The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-01-09
"KeynoterS" Are Startled by
Great Commoner'S Frank
Declaration of Treaty
Situation.
ENTHUSIASM FOR PALMER
Many Would Be Candidates
obscured by Chance of Will
SON Bryan Split.
NV MIL TnMN
(By G. r. MlLToN.)

y
Washington, Jan. s.-(SpeciaI.)-
VIII the treaty be the main issue in
the coming campaign"
That seems to be the question up
permost in the minds of everyone as
a result of last nights jackson din
ner. at which keynoting was INDUCED
in by dozen orators to some 1900
democrats in two great hotel banquet
halls until 2;3O o'clock this morning.
All would have been lovely and the
party leaders would have gone to
bed with a determination to throw
down the gauntlet as they were urged
to do by the president, but for Mr..
sryan's speech.
The president did not discuss do
mestice questions; the commoner
held up several which he said must
be settled; the question of a railroad
monopoly he considered most impor-
tant and dangerous. The president
did not object to interpretative reso-
lutions with regard to the treaty, but
the meaning and intent, he said, must
not be changed.
-. Wilson Urges Referendum.
If the republicans were unwilling
to ratify the treaty as it stood then
o referendum to the people must be
had, he contended. Mr.. Bryan
praised the president for securing a
treaty which under the circumstances
surrounding the conference at Ver-
sailles he considered good, and, en-
>bhaslzed that he had opposed reser-
vations until he saw there was no
chance of securing ratification with
out them, but he was unwilling to
ask the country to wait fourteen
months for new senate, and he
pointed out the unlikelihood that the
democrats even then would obtain
enough votes for ratification of the
treaty in its present form.
Gerard Against Delay.
Ex- Ambassador Gerard agreed
with Mr.. Bryan. Delay, he said
would inevitably bring revolution
and ruin to Europe. Senator Pom
creme, of Ohio, was another speaker
who advocated compromise. Sen
aator Hitchcock took the position that
every effort should be made to bring
about an immediate agreement, and
that ailing, then the democrats
would take up the gauntlet and make
the treaty the issue in the campaign:
DEATHS HEAD AT FEAST.
Unquestionably Mr.. Bryan's frank
utterances proved the deaths head at
the feast. He called attention to the
slight majority by which democratic
success was won in 1916; the
women's vote in the west undoubt-
edly saved the party in his opin-
ion; by the way this was the fact
tht had more to do with securing
san Francisco the convention this
year than anything else.
The three time candidate urged
that the party continue to be liberal
and progressive and face all new is
sues fearlessly, and thus prevent the
formation of a new peoples party
While he was received cordially
Nsnany thought his pessimism uncalled
for and were inclined to resent his
words of warning. Whether they will
have the effect of causing a breach
in the party or will lead to a better
understanding of issue remains to be
seen. II will be remembered that
Mr.. BRYAN was denounced in 1912
when he demanded the exclusion or
RYAN. Belmont and Murphy from
the democratic national convention
but his method of campaigning at
that time resulted in the nomina-
ton of Mr.. Wilson and the victory of
a progressive democracy.
Advance Man for Hoover.
II is notable that Mr.. Bryan says
he is not a candidate for nomination
for the presidency. Mr.. Gerard, who
has been announced as a candidate,
MS much as said last night that he
was an advance agent of Herbert c.
Hoover, for whom there is a strong
nrJercurrent of sentiment.
II will be noted that the president
saws not a word as to his own atti-
tude regarding a third term. If the
treaty is an issue, many will contend
that only one man is qualified to
carry the banner of the party.
The chief demonstration of enthu-
siasm among the banqueters for any
of those who spoke before them last
night was for Atty. Gen. Palmer.
IJnauestionably, Palmer's speech was
ia. above the ordinary. He is elo-
duent, handsome. magnetic, forceful,
statesmanlike, and has made a great
record. However. he comes from a
Estate which would add no electoral
votes in the college to a democratic
.ndidate.