Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-11
ASKS BRYAN 10 STEP ASIDE
John Temple Graves Requests Him to
Nominate Roosevelt for President
OFFICIAL ACTS ARE ALL DEMOCRATIC
Party Has Opportunity to Demon
strRte Its Fidelity TO PrincIpIes-
NebraskRn Declines to
Commit Himself.

Commit Himself.
| CHATTANOOGA, Tenn April 1O-At the
/ Bryan anniversary club dinner tonight John
Temple Graves of Atlanta, in the course
Of an address. asked William J. Bryan TO
present the name Of Theodore Roosevelt
TO the next democratic national convention
as the party's candidate for president Mr.
Bryan in reply said that according 10 pres
| ent conditions he should not present Mr.
Roosevelts name to the convention.
Bear in mind Mr.. Bryan said, Il say
| as at present advised
/ Mr.. Graves address came as the climax
of a series of interesting eveLts. When he
reached the city today he was requested by
teh postmaster, who had read his speech
to eliminate all reference 30 Bryan nomi-
rating Roosevelt Rather than submit to
/ having his speech censored, Mr.. Graves
/ decided not to speak at all. His address
he said. represented his actual sentiments.
Mr.. Graves went to the banquet hall
J for a few moments and then left without
speaking
Mr.. Brya nlearning of the incident sent
for Mr.. Graves and insisted that he should
make ms speech according to the original
plan. Accepting the Nebraskan's invita-
ton, Mr.. Graves spoke and was answered
by Mr. Bryan in a short address.
speech of MIR. Graves.
In his address tonight Mr.. Graves said,
in part:
We are confronted now with conditions
in this republic which few men could have
fOreseen and which man ten years ago
would have had the temerity to predict.
out of the camps OF theenemy, out OF the
seats Of the scornful, out of the pretorian
guard Wf privilege and monopoly there
has come an unexpected and potential con-
vert to the CreedS and theories of demOC-
racy. And whether we find the school
master who has taught him in the elo-
quent and irresistible evangels of Bryan,
in the thunder which has doomed persist
emily from theeight great guns OF the in
doTnitable Hearst, or whether that provi-
denCe which shapes the destinies Of ma
tions and Of men has dropped the scales
1 from his partisan eyes, the fact remains
that Theodore Roosevelt has learned his
/ democratic lesson well. We may as well
acknowledge fairly what history will fear
lessly afflrm-that he has become the fore
! most and most effective executor OF demo-
| cratic policies and the most practical cham
| plOn Of popular rights which these two
/ generations O tthe republic have produced.
! The things for which we have fought for
forty years he has been putting into fear
less and effective execution. Since VIII
liam r. Hearst flung at his feet the chdl
lenge TO reform in the inconquerable array
of statistics which prove the existence and
the inquity of the trusts, the strenuous
president Of the United States has not failed
or faltered In his discreet and fearless way
to find a remedy. Since William j. Bryan
fashioned the eloquent evangels which went
forth from the Garden meeting in Madison
Square, the president at Washington has
not hesitated to go forward with redoubled
zeal and energy in the prosecutions OF his
work. Avoiding the extremes which might
have halted and destroyed his mission,
with a conservatism as firm the times
required, and with a radicalism as fearless
as the peoples rights demanded, he has
gone slowly, steadily, discreetly and yet
definitely toward the dsownment Of the
privileged iniquities that were robbing the
! government
President Entitled to Recognition.
He is putting into execution the things
which democratic platforms have thun-
dered for twenty years What our propa-
tudes Of popular liberty have pleaded he
has framed in part and statutes until to-
day as an honest party, representative Of
an honest people, we can do no less than
recognize his patriotism and applaud his
transcendant service. He has grappled the
iniquiues of the Meat trust which was
spreading virus through the physical veins
. Of the republic He has put his probe
/ into the putrid politics OF the insurance
companies and purged them of the pus
that was poison to politics and trade. He
has grpped by the throat the almost omni-
mates and he has today at his feet and
asking clemency at his hands the talest
ana most tremendous figures Of the tyrant
And in doing this he has indicated every
principle for which Bryan has pleaded and
! Hearst has thundered and has proven him
self publicist and democratic republican
| who deserves to rank In achievement with
the best and bravest in the annals of our
We have found where we did not seek
him a man to do the things the people
could succeed in placing in power the man
our partisan loyalty would prefer. We do
not know whether In this environment our
partys choice would change the machinery
and win or lose the fateful battle OF our
economic life. In sound logic and in clear
common sense we must recognize the tre-
mendous start the tremendous prestige
which the P esident has made. He is every
inch leader and by all the records ne is
a predestined winner in the fight. Can we
the people party, AFFORD to risk the peo-
pies vital interest by changing leaders in
the very crisis Of the great battle that is
on?
The times may change and men may
change well before the campaign OF
1875 begins. But II the conditions then are
as they are today-if Roosevelt rides the
porate capital, then our way seems open
and our duty clear
Bryan Asked 10 Name Roosevelt.
Speaking here deliberately for myself
jority Of the plain and honest democrats
OF the Empire southern state, from which
am, believe that We should put the party
then below the people, the principles above
the man. We should rebuke the spill Of
spoils and the hunger Of faction. We should
affirm our principles, confess our faith. re-
pOTate capital the supreme and trans
Cendent issue OF the times, pay tribute to
proved himself the dauntless and con-
quering captain OF the peoples cause, and
then and the in that great convention OF
our own, William J. Bryan, the one un-
matched and Incompatible eyangel OF our
faith speaking for a pure democracy, and
speaking for the whole plain people OF this
republic, should put in nomination TheO-
dore Roosevelt for one more undisputed
term of power TO finish the work that he
has so glOTiously begun.
1t would give this great country Of ours
one mllenial period in which factions and
partisans should be still an dthe spirit
OF representative government should be
given a new birth and a new conservation
to it's great ideals-to the glory OF the
people and the admiration Of the world.
Mr. Chairman, ] submit In high and rep
resentative honesty this proposition
which seems 20 be radical but which I
know to be right. ! have never been
more loyal TO the life and fortunes Of the
great Nebraskan who is our hon1Ted guest
tonight / have never been a better and
a truer democrat than when / suggest this
sacrifice which will make our peace with
history and establish the prosperity Of the
people. Bury me II you Will with partisan
scorn tonight, but think Of me tomorrow
with that high and patriotic conscience
which lifts the patriot above the parti-
san and blends the immortal principle
with the real welfare Of the people.
The democratic party fronts today an
opportunity which comes not often in
human history 70 glorify its principles