Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1906-09-13
WHEN HE COMES TO VIRGINIA.

Mr.. Bryan has made two notable
speeches since he returned to the United
States from his tour of foreign coun-
tries. The first speech was made at
Madison Square Garden, New York, and
the other before the Jefferson Club at
Chicago, on the night of the 4th inst.
He opened this latter speech with the
following paragraph:
"The honesty OF party's purpose is
shown not merely by its platform or the
speeches of its candidates and support
ers, but by the character of the men
who are intrusted with the party man.
agement."
The press reports of this speech say
that it scattered to the winds the Demo-
cratic harmony of the State of Illinois.
The above paragraph from the speech
was followed by bitter attack from
Bryan, hurled at Roger l.. Sullivan, the
national committeeman from that State.
The criticisms that Mr.. Bryan cast up
on Sullivan, from character standpoint,
were applicable to nearly the entire
national management of the Democrat
ic party. No doubt he intended it as
such, for his particular friend, William
Randolph Hearst, recently exposed the
character of Tom Taggart, national
chairman; of Belmont, and the Tam
many leaders, who, since 1902, have had
charge of the national management of
the party.
But, to return to Mr.. Bryan's asser-
ton that the honesty of a party's pur-
pose can be judged better by the char
acter of the men who are entrusted with
its management than by any other test.
1t is announced that the distinguished
Nebraskan is soon to visit Virginia, and
that he will speak at the Radford Fair.
Since he has started out with desire
and purpose to reform the management
of the Democratic party in the several
States Of the Union, it would not be
amiss for him to make use of the senti-
ment at Radford that he uttered at
Chicago on the 4th inst 1t would be
we'll for him to make inquiries as to the
character of the men who are now man.
aging and have been managing the
Democratic party in Virginia for the
past twenty-five years. Ex-Governor
Tyler who has invited Mr.. Bryan to
Radford, and who will entertain him
while there, can give valuable informa-
ton. When Governor Tyler was can
didate for United States Senator, few
years, ago he said some pretty severe
things about the party managers, among
other things declaring them to a C. 'rrupt
office-holder' trust. Then, the Hon.
Carter Glass, who represents the Con-
gressional district in which Radford is
situated, could be made streng wit
ness, if he could be held down to the
truth. When Mr.. Glass was urging the
holding of a convention to make a new
constitution for the State, one of the
chief reasons he urged was to get rid of
the political brigands" who had been
controlling and disgracing the State for
years. The same ofice-holder's trust
that Mr.. Tyler decried and the same
political brigands that Mr.. Glass de-
nounced still have absolute control of
the party management in Virginia. We
trust that Mr.. Tyler has not lowered
his flag to the office-holder's trust; but
we believe that Mr.. Glass is striving to
unite his fortunes with the political
brigands." Then, that Mr.. Bryan may
have specific information as to the char
acter of the men who are managing the
Democratic party in the State, Mr.. Tyler
should introduce ]. Taylor Ellyson, the
State chairman. He could thus exhibit to
the distinguished Nebraskan the most ac-
complished instructor in ballot box stuff
ing that is now living, and tell how his
party has honored and rewarded him for
his magnificent services on those lines.
Then, Mr.. Tyler could introduce the