The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-07-02
COMMONER in
MINORITY FIGHT
automatically Praises Plat
form, but Differs Over
Means to End Sought.
NOES, APPLAUSE MlMGLES
Cochran Offers Plan for Beer
and Wine-Irish Recogni-
tion Pleaded For.

siOu Icdueu FOT.
Auditorium, San francisco. Julv
z-Ihe battle OF the vets and drys
aot under way In the den1ocratIc
after the platform had been read
witnout making mention Of a pro-
nlpition plank and w. j. Brvan was
reconnIzed 70 offer a bone. dry plank
50 minority report.
the ccmmcner,s eyes were fash
Ing fire, his voice like bass pipes.
day sun. '~''
Mr.. Bryan presented his own five
pianks and prohibition plank by
iormer Congressman Hobson and
then w. Bourke Cochran. Of New
York. took the platform to present
another minority report
The reading OF the platform was
concluded at i2;47, 2 hours and ?
VI Senator Glass moved that ~.
platform bA adopted as read. and
". =. Bryan bounced out OF his.
chair on the platform to begin his
nght for his minority planks. He
Was. was sreeted With minute Of
gates took prominent part Opening
his speech dipion atcalIy, with
praise for the platform, he declared
one of the strongest ever adopted
Dy h.,l political party. He added that
there had been insthe platform DON.
n1lttee had been over the means
and not the end to be accomplished,
but u was one Of the preroaatives
Of a democrat 10 speak his own
and say ttatkl am ready 10 lndorse
almost AL thattis written there,v he
continued, and ~an upr0af of ap-
him. N
MAKE Il all, make u ALL" yelled
several Of the delegates.
Z Under the rules Mr.. Bryan was re-
i gpired to read all of HIS proposed
: plAflks before the discussion of y any
islank sasS 5hAnI could Begin aksri5e eboffe<
dry proRosit itiop he presented first, and
drafted Dor publication of govern
ment bulletin, for dealing with profit
eers, and to put the party on record as
opposing compulsory military training
in times of peace n
When he came to the last of his five
planks which dealt with the league of
nations Mr.. Bryan prefaced its reading
by saying that nothing contained in 1t
was intended to conflict with the ma
jority Platforms words of praise for the
president. The peace treaty, he added.
was better than anyone had a right to
expect considering the circumstances
with which the president had to, deal.
I Some noes" interrupted the reading of
the Bryan league plank, but ats provi-
sions also got some applause. 1t de-
manded. an amendment to the Consti-
tuition for ratification of treaties by
majority vote of the senate.
When Mr.. Bryan finished reading his
planks he sat down asd w. Bourke
Cochran, of New York, another veteran
OF many democratic conventions, was
recognized to also present a minority
report. He said Mr.. Bryan had been
inadequate in his description of the eff
forts Of the platform committee to
write great platform.
Vets Would Have Rested.
Mr.. Cochran presented as a substi-
tute for Bryan's prohibition plank a
wet plank. He told the convention that
had Mr.. Bryan consented to let the
whether the vets would have raised the
question. But Bryan and evasion are
irreconcilahle within the same hail." he
added, and now that the issue had
been raised. thank God, the convention
can no longer dodge it,
A roar of cheering greeted the lam
ruage of the plank which declared for
manufacture and home consumption of
cider. light wines and beers. The con-
vention greeted the reading of that
phrase with mighty shout and pro-
longed cheers, 1t reserved to the states
the right to fix alcoholic content
Just as the reading was finished
some one upset a glass of water on
the speakers IaDlc ana. IL went down
the neck Of the official stenographer.
Edward L. Doheny, OF California, was
the next to bring in a minority plank.
1t was In part the Irish plank for
which an unsuccessful fight had been
waged by organized Irish sympathizers
in lheNcommittee, but as read by Mr..
Doheny II did not contain a declaration
for recognition of the Irish republic
Presenting the minority plank of SOL
dier relief. Tom Lyons, of Oklahoma.
h. u Itarf1H L..
in the committee had been so close that
II took three roll calls before IL was
certain that it had been defeated.
While the minority propositions were
being read the leaders conferred and
agreed on a plan to limit debate to
three hours and half
Hours and Half Limit
On motion of Senator Glass, the de-
bate was limited to three hours and
thirty MINUTES rh.,.,. on suspension Of the
Bryan Tor one hour and the real fight
start off.
Chairman Robinson presented the ar
rangement TO the convention for ap-
proval, ana although there were many
cries of "cut 1t down" and one delegate
yielded ''cut out the three hours" Unani
nous consent for the agreement was
refused by chorus of objections hut
on motion of Senator Glass the rules
were suspended and the three hours and
a half plan was agreed TO. Then w. J.
Bryan was recognized to begin argu-
ment on his proposal He was allotted
an aour under the conventions agree
ment. but said he would yield a large
part of that time TO others supporting
him.
beginning his peech with an argu-
ment In favor Of the Eighteenth amend
ment. Mr. Bryan soon got the conven-
tinn TO cheering. Every democratic
state" he said. had ratified the amend
nfent and every one recognized that the
liquor traffic is dead, never to be res
urrccted."
Dangerous Step.
Bryan confined his argument
largely to contendlno that any
weakening Of the prohibition Law
was dangerous step which opened
the 7oor to breakdown OF the
whole prohlbitlor law. Quoting
freely from the Bible, Bryan eaptl-
waited hia audience with flashes Of
old-tlne erstory.
When he had concluded his prellmi-
nary statement. Bryan yielded five min
utcs 20 former Representative Hobson,
o. Aiahama. who spoke on his proht-
hilton plnnk.
Then Tlr.,an ,,trlded -, ,,,tr,,t.. -