Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-10-09
A Reply to Mr.. w T. Wrliams'

A Reply to Mr.. w T. Wrliams
We will endeavor to reply as fully as
our space will admit to Mr.. Williams
article i'm which he assails the National
Democratic party and attempts to prove
that il is the duty OF Democrats to sup
p,rt the 80 called Democratic ticket,
which can more properly be called the
coalition ticket OF Democrats and Popu-
lists.
II Mr.. Williams will carefully com
mare his own article with that written by
the HERALD, we think that he will dis
cover that he is more sensitive about
courtesies due to him than about those
due from him. Our article was certain
Iynot intended to be dlscOurteOus, nor
dove think that it can be considered
unusual. He certainly follows in the
same track and not only asks questions
but undertakes to dictate the character
of our replies.
He saws Il am not now, aud never
have been candidate for office, &C.
We don't think that has anything to do
with the subject under discussion, nor
do we believe that after due deliberatiOn
he would make the same remark.
He thinks if true De mocracy Is a
government of the people for the people
and by the people," Mr., Bryan should
be classified among the fathers of Demo-
eracy. This is Mr.. Williams opinion;
many of the ablest and most noted lead
ers Of the Democratic party entertain
di ferent opinion.
He admits that Mr.. Bryan did vote
against Mr.. Cleveland when he was the
regular Democratic candidate for Presl-
dentand gives lis Mr.. Faulkner's effortto
Justify the act. Ii .hr. Bryan voted
against his own political convictions
and thus endorsed the doctrines OF the
Populists, in order that his own party
might gain an advantage. as Is claimed,
his conduct, in our opiniOn,is worse than
if he had voted the Populist ticket be-
cause he endorsed their platform. We
do not, however regard it great strain
upon Mr.. Bryan's political convictions to
vote the populist ticket.
Mr.. Williams says ''Br. Bryan did
not agree 70 canvass the State OF Virginia
against the regularly nominated Demo
cratic candidate" He makes this de-
NAL upon the statement OF Hon. w. A.
Jones. When Col O'Ferrall asked Mr.
Tryau. is it true that ouintend to 90
to Virginia, and stump the state against
me-the regular Democratic nominee?'
Mr.. Bryan'> reply was"I don't like the
way the Democrats are going on down
there and | don't know where l will land.
a gentleman who stands high in Nir-
ginia and is now a candidate for Con-
gress states that Hon. W. A. Jones said
TO him that he Jones' had gone to Mr.
Bryan aud said to him, "What is this ]
hear about your going to Virginia
to speak in the interests of the POpulist
nominee: "Well, you know Jones" re-
piled Mr.. Bryan ''that was elected to
Congress by Populi.t votes. The Viz
ginia Populsts have written to me
several times to come down and help
them and feel that ought to 60. But
/ have about come to the conclusion not
to speak down there"
When Mr.. Bryan was APP reached by
correspondent Of the Baltimore Sun who
endeavored to get positive affirmation
or denial, Mr.. Bryan declined to discuss
the matter and would make no state
ment beyond saying that he always de-
clared that he would never support a
gold man. With this evidence we will
let the public Judge, who is correct.
After Mr.. Bryan's plain statement
that he would never support a gol man.
Mr.. Williams has hard task to con-
vince gold men that it is their duty to
support this man who went into the
convention with the bold declaration
that he would bolt if gold man were
nominated. Can any Democrat who
has proper appreciation OF his political
rights, sacrifice his own convictions and
vote for this man who boasts that he
would not do that very thing:
You say that Mr.. Bryan did not go TO
the Chicago convention as a member OF
q silver club. The gentleman, from
whom wehaye our information, was told,
by Nebraska delegate to Indianapolis,
that Mr.. Bryan was not delegate to
Chicago, but went down there as
member of a silver club; that this crowd
contested the seats of the regular dele
CATION and were seated; that it was sort
of joke in Nebraska to speak of Bryan as
a Democrat" We will also give some
statements from Dir. John j. Rooney,
of New York, as published in the Sun,
and which are are follows:
"What are the facts? Is it true that a
"regular'' party man finds no cause for
complaint in the manner OF Mr.. Bryan
nomination. Let us look at the truth. 10
begin. Mr.. Bryan came to the cOnven-
ton at the head of protesting delega-
ton from Nebraska. His own state had
not commissioned him and his free-sflyer
followers to represent her in the grea,
council OF the democratic party. His
state convention regularly convened,b bad /
rejected his cheap-money policy, and i
had elected gold delegation. What J.
did the silver men in the convention do: /
Thev threw out the regular delegation
and seated Mr.. Bryan and his band OF
interlopers; ia other words, stole the
sovereign party rights of the democrats
OF Nebraska.