The St. Louis Republic., 1904-07-04
BRYAN DECLARES
PARKER IMPROBABLE
Thinks That the Opposition Is
Sufficient to Prevent His
Nomination.
CRITICISES JUDGES SUPPORT.
Influences Back of Candidacy, He
Says, Could Not Appeal to
Masses = Party Leaders
Meet Nebraskan.

| William J. Bryan, accompanied by his
| son and namesake, arrived at 10 o'clock
| yesterday forenoon from Malvern. Ia,
| where he delivered lecture at the Chau-
| tauqua-
! Mr.. Bryan took breakfast at The Termi-
| nal dining-room in comparative peace,
having selected seat at secluded table.
At IL O'Clock he entered the lobby of the
Hotel Jefferson with the hearty smile and
| ready handclasp that have Travelled thou
sands of miles and are familiar to millions
of persons.
Mr.. Bryan was assigned TO room No.
2l5 on the second floor, where during the
day, he met many leaders. delegates and
personal friends. Frequently his quarters
proved insufficient TO accommodate the
crowd and the people met him in the hall
Among his callers We're Senator w ].
Stone of Missouri, former Governor John
Lind OF Minnesota, National Committee
man Urv WoodsOn and General Haley OF
Kentucky. former Governor Pattison of
PENNSYLVANIA, General Weaver and cato
Sells Of Iowa. Judge o. p. Thompson and
many other Illinois leaders. The Oregon
and Delaware delegations called in body.
Last night Mr.. Bryan gave out the fol-
lowing statement:
delegates from various sections l am sat
isfied that the opposition TO Judge Parker
is sufficient to make his nomination highly
improbable II not impossible.
There has been no concentrate ton upon
any antt-Parker candidate, but two argu-
ments are having weight with the dele
gates. Among the radical Democrats the
feeling Is that the party must not be sur
rendered into the hands of Wall street
The influences back of the Parker candi-
dacy are so intimately associated with the
trusts and great corporations that the
Democratic party could not appeal 10 the
masses.
The party cannot afford to intrust its
future to the men who were responsible
for the partys defeat in 1895 and 1900 If
Mr.. Parker had a record of his own he
might be judged upon that record. But.
rs he has refused to speak. he must be
judged by the record OF his political man
aser. former Senator Hill. and his finan-
ciai agent, August Belmont and their
records. a man who is weak enough to
put his candidacy In their hands before
the convention would not be strong
enough TO resist their influence after cleo
ton, IL he were by any possibility success
full
The second objection is the one which
carries weight with the conservative dele
gates, namely. that he cannot win. 1t 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 begin with a foot race and end with
a rout. These two arguments seem quite
certain to prove his undoing.
''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. 1t was run
by brute force and without any regard to
Democracy or decency. The contestants
will present the Endorsement of a ma
jority 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 Ma
tional Committee cannot indorse the Hop
kns methods without overthrowing the
most fundamental of Democratic doc
trines. namely, the right of the majority
- l.