La Junta tribune., 1904-10-01
NOTHING TO TAKE BACK.
1ov Wll nvyas Explais als Hes.
tl1iey e parkerr

y
Hev WiiS nsyea Explai. HE Hss-
tliisy ss Parksrf
wiiiian Jennings Bryan has been ON
eiaIly engaged BY the Democratic Ma
tional Committee TO make speeches in
New York, Indiana and other places
The former candidate for the prsaideney
has something Of q reputation ~ an
agile political conxortionist. but b will
hare the time Of his hfe explaining his
record during the present campaign Mr..
Bryan has been on q good many ides Of
good many different questions. and yet
~ lives 70 tell the tale But 3use bow
be proposes TO advocate the election ef
Parker II . mystery.
Bryan was opposed to Parker before
the convention met at ST. Louis. He. was
opposed to Parker every day during the
sesaions Of that inharmonious gathering.
When Parker sent his telegram supple
menting che Democratic platform Mr..
Bryan rose from = bed OF sickness to de-
nOunee the nominee a. 4 traitor and
dictator. and his dramatic appearance on
that Saturday night was one Of the most
extraordinary spisodes Of an extraordi-
nary convention. Bryan lashed Parker
and be dared the conventio0 TO send
tslegfam to the nominee demanding his
ocratic principles.
Later on Mr.. Bryan, In his own paDsf.
the Commonsr. while the events IN the
convention were fresh before him. openly
charged that Judge Parker was q party
to q corrupt attempt 20 deceive the con
vention and that his nominal tion had been
secured BY improper means IL vas then
that the former candidate for the preai-
dency put himself on record BY saying In
the Commoner OF July il. less than
week after the nomination: II have moth
ing to take back"
II seems 4 curious thing to nnd q man
who has nothing to take back" appear
ing on the stump favoring the election Of
Alton B. Parker for the presidency. II
Mr.. Bryan has nothing to take back,
he should In common honesty when he
appears on the stump In Indiana and
else where, repeat to his audiences exactly
what he said In the Commoner of Jnly
Is. 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 Commonee Mr..
Bryan said:
''It was q plain and deliberate attempt
to deceive the party. The New York
platform was vague and purposely %.
because the advocates of Judge Parker
were trying TO secure votes from among
the people who would have opposed his
views bad they known them. The NOM
ination was secured. therefore, By crook
cd and indefensibie methods"
Al an exhibition OF political gymnas-
tics Bryan's campaign speech for Par
kef ought to be worth going miles to
hear. II. as he says, he has ''nothing
to take back" how will he explain mat
tiers to the peoplef What did be mean
when be said in the Commoner: Tee
nomination Of Judge Parker virtually
nulliies the antitrust plank?" Was r
true ON July 13 that Parker's nomination
had been secured by crooked means"7
IL Il was true then IL II not true now7
Mr.. Bryan In the Commoner said: Il
shall not appeal for votes for the ticket
on false grouuds-" How can he appear
ON the stump. therefore. and ssriousIy
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
. straddling. meaningless plankr'
Was Mr.. Bryan lying when he said In
his paper. "A Democratic victory will
mean very little. IL any. progress 70 long
a. the party Ii under control Of the Wall
street elemeutT'
II the party was under the control of
the Wall street element when 3fr. Bryan
wrote chat editorial. II Il not just a.
much under the same control while ~ 10
on the stump?
Perhaps Mr.. Bryan can explain away
these things. Perhaps he can answer
these questions.