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Bryan Speaks. So the Convention went on, monotonously, for day after day. The only important interruption occurred one day when William J. Bryan decided to make a speech. On the 58th ballot, when Florida was reached, Mr. Bryan rose with a majestic gesture. The following is an excerpt from the official report:
"Mr. William Jennings Bryan: I ask unanimous consent to explain my vote.
"The Chairman: The gentleman from Florida, Mr. Bryan, asks unanimous consent that he be permitted to explain his vote. Is there .objection? [Cries: 'Objection.' 'I object, I object!' 'No, no, no!'] The Chair hears none. Mr. Bryan will come to the platform. [Cheers and applause, mingled with hisses and booes.]"
Said Mr. Bryan: "We have met here as representatives of the Party in the entire Nation, and no one who is accustomed to National Conventions will fail to appreciate the wisdom of bringing together representatives of the Party in all the states and territories. . .
"In the first place I want to say to you that the Democratic Party has candidates in abundance. We could call the roll of states and find in every state a Democrat worthy to be President of the United States [Applause]. I am only going to mention a few. . ."
He mentioned seven: Dr. A. A. Murphree, President of the University of Florida; Josephus Daniels; Senator Joseph T. Robinson; Senator Samuel Ralston; ex-Secretary of Agriculture Edwin T. Meredith; his own brother, Charles W. Bryan, Governor of Nebraska; William G. McAdoo. His speech lacked the old-time wonder-working power. The crowd was largely hostile; several times delegates interrupted. After every two or three sentences there was applause or hisses, cheers or heckling —mostly the latter. Shortly after his time expired, Mr. Bryan gave up. As a political speech, his effort was inglorious.
Deadlocked. McAdoo refused to withdraw. Smith refused to withdraw and leave the field to McAdoo. Both gained somewhat. Nobody gained a decision. Like the siege of Troy, the battle wavered back and forth. For McAdoo, for Smith and for John W. Davis (who was most of the time in third place), the following table shows the vote on the initial ballot and on the closing ballot of each following day: Ballot McAdoo Smith Davis
1st 431.5 241 31
15th 479 305.5 61
30th 415.5 323.5 126.5
42nd 503.4 318.6 67
61st 469.5 335.5 60
70th 528.5 334.5 67
77th 513 367 76.5
87th 333.5 361.5 66.5
The only real advance made was in casualties among a few favorite sons: Ferris of Michigan dropped out on the 8th ballot; Silzer of New Jersey, on the 9th; Harrison of Mississippi, on the 15th; Brown of New Hampshire, on the 16th; Charles W. Bryan of Nebraska, on the 20th, al- though he got a handful of votes from the 52nd on; Davis of Kansas dwindled out on the 51st; Cox of Ohio practically disappeared on the 65th; Ralston, after making a brave run in the 50's, dropped out for a time. Seventeen states never altered their vote during the entire first six days of balloting: California, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, all stuck solidly, persistently to McAdoo; Alabama did the same for Underwood; Arkansas, for Robinson; Maryland, for Ritchie; Virginia, for Glass; Delaware, for Saulsbury.
Panaceas. It was apparent that something had to be done. On the 73rd ballot, a crop of mushroom panaceas came up. It was proposed:
1)That by unanimous consent the Convention drop the name of the lowest candidate on each succeeding ballot until only two were left; objection was made and ruled this out.
2)That by two-thirds vote the Convention adopt a resolution that, beginning with the 75th ballot, the lowest candidate on each ballot should withdraw his name until only five were left; defeated, 496 "Ayes" to 589½ "Noes."
3) That after the 75th ballot, the Convention adjourn to meet on July 21 in Kansas City; defeated, 82.7 "Ayes" to 1,007.3 "Noes."
4) That by two-thirds vote the Convention adopt a resolution to eliminate the lowest candidate at each ballot until two were left, ballot on these for five ballots, then, abolishing the unit rule, choose a candidate by a majority vote; defeated overwhelmingly by acclamation.
Balloting then went on dispiritedly. Governor Smith gained some votes from Ohio (which had first backed Cox, then Baker) that brought him to 364—more than a third. In this state of affairs, even if all the favorite sons were eliminated, there must still have been a deadlock between Smith and McAdoo on account of the two-thirds requirement.
The 75th, 76th, 77th ballots were passed with almost no change. The Convention was in a coma. The only diversion was when the entire house joined with Governor Brandon in announcing Alabama's unalterable vote: "Twenty-foah, foah Un-da-wood!"
Taggart's Motion. When the 77th was finished, Chairman Walsh recognized Tom Taggart, ex-Senator boss of Indiana. He moved that after the end of that day's balloting, Mr. Walsh and Cordell Hull, Chairman of the National Committee, summon representatives of all the candidates together to work out a solution. Without a dissenting vote, the motion was carried. Immediately Senator King of Utah moved adjournment. That, too, was carried.
Even the bosses could do nothing to solve the tangle, for the time being at least. Every candidate except McAdoo agreed to free his delegates of all pledges and instructions. McAdoo was unwilling. He counterproposed that the unit rule should be suspended and nomination made by majority. To this the others refused to agree. When the Convention reopened the two proposals were read, but no attempt was made to act on them. Once more the balloting commenced, once more the deadlock.