The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-11-15
BRYAN WILL ACCEPT
IF PARTY CALLS HIM
Twice Tried Leader An
nounces Willingness But
Won't Ask Nomination
RANK AND FILE TO CHOOSE
Says He VIII Be Satisfied if Another
is Chosen, But If He is the
Fight Must Be Honest"

Lincoln, Neb Nov 15.-Through the
editorial columns of The Commoner
William Jennings Bryan has come out
into the open with a statement of his
position, which sets at rest any linger-
ing fear his followers might have en-
tertained concerning his willingness
once more to accept the democratic
nomination for president.
Mr. Bryan declares he will not seek
nor ask for the nomination but If 1t Is
the desire OF the rank and file of the
party that he should have 1t he would
accept 1t cheerfully. That is in eff
feet his answer to the question VIII
you accept the nomination? which. he
says, has been pressed upon him for
year or more.
Mr.. Bryan admits he has had honors
enough from his party to satisfy any
reasonable ambition and declares the
question which should weigh most with
the party is whether his nomination
will strengthen it's position next year.
II the democrats should decide that the
nomination of some one else will add
more strength. he declares he Will be
neither disappointed nor disgruntled."
Wants Rank and File to Choose.
He insists. however, that the ques-
tion of his availability shall not be left
to the viii "of few leaders or to the
newspapers that call themselves demo-
crat," but to the voters Of the party as
a whole
Mr.. Bryan denies. that lie has main
tanned silence for so long in order to
get a line on the republican candidates
or on his own probable chances of sue
cess or failure. If he is nominated he
will make the race, whether fearful of
defeat or sanguine of victory, no mat
ter who the republicans nominate.
That is his position. As to the next
campaign he insists that on the part of
the democrats it must be an appeal to
the national conscience based on the re-
Violations of the source and use of cam
paign funds in the last election. He
will not submit to a campaign that
tails IAN appeal to the sordid or the
purchase of the purchasable."
Would Challenge Republicans.
The democrats. he says, must be will
ing to open their books and submit
their campaign fund to public scrutiny,
and he demands that the republicans be
challenged to conduct their campaign in
the same open and honest way"
Real reform, he declares. should be
the keynote of the campaign of the
democrats II ne is nominated.
Mr.. Bryan ignores completely In his
statement any reference to the strife
and dissension among democrats just
al present. except to say that he takes
it for granted the organization of the
party Will be in harmony with a plat
form based on democratic principles APP
piled to present conditions, and will be
composed of men whose political rec
will ipv-{+a ConRJapra
What His Position Is.
Mr.. Bryan's statement. which will ap-
pear in the form OF an editorial in the
Commoner today is in part as follows:
"A year ago last summer while in
Europe Mr.. BRYAN. in an interview,
stated that it was too early to discuss
the campaign of 1908 from a personal
standpoint, although during that sum-
mer the democratic conventions in
something like half of the states of the
union had passed resolutions compH-
mentary to him and mentioned his name
in connection with the democratic nom
ination for president. He has from
time to time refused to discuss the
availability either of himself or other
candidates. believing that the party
should have all the light possible be-
fore attempting a selection.
"A presidential candidate should fit
the platform adopted by his party, and
platforms are made to fiji the conditions
existing when the platform is made
Ne one can see very far ahead or speak
with certainty as to the issues or as to
the campaign. Sometimes a day will
change the situation. and a few months
may bring forward a new issue which
viii have an important bearing upon
the availability Of a candidate For
this reason Mr.. Bryan has refused to
make any announcement as to his own
position although he has from time to
time discussed issues old and new"
nrnA-