Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-13
STATEMENT By BRYAN
m CONTROVERSY OVER ILLINOIS
CoMMrTrEEMAN.

PARIS. August 1s-william ]. Bryan to-
day gave out statement concerning the
controversy respecting the Illinois demo-
versy has grown out of Mr.. Bryan's letter
demanding the resignation Of National
Committeeman Roger Sullivan, to which de-
mand Mr.. Sullivan returned a prompt re-
fusal and stated that Mr.. Bryan had been
misinformed respecting the situation by M.
F. Dunlap.
Mr. Bryan's rejoiner says that no one but
himself is responsible for the information
contained in his letter. and that he had In
tended to ask Mr.. Sullivan to resign before
he should see Mr.. Dunlap. Mr.. Bryan add
ed:
II entered into this contest because be-
lieved that Roger Sullivan and John Hop
kins had deliberately robbed the democrats
still believe so. To secure political power
by force or fraud ought to be as disgraceful
in the eyes Of the public as to secure money
by force or fraud. | cannot conceive Of any
make for remaining on the national COM
mittee.
IF the body is unable to rid itself of the
leadership of men like Sullivan, who seek
to control the party organisation In order
to advance their corporate interests, 1t
might well dissolve. While was anxious
to give Sullivan chance to retire without
fight 1t is probably just as well that he re-
fused, for II we must fight to purify the
party organization the sooner 1t begins the
BETTER -
The statement adds an expression of con-
fidence and approval of the work Of the ma
jority rule league and OF Messrs. Dunlap,
Rainey, Thompson and Nelson.
The letter from Mr.. Bryan to Ben M.
Caldwell, democratic nominee for Congress
in the twenty-first district. is as follows:
NORTH BRITISH station HOTEL;
my Dear Mr.. CALDWELL: Mr.. Dunlap has
brought me your message and / hasten
to say that shall be glad to come into
your district If engagements will permit.
and I shall try to arrange them so that they
will permit. In promising this assume, Of
course. that the rank and file will regain
control Of the organization. as I have not
felt that I could consistently speak there
under the auspices of a state organization
that foisted itself upon the party through
force and fraud. am confident, however.
that your coming state convention will, in
spite Of the harmony cry, purify the organi-
cation and make the party deserving Of
public confidence.
with best wishes.
WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN"
The controversy between Mr.. Bryan and
Mr.. Sullivan grows out of a contest for
seats in the national democratic convention
at St. Louis in 1904, when against the pro-
test or MI Bryan the Illinois delegation,
led by Messrs. Hopkins and Sullivan, was
seated.
Says There is No Truth in Utterances.
CHICAGO. August 13-National Com
mitteeman Sullivan, when interviewed in
regard to Mr. Bryan's latest utterances, de-
clared today there was no truth in them
'Mr. Bryan got all of his information from
Mr.. Dunlap, and Is doing what Mr.. Dunlap
wants him to do. All the information he
has about the Illinois situation he has re-
ceived from Dunlap and Thompson. He is
fighting their battles-battles that they can
not fight for themselves. His statement Is
not true as to the control of the state con-
vention two years ago, as to the national
committee or as to the committee on cre-
dentals. Mr.. Bryan is not bigger than the
democratic party
Mr.. Sullivan referred to a letter which he
said Mr.. Bryan had written to Representa-
tive Caldwell Of the Springfield district, in
which letter he said Mr.. Bryan admitted
that he had received all Of his information
from Dunlap. That letter. said Mr.. Suili-
van, was proof of his assertions.
Owing to the absence of Mr.. Hopkins in
Europe no statement could be secured from
him.