The state herald., 1904-09-30
NOTHING TO TAKE BACK.
How Will Bryan Explain His Hos.
tiiity to Parker?


tiiity to Parkerr
William Jennings Bryan has been off,
clally engaged by the Democratic Ma
tional Committee to make speeches in
New York. Indiana and other places.
The former candidate for the presidency
has something OF reputation as an
agile political contortionist. but he will
have the time Of his life explaining his
record during the present campaign. Mr..
Bryan has been on Il good many sides Of
good many different questions. and yet
he lives to tell the tale. But just how
he proposes to advocate the election Of
Parker is a mystery.
Bryan was opposed to Parker before
the convention met at st. Louis. He was
opposed to Parker every day during the
sessions OF that inharmonious gathering.
When Parker sent his telegram supple
nenting the Democratic platform Mr..
Bryan rose from bed of sickness to de-
nounce the nominee as a traitor and a
dictator, and his dramatic appearance on
that Saturday night was one of the most
extraordinary episodes Of an extraordi-
nary convention. Bryan dashed Parker
and he dared the convention to send
telegram to the nominee demanding his
honest opinion on other well-known Dem
ocratic principles.
Later on Mr.. Bryan, in his own paper,
the Commoner, while the events in the
convention were fresh before him, openly
charged that Judge Parker was a party
to corrupt attempt to deceive the con-
vention and that his nomination had been
secured by improper means. 1t was then
that the former candidate for the presi-
dency put himself on record by saying in
the Commoncr OF July 10, less than
week after the nomination: II have moth
ing to take back"
1t seems n curious thing to find man
who has nothing to take back" appear
ing on the stump favoring the election of
Alton B. Parker for the presidency. If
Mr.. Bryan has nothing to take back"
he should in common honesty when he
appears on the stump in Indiana and
elsewhere, repeat to his audiences exactly
what he said in the Commoner of July
ID, which was printed exactly one week
after the Democratic convention was
called to order and only four days after
Judge Parker was nominated for the
presidency and had sent his telegram
repudiating the Democratic platform.
In this issue of the Commoner Mr..
Bryan said:
ut was plain and deliberate attempt
to deceive the party. The New York
platform was vague and purposcly so,
because the advocates of Judge Parker
were trying to secure votes from among
the people who would have opposed his
views had they known them. The nom
nation was secured. therefore, by crook
ed and indefensiblc methods"
As an exhibition OF political gymnas-
ties Bryan's campaign speech for Par
ker ought to be worth going miles to
hear. II, as he says, he has nothing
to take back" how will he explain mat
ters to the people? What did he mean
when he said in the Commoner: IT,
nomination OF Judge Parker virtually
nullifes the antitrust plank?" Was it
true on July - that Parker's nomination
had been secured ''by crooked means?
II It was true then is 1t not true now?
Mr.. Bryan In the Commoner said: II
shall not appeal for votes for the ticket
on false grounds" How can he appear
on the stump, therefore, and seriously
ask the workingmen Of the country to
vote for the Democratic nominee after
the Commoner had declared that ''rhe
labor plank as prepared by Judge Par
ker's friends on the subcommittee was
a straddling, meaningless plank?'
Was Mr.. Bryan lying when he said In
his paper, "a Democratic victory will
mean very little. II any, progress so long
as the party is under control OF the Wall
street clemcntT
II the party was under the control OF
the Wall street element when Mr.. Bryan
wrote that editorial. Is II not just as
much under the same control while he is
on the stump?
Perhaps Mr.. Bryan can explain away
these things. Perhaps he can answer
these questions.
Perhaps not.