Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1906-09-15
LET PARTY JUDGE,
BRYAN'S ANSWER
Nebraskan Answers Sullivan's
Statement.
WILL NOT LOVER DISCUSSION

Only Can Decide Upon His Fitness
To Run For President-lIIinois Must
Take Measure of Sullivan.
Lincoln, Neb., Sept. 1.-THE reply
OF William Jennings Bryan to the
statement Of Roger Sullivan, of Chi
cago, was given out Thursday night.
Mr.. Bryan had said that he would not
lower the discussion with Mr. Sulli-
van to one of personal controversy.
The text of his reply follows:
in his speech before the Jefferson
club in Chicago, on the evening of
September 4, Mr.. Bryan referred to
the case Of Mr.. Roger Sullican, demo-
cratic national committeeman from H.
linois. Mr.. Sullivan has rplied in a
statement quite characteristic of the
man and his methods, but he will not
be permitted to lower this discussion
to the level of personal controversy.
The public is not interested in Mr.
Sullivan's views of Mr.. Bryan any
more than it would be interested in
Mr.. Bryan's views concerning Mr.. Sui
livan were Mr. Bryan to deal with Mr..
Sullivan's personality. Mr.. Sullivan
Is the democratic national committee
man from Illinois, holding his office
by virtue of unfair methods. This
matter was presented to the st. Louis
convention and the evidence would
have convinced the convention had
not the delegates feared the effect
of an adverse decision upon the pres
idential candidate whom they were
pledged to support
"If Mr.. Sullican disputes the asser-
ton that a considerable majority of
the delegates to the Springfield con-
vention were opposed to him, he can
fight the question out with the ma
Jority league of Illinois which will
doubtless accommodate him.
"As Mr. Bryan has not asked for
a nomination and has not announced
that he will be a candidate, he will
not submit the question whether he
should be candidate to Mr.. Sulli-
van or to any body of persons less
numerous than the members of the
democratic party Of the United States.
Neither can the Question as to wheth-
er Mr.. Sullivan should be reelected
to the national committee be submit
ted to the members of a convention
already adjourned. Such a decision
would have no binding force. The
question must be submitted to the
democrats of Illinois when they meet
to select delegates to the next nation
al convention, and Mr. Sullivan will not
be permitted to dodge the issue that
Is raised against him. He is Off
cially connected with q favor-seeking,
franchise|holding corporation, and the
question is whether the democratic
organization should be paraIyzed by
the influence Of men whose private in
terests made 1t impossible for them
to be guardians Of the public
"In speaking of the Sullivan case
at Chicago, Mr.. Bryan said: 4 hold
that no man who is officially connect
ed with a corporation that is seeking
privileges ought to act as a member of
a political organization, because he
cannot represent his corporation and
the people at the same time. He
cannot serve the public while he is
seeking to promote the financial inter
ests Of the corporation with which he
is connected.
"'This is the issue. Before the
trust question became the dominant
one, 1t was not so important what a
mans corporate connections were. but
when this question is the supreme
question Of the hour, the party organ
tzation must be above suspicion, and
the democrats of Illinois and all other
states are invited to inspect the con
nections of those who aspire to the
position of party managers. The
people cannot be fooled, and the party
that attempts to fool them is sure to
learn of its mistake when the votes
are counted
Mr.. Bryan will urge the democratic
party to put itself in a position where
1t can fight boldly and persistently for
the regulation of such corporations
as are not monopolistic and for the
prevention of any private monopoly
whatever. To this end the organiza-
ton must be composed of men who
are free to act for the public and not
tied by personal interests to Corpora
tions which are seeking favors at the
public's expense"