended yesterday in sweeping victory for
the president. He paid lavish tribute
to Mr.. Wilson'S place in history and
to his leadership; he talked forcefully
of three lesser issues he had brought
to the convention for decision, but ii
was the dry plank on which he had
staked every vestige Of magnetic pow
er over mems hearts he possessed.
Enthralls With Eloquence
In the 20 minutes of dramatic ap-
peal which closed his crusade, he