The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-19
Mr.. GUFFEY IS FOR BRYAN
The Pennsylvania National Com
mitteeman Still Loyal.
LETTER TO CLINT CLARK
The Statement That He Had Abandoned
Bryan and Free Coinage Lie Made
Out of Whole Cloth by His
Political Enemies.

| ~ anu tiielr newspapers, IN the East
| especially, are resorting to all kinds of
| arguments and false representations to
make it appear that his political friends
are turning against him, and that he will
not be factor in the next presidential
campaign. One of the most striking in
stances of that character is the report re-
Gently sent out from Harrisburg, Pa,
that ]. M. Guffey of Pittsburg, democrat
! &c national committeeman for that state,
had announced his abandonment of "Bry-
an and free silver. The matter was pub
| lished in the Harrisburg Patriot, an anti
| Bryan and anti-silver democratic paper
! marked copy of it was received by
Judge ]. ]. Mediation, national commit
tecman for Montana, and the inference is
| that copies were sent to every democratic
| committeeman in the country. When
| Harrity of Pennsylvania was fired from
| the national committee Mr.. Guffey was
| elected in his place chiefly by the vote and
| influence of Judge Mediation because of
| Gutfey's well-known friendship for silver
| and Bryan, and for which Clint C. Clark
| clerk of the district court and a warm
| personal friend of both Guffey and Nc
! Hatton, vouched.
me receipt of the Harrisburg paper was
| surprise both to Judge Mediation and
Mr., Clark, and the latter wrote a letter
! TO Mr.. Guffey inquiring as to the truth Of
the newspaper article reply was re-
! celved from Mr.. Guffey yesterday deny
| ING the story in most vigorous language,
| ana declaring, in just as emphatic terms
that not only was he still for Bryan and
| silver, but that "the state of PENNSYLVANIA
| ana her delegation to the national conyen-
| tlor OF 1900 will be for William j. BRYAN
Tor president on whatever platform that
convention decides he shall stand"
The article in the Harrisburg paper
reads as follows:
"Philadelphia Nav 3l.-Somethinp of =,
political sensation was created here this
morning by the publication of an editorial
IN the North American headed .Guffey
Ahandons Bryan in which a recent dec
laration of Guffey in favor of new issue
Ter 1900 is quoted. The comments and
Guffey's declaration show that National
Committeeman Guffey now stands opposed
to Bryan's candidacy and Mr. Guffey is
congratulated by this republican news
paper for thus bringing forward the dem
ocratic party of his state
Inc comments of the North American
are regarded with particular interest be-
cause Mr.. Guffey had the closest relations
with the Independent managers during the
late senatorial contest. The North Amer
lean Is the mouthpiece of these managers
and 1t may be considered as speaking by
authority. The editorial is as follows:
Guffey Abandons Bryan
- 1T Is quite apparent that the drift of
democratic sentiment in this state is not
only in opposition to the reaffirmation
IN lSoo OF the Chicago platform, but also
contrary to the denomination of Mr..
Bryan. Probably the best exhibition of
FEELING in this direction is that indicated
by the declaration Of National Commit
tteeman Guffey, who sent out from Pitts
burg on Saturday last a signed statement
reading as follows:
The democratic national convention
will not convene for more than year,
and that is a long period in American pol
itics. This time may produce entirely
different conditions, but it appears to me
that opposition to trusts that are in re-
straint of trade and that destroy individ-
ual effort and opportunity would be the
leading issue if the democratic platform
of 1900 was to be adopted to-day.
This does not need to be read between
the lines for proof that Mr. Guffey, who
heretofore has used the name of BRYAN
to conJure with in order to gain personal
success and advantage in his party has
found it no longer profitable, or, at best.
has concluded it unsafe to longer play
with the populistic fire. Indeed his re-
fusal to mention Mr.. Bryan at all, when
heretofore he has so proudly and fire.
quently handled the Nebraska orators
name, plainly indicates an abandonment
of his candidacy. -
Mr.. Bryan has unhesitatingly declared
that the money question shall be the dom
lnant one in the coming presidential con-
test, and especially in the next national
democratic declaration of principles. Mr..
Guffey shuffies Mr.. Bryan aside by the
evasive reply, in substance. that it is too
early to have any principles, or at least to
give expression to them if entertained,
and he plainly leaves it to be understood
tEat 1T appears to him the financial uues-
ton will be set aside next year by his ad-
mission that it is not now of vital signif-
canoe, nor indeed of any significance
whatever
"of course, Mr.. Guffey himself. holding
confidential relations with the Standard
Oil company, one of the most vicious
of trusts and one of the most exacting of
employers, and serving as one of it's most
active secret agents in this state, does not
mean that he would welcome such an is
sue in all seriousness He simply believes
1t would be. we may we'll understand, a
capital play for his party to adopt an anti
trust issue as an easy thing to try to get
in on and at the same time to successful
ly force to the rear the now unpopular
and discredited issue of 16 to l.
The democratic party of the state is
to be congratulated that its official repre-
sentative in national politics. Mr. Guffey,
is going so far in reputation of Organism
whatever may be the selfish motives ac-
tuating him-and we may safely believe
the rumors that he intends by suppressing
any allusion to the Chicago platform in
the coming state convention to make
easier his plan to carry a delegation to the
next national convention distinctly OPP
posed to Mr.. Bryan and all that his nomi-
nation would imply. This is great step
forward for the democratic party of this
state, and the bold stride of Mr. Guffey
must have leavening effect throughout
the East
A marked editorial in the same paper
reads as follows:
"A striking editorial article of particular
political interest at this time appeared in
the Philadelphia North American yester-
day morning and is reprinted on the first
page OF the Patriot to-day