Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-01-05
CHAPTER XXI (Continued)

Bryan. called his attention to Mr.:
Bryan's criticism of the bill and then
ventured the opinion that Mr.. Bry-
an, according to the traditional poll.
cy of the Democratic party, was
right in his attitude and that l felt
he (Mr. WILSON, was wrong. For a
moment the president showed a lit
tie Impotence with this statement,
and asked me to point out to him
where the party in the national plat.
forms had ever taken the view Mr..
Bryan indicated in his discussion
with me. I then showed. him the
book Mr.. Bryan had given me, con-
tanning the Democratic platforms,
and he read very carefully plank
after plank on the currency. He fl
nally closed the book, placed it on
his desk, and said to me: ST am con-
WINGED there is q great deal in what
Mr.. Bryan says" We then discuss
ed ways of adjusting the matter. I
finally suggested that the president
allow me to talk with Mr.. Glass and
place before him Mr.. Bryan's posi-
ton, and that he have Mr.. Glass
confer with Secretary McAdoo and
Senator Owen. This was arranged.
1 had no way of ascertaining just
what took place at this conference,
but after the cabinet meeting on the
following Tuesday, Mr.. Bryan walk
ed around to where the president
was sitting and said to him: "Mr.
President, we have settled our diff
ferences and you may rely upon me
to remain with you to the end of
the fight" The president thanked
him in the most kindly way, and
thus the first break in the cabinet
line was averted.
CHAPTER XXI.
,RENOMINATED
A the days Of the 1916 conven-
| ~ ton at st. louis approached,
It was a foregone conclusion
! that there would be no serious con-
tender against the president for the
nomination and that he would win
| the prize by practically unanimous
vote. While at times the friends Of
Mr.. Bryan and Mr.. Clark were hope.
| full that the president might with
draw from the contest, after the
| Democrats at the convention were
assured that the president was ready
to accept a denomination, the field
was made clear for the setting of
| the convention stage to accomplish
that end.
1t was thought that the st. Louis
convention would be a trite affair;
that there would be no enthusiasm
in it. This anticipation arose from
the idea expressed by many of the
| devoted friends Of the Democratic
party, that the cause Of the Democ-
racy in 1916 was little less than
hopeless. Much Of this feeling came
from the 1nordinately high estimates
which many placed upon Justice
| Hughes both as a candidate and as
a campaigner. Indeed, many Demo
Gratis who had canvassed the nation
al situation felt that without con.
tinuation of the split in the ranks Of
the Republican party, the road to
7 Democratic success was indeed
| hard and difficult one to travel.
There is no doubt that in the
opinion of the country Mr.. Justice
Hughes was the strongest man the
| Republicans could put forward. The
| fact that he was resigning from the
supreme court bench and that he
had a remarkably progressive record
as governor of New York, added
| glalnor and prestige to this nomina-
| ton. I, myself, never lost contld.
! ence, however, in our ability to win.
COllSIGSSI(lIlCit
| when the Democratic majority in
! the house was reduced to 35, had
| greatly .dispirited Democratic friends
| throughout the country and made
! them feel that the nomination at st.
| Louis would be purely formal mat
| ter and without fruitful results.
Looking to the West, 1916
In a letter addressed to Colonel
| 1914 had nYnrQSSp1 the
| oninion that the reduced Demo
| cratic majority in the congressional
elections of 1914, which was Being
| construed as an apparent defeat OF
| the party was not a final judgment
upon the work OF the president ana
the achievements of his admlnlstra
| tion. that it was not a reversal IT,
retrieyable in character; that 1t
should not depress the Democratic
workers throughout the country ana
| that the field of conquent Tor the
| Democratic party in 1916 was the
west and Pacific coast. A calm
| ANALYSIS of the election results III
| 1914 convinced me that II the presl-
| dental election Of 1916 was to be
won, our efforts for victory had 10
| be concentrated upon cultivation
| of sentiment throughout the west IN
favor Of the Democratic cause.
My letter to Colonel Harvey IS as
! follows:
The White House, Washington
Nov. Z, 1914.
Dear Colonel. Harvey:
Now that the clouds nave
cleared away, let me SEND you
just a line or two expressing an
opinion Of last Tuesdays cleo
ton.
It is my feeling that we are
making unmistakable gains IN
sections of the country where
Democratic hopes never ran
high before this time. Note the
results in the states OF Utah,
Michigan, Minnesota, Wlscon-
sin, South Dakota, North Da-
kota, Washington and Cantor
MIA. It now appears from the
returns, regardless Of what the
eastern papers may say thar
our majority in the house wllIN
be approximately from thirty
five to forty; that our majority
in the senate will be sixteen.
We have elected for the first
time in the history of the Dem
ocratic party, so far as L can
recall, Democratic senators IN
the great ItepuDlACo'l 9|cILS9 "
California, Wisconsin and South
Dakota. The gains we have
made in the west, along the Pa
cific coast are mighty interest
ing and show a new field OF
conquest for the Democratic
party in 1916. To elect congress,
retaining a majority of the par
ty in power, after a revision of
the tariff, is unprecedented.
Once before it happened. in
1897, after the passage Of the
Dingley tariff act, when the
Republican majority was reduc-
ed from At to 10 We are not,
T., 49, Joo,+ 81, tho