The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-14
BRYAN REPLIES
:.S>lO Mr.. SULLIVAN
Says Committeeman Secured
Place BY Unfair Methods
REVIEWS CONVENTIONS ACT
Calls Upon Democratic Party to In
vestigate Record of All Party Lead
ers-says People Will
Not Be Fooled.
REVIEWS CONVENTIONS ACT

Lincoln Neb.. September 13.-The reply
Roger Sullivan of Chicago was given out
tonight. Mr.. Bryan said that he would
not lower the discussion with Mr.. sulli-
van to one of personal controversy. fhe
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 Sullivan, democratic national COM
mitteeman from Illinois. Mr.. Sullivan has
replied In a statement quite character
istic of the man and his methods, but
he will not be permitted to lower this dis
cussion to the level of personal contro-
versy. The public is not interested In Mr..
Sullivan's views of Mr. Bryan any more
than 1t would be interested in Mr.. Bryan $
views concerning Mr.. Sullivan, were Mr..
Bryan to deal with Mr.. sullivan's person-
alty.
Mr.. Sullivan is the democratic national
committee from Illinois, holding his Of
flee 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 presidential candidate
whom they were pledged to support. If
Mr.. Sullivan disputes the assertion that
considerable majority of the delegates
to the Springfield convention were OPP
posed to him he can fight the question
out with the majority league of Illinois,
which will doubtless accommodate him.
Has Not Asked Nomination.
"As Mr.. Bryan has not asked for a
nomination, and has not announced that
he will be a candidate he will not sub
init the question whether he should be
candidate to Mr.. Sullivan or to any
] body, of narsonst less sf4f1r erous taan tlfe
members OF the democratic party of the
United States. Neither can the ques-
tion as to whether Mr.. Sullivan should be
reelected to the national committee be
submitted to the members of a conven-
tion 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 national conven-
| tion, and Sullivan will not be permitted to
dodge the issue that is raised against
him. He is officially connected with a
favor-seeking, franchise-holdlng corpora
tion, and the question is whether the dem
ocratic organization should be paralized
by the influence of men whose private In
terests make 1t impossible for them to be
guardians of the public.
! In speaking of the Sullivan case at
Chicago Mr.. Bryan said:
" L hold that no man who is officially
| connected with a corporation that is seek
| ing privileges ought to act as a member
of a political organization, because be
cannot represent his corporations and this
| people at the same time He cannot serve
the public while he is seeking to promote
the financial interests of the corporation
with which he Is connected.
{" This is the issue. Before the trust
question became the dominant one ii was
not so important what a mans corporate
connections were, but when this question
is the supreme question of the hour, the
party organization must be above sus-
picion, and the democrats of Illinois and
all other states are invited to inspect the
connections of those who aspire to the
position of party managers. The people
cannot be fooled and the party that at
tempts 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 II
can fight boldly and persistently for the
regulation of such corporations are not
monopolistic and for the prevention of any
private monopoly whatever. To this end
the organization must be composed OF
men who are free to act for the public
and not tied by personal interests to cor
the publics expense"