Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-06
WILL FIGHT BRYAN
Illinois Democracy Again Torn
in Factions.
SULLIVAN MEN ENRAGEO
Result of Denunciation by the Ne
braska Leader
WILL GET OUT THEIR KNIVES
No Use for the Olive Branch-Events
of 1904 Recalled-Presidentia
Boom to Be Checked.
SULLIVAN MEN ENRAGED
WILL GET OUT THEIR KNIVES


special Correspondence OF the staf
CHICAGO. August T. 1906
The democratic dove of peace has been
rudely ''shooed" away just as 1t was about
to perch on the democratic standard. And.
most astonishing of all. the "shooer'' was
none other than that most ardent and elo-
Quent champion of the cause OF peace
whose burning words recently carried the
international peace congress by storm
William Jennings Bryan Mr.. Bryans SEN
sational letter from London to Roger Sulli-
van. democratic national committeeman for
this state. demanding that he resign from
that post has started internecine strife
in the party as bitter as that of 1896. when
the gold democrats of the state seeded
from the party and organized the Palmer
and Buckner movement.
The Nebraskans letter. which pre-
scented to Mr.. Sullivan by Judge Owen +.
Thompson. one OF Bryan's Jacksonville.
H. boyhood friends and a leader of the
radical democrats charged that Sullivan
was given his position by fraud. that he
was not the choice of the democrats, that
he was corporation tool and that honest
democrats could not associate with him in
the partys management 1t demanded that
he resign at once. and. anticipating his re-
fusal. sent accompanying appeal to the
democrats of the state. asking them to
Dust him from his position through the
coming state convention.
These letters fairly stunned the demo-
Gratis. who had been boasting OF the return
of the gold democrats to the Bryan fold
and the CONSEQUENT harmony Of the party.
which they declared would carry the state
for the Nebraskan in the next presidential
campaign As for Sullivan his wrath was
volcanic He told Judge Thompson he
could go to a slightly warmer region than
Chicago. while as to Bryan, he dehed the
Nebrasl.an.
Sullivan's Searching Reply.
Mr. Sullivan then called a conference OF
tis political Ieutenants. and few hours
later issued to the public a scorching reply
10 Mr.. BRYAN. In which he accused the sill
yer-tongued orator of attempting to make
of himself political party czar, and de-
clared that he was wrong In this matter.
just he had been wrong the silver
question and on the Bennett will case. Most
sensational OF all was his declaration that
the attack on him was the result of a
know nothing" movement to take the con-
troi of the party machinery from the hands
of Irishmen and other foreign-born citizens.
The national committeeman declared that
Mr. Bryan had been deceived and msled
by the Jacksonville cabal,' the leaders of
which are Judge Thompson and Willard F.
Dunlap. These men. according to Mr. Sui
Ivan. would drive all foreign-born citizens
out OF the party's management He de-
MED the charge that he had secured his
position by fraud. asserting that he was
legally elected by the state convention in
1904 and pointing out that the national
convention and the national committee had
both passed on the, claims of his oppo-
meats ON this question and decided In his
favor.
Mr.. Bryan's reply is awaited with feverish
interest by the party chiefs. who are fear
full that the breach thus started cannot be
healed and who also fear that the quar-
rel may spread throughout the country and
result again In the alienation of all the con-
seryative democrats.
Bryan's Action Depiored.
ton of Mr.. Bryan is the fact that It fol-
lowed Immediately after both Hopkins and
Sullivan had rendered him the olive branch
and had announced publicly in terms most
nattering TO the Nebraksan that they con-
sidered him the greatest living American
and that they would support him enthusi-
astically for the presidency.
Most OF the radical leaders deplore Mr.
Bryen's action. even while they admire his
frsnknesS and scrupulous sense of loyalty
10 the lofty political ideals for which they
say he consistently contends. They declare
that for the sake of party harmony. Mr..
Bryan should have refrained from interfer-
ing In internal party affairs OF another
state than his own. Some of the Bryan
rnen go farther and warmly denounce his
action as despouc and undemocratic. while
the conservatives are wild with anger at
what they term gratutous and brutal in
suit
Close friends OF Hopkins and Sullivan
now declare that they viii do all In their
power to control the state convention which
meets this month and prevent the indorse-
Enrnt by that body OF Bryan's presidential
boom. Orders have already gone forth to
all their leutenants throughout the state
40 sacrifice everything for delegates to the
convention in the primary election. and
from all indications now that convention
win be the scene of another fierce struggle,
tbs outcome OF which may prove the first
check in the triumphal progress of the Me-
braskan's rejuvenated boom.
Events of 1904 Recalled.
The radical democrats of the Bryan and
Hearst stripe are in a big majority in this
state. but most OF the moneyed men in the
party are conservative gold democrats.
These men. led by John p Hopkins and
Roger sullivan, quietly gained control OF
the state central committee after the dis
nstrous 1900 canOaign When the 1904
campaign started William II. Hearst be-
gar fight through his local papers and
rnanagers to secure the Illinois delegates
20 the democratic national convention
Hopkins and Sullivan and their allies
united In a desperate struggle against
Hearst.
Much has been said OF the vast sum OF
money the Hearst managers are reported
90 have spent in this state to get control of
that state convention. but the Hearst and
Bryan men now charge the Illegal trusts
and dishonest corporations OF the country
psmed money into Illinois like water
Through Hopkins then chairman OF the
state central committee; former Controller
Of the Currency Eckels and Sullivan. in or
der TO defeat Hearst. In spite OF the fact
that the party machinery was held by hts
fseA the Hearst elected more than
two-thirds OF the delegates to the state
convention
That fact did not daunt Mr.. Hopkins.
however As chairman Of the state central
committee. he called the convention to or
de- and appointed Frank J. Quinn OF Pc
ORA one OF his heutenants, temporary
chairman The latter promptly appointed a
iiSt OF Hopkins-Suilivan committees. despite
The Vociferous protests Of the great major
tty OF the delegates. and ruled the conven-
tion by gavel. The committee on organiza-
tiun thus appointed made him permanent
chairman and the committee delegates
naned Hopkins. Sullivan. Eekels and ma
1ority OF other gold democrats to the ma
tfonAl convention. One of these committees
alss named Sullivan national committee
man. These selections We're all put through
ths convention without roii-eall. under the
| Earel In the midst of the most riotous
scenes ever known in a convention I'm this
state
saNf-