The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-05-29
with MY WHOLE
HEART FOR BRYAN"
So Declares Richard Croker
in an Interview.
QRVhN'C EHTI0M CIIpE
BRYAN'S ELECTION SURE
Croker Says He is Far and Away the
Ablest Man in American Politics"
PREDICTS BRYAN WILL CARRY OHIO
Bryan Has Grown Until Now He is in Posi-
lion That no Living Nan in America
May Hope to Attain in This
Campaign.


remarkable interview with Richard
Croker head OF Tammany. We quote a
portion CT it.
What about your Presidential cleo
tion?" / asked Mr.. Croker. lie paused
for a moment and then said, speaking
with the deliberation and gravity OF a
man who weighs his words
BRYAN ELECTED, SURE AS FATE.
wv. j. Bryan will be elected rs sure
as fate and very good thing, too. Why,
w. J. Bryan will defeat Mr.. Mckinley in
his own State of Ohio.
THE Republican candidate was elected
in Ohio the last Fall ele ion. althous h
his two opponents had q plurality Of
$4,000 votes over the number that car
ricd the Republican ticket. Since then
things have gone steadily worse for Me-
Kinley in Ohio
1T is a State in which the German
vote is very strong, and German Reputii-
cans naturally sympathize very intaIs Ely
with the Dutch Republicans of South
Africa, who are in arms against Mr.. Me-
Kinley's imperialistic friends.
THAT is not the only thing IN which
Mr.. McKinley's position has changed 1'r
the worse in Ohio There are strikes,
and no end of other local complications,
which seem to me to make 1t moral
certainty that w. j. Bryan will sweep
Ohio at the next election, and when hc
does. then good-by to Mr.. Mckinley. II
he carries Ohio he can carry anything
Then you are a convin I'd Bryanite,
Mr.. Croker" l said.
II am for w. j. Bryan" said Mr..
Croker. THE newspapers have been put
ting about the story that / was against
him. 1t is not true;9 it is the very con
trary of true.
FOR BRYAN WITH MY WHOLE
HEART"
81 am for w. j. Bryan with my whole
heart. He is far and away the abesa
man that we have got in American poll
tics this day. He is a wonderful man.
There is no man to compare with him
anywhere, or to put alongside of him.
He is fine character, man of high
principle and of tremendous energy.
Mark my words, when w. j. Bryan is
elected he will work eighteen hours Il
day in order to carry out in spirit aud
in letter every plank in the Democratic
platform. Hitherto other men have re-
garded the platform drawn up at their
convention as a ladder on which they
mount to power, and which they kick
down as soon as they get to the top. Mr..
Bryan is not q man of that sort. He
does not want to be elected for purposes
of vainglory and love of position. He
thinks, and | agree with him, that if he
is elected he will do his country good
He will be able to serve the people, and
he will be a governing President, not a
mere figure whose movements are gov
crned by wirepullers. He is man of
conviction.
Il tell you there is no man l have
known in my time for whom I have a
greater regard and esteem than for w.
j. Bryan. Do you know him?''
no" | said Il have never had that
pleasure, but l am glad to hear what
you say because in England we were
rather disconnected at the suddenness
with which a young man, totally un-
known was sprung upon the nation at
the Chicago Convention"
mo, there was no reason for alarm ;"
said Mr.. Croker He is a good man.
He was young man of thrty-siX, and at
that convention his sterling merits made
themselves felt by the people whom he
addressed.
Since then he has grown, and he has
improved every year, until now he is in
a position that no other living man has
got in America. His nomination for the
Democratic ticket is as certain as sun
rise"
What about Admiral Dewey?" l ask
ed
"Oh," said Mr.. Croker, she is a good
man, and has done good work in the navy,
but he is not in the running for the
Presidency.
DEWEY NIGHT DO FOR SECOND
PLACE
''And for the Vice Presidency" | ask
ed.
Eyes, he might do very we'll as second
man on the ticket. but. of course that
is a matter upon which my opinion is
worth nothing. A Vice President has
nothing to do except preside over the
Senate. and Dewey might, yes, he might
do. But that will be decided by other
considerations. The election will be
fought and won, not by the second name,
but by the first name on the ticket. And
that first name, mark well my words,
there is no doubt at all about it, will
be w J. Bryan.
Then l said: What about silver, Mr..
Croker?"
w. j. Bryan is right said Mr.. Croker,
lin taking his stand upon silver.
Il have never been silver man, but [
never can see why they make SO much
fuss about it. Many of the ablest men
in the country are on his side and
never can quite make out what it is that
his critics blame him about. Is ii the eX-
act ratio that is in dispute, or do they
object to silver altogether as a medium
of metallic currency; in other words, is
it the sixteen to one that they kick at
or is it silver at any ratio?
HE SAYS BRYAN is RIGHT ON SILVER.
Anyhow, Mr. Bryan is right in sticking
to his guns.
MY party interests. so far as New
York city is concerned, would counsel me
to advise that he should weaken on the