The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-31
Reserves the Right to Bolt.

Brooklyn Eagle.
 Evidently MT. Bryan regards himself as being at liberty to bolt in the event of certain convention contingencies II" has written a letter to this effect. He says that he does not believe that any one ought to be asked or expected 70 say that, no matter what the con- vcntlon does, he will support the tick ct For that reason,' he adds, T de- fer until the convention has acted, d decision on the course 1 will pursue. '' Assuming that he means what he says eN cry word of tt-there Is little lke- l!hood that the candidates to be nom mated at St. Louis will receive the support of the peerless leader. There are those who will interpret the letter as threat. There are those who will interpret 1t is an effort to coerce the convention. Four years ago MT. Bryan compelled the party to choose between reaftirmation and himself, which is to say, he threatened to withdraw his name. knowing, when he did so, that he was in position to dictate obedi- ence-that he not only had the power to command, but to enforce compliance He utilized 1t to the limit. His dicta- tioE went" Nothing is surer than that he would, if he could, duplicate dictation this year, but that is out of the question. He is not now a domi- hating quantity. Indeed, but for the candidacy of William k. Hearst, he would at St. Louis be mere phantom of his former self. However, though he cannot rule he can at least threaten ruin.
 Other things being equal, The Eagle would be among the tirst to vindicate and among the last to impeach the pre- rogative of which Mir. Bryan proposes to avail himself, but circumstances make difference. The editor and pro- pftetor of The Commoner has eXperi- ences to look back upon. Soon after he was first nominated for the Presi- dency, he had the modification of see ing many Democrats disown him. He says he will defer decision as to the course he will pursue until the conven- ton has acted. We'll that is precisely what these Democrats did. They de- ferred and-pursued a course. They aVailed themselves of the right MT. Bryan not only proclaims, but asserts his intention to exercise. In other words. they proceeded as emphatically and positively and effectively as pos Sible to repudiate the policy of repudi- atiOn adopted at Chicago. The free letter saying nobody ought to be asked or expected to say that no matter what a convention did. he would support the ticket. Far from 1t.
 There were vials filled with wrath in those days and later on. Bryan has never ceased villifying the men. the conviction in 1896 and 1900. He has stigmatized them as deserters and be- trayers. He has described them as making obeisance to the money chan of the opposition. His definition of Democracy has long been familiar It has become known as Organism. In other words, there is no Democracy Bryan does not think and say. All oth- CT brands are bogus. false and spuri- ous. He is party principle, embodied, iuCarnate and infallible, the logic of which is that should the St. Louis Con vention fail to reaffirm 1t will fail to be Democratic. The logic of it also is that Bryan will once more hire a hall and hold therein the only true and gen tune convention of the party. And the further logic of it is that he may, on his own account, exercise a right. for asserting which he consigned others to the category of political criminals.