The Savannah morning news., 1904-07-04
BRYAN SAYS HE WILL
NOT STAND FOR 1T.
If They Put Gold Plank in the
Platform.

IL They Put "a Gold Plank in the
Platform.
st. Louis, July 3.-William ]. Bryan
arrived at the jefferson Hotel to-day
and from that moment he was an ex-
ceedingly busy man, his callers being
so many that he found it difficult to
obtain time for meals
on the subject of platform Mr.. Bryan
said: IT have heard talk of gold
plank in the platform. OF course 1t
goes without saying that l am opposed
to such thing and will not STAND
for it," \
Does that mean that if gold plank
is inserted in the platform that you
will leave the convention
Mr.. Bryan laughed heartily as he
replied:
II do not think that l will be called
to answer that question in the conVeh-
ton, any more than l am compelleq
TO answer it now. Really, though, L
could not discuss such quesllon as
that" :.
Neither would Mr.. Bryan say II ne
would accept a financial plank compro-
missing between affirmation OF the
Kansas City and Chicago platforms
and a gold plank.
His Objections to Parker
Later in the day Mr.. Bryan gave out
the following formal statement:
After conferences with a number
of delegates from various sections
am satisfied that the opposition 10
Judge Parker is sufficient to make his
nomination highly improbable, If lot
happ con-
centration upon any anti-Parker can
didate. but two arguments are having
weight with the delegates. Among the
radical Democrats is the feeling that
the marty must not be surrendered INTO
the hands of Wall street. the lnfiu-
ences back of the Parker candidacy
are so intimately associated with the
trusts and great corpora tions that the
Democratic party could not appeal 10
the masses. The party cannot afford
to entrust it's future to the men VINO
were responsible for the partys de-
feat i'm 1896 and 1900. If Mr.. Parker
had a record of his own he might De
Judged upon that record. But as he
has refused to speak he must be judged
by the record of his political manager,
ex-senator Hill, and his financial
agent, August Belmont, and their rec
ords. A man who is weak enough to
put his candidacy in their hands be-
fore the convention would not be
strong enough to resist their influence
after the election. If he were by any
possibility successful.
THE second objection Is the one
that carries weight with the conserva-
tive delegates, viz: That he cannot
win. II Is becoming more and more
apparent that he would prove weak
candidate and this is robbing him OF
whatever strength he had among the
men whose first desire is to win. With
such a candidate the battle would be-
gin with foot race and end with a
rout. These two arguments seems
quite certain to prove his undoing.
The Illinois Contest.
THE first fight of the convention
seems likely to be over the Illinois
contest The Illinois state convention
probably has no parallel in convention
history II was run by brute force
and without any regard to Democracy
or decency. The contestants will pre-
sent the endorsement Of the majority
OF the delegates OF the convention who
having been deprived OF a voice in the
state convention, will appeal for jus
tice to the national organization. The
national committee cannot indorse the
Hopkins methods without overthrowing
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