Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-04-12
Mr.. Bryan g Position.

Mr. Bryan : endorsement OF all
that is good in President Roosevelt
is Il splendid tribute to the manll-
ness. courage and honesty of Demo
cratic principle. for which the true
adhrr,nt OF that party is always
ready to make Il sacrifice 1t is too
p.,paby evident that all Of Mr..
Roosevelt popularity has resulted
from adoption and advocacy of Dem
ocratic principles. To expect any man
whose sincerity is undoubtcd to re-
p,ldiatc them because they may find
favor with those who had to be CON
vin,,.d before they became converts
The action of Mr.. Bryan is exactly in
line with the suggestion made by
this paper. about Il year ago. that
Mr. Roosevelt, having served his
ambition by Il reelection and prac-
tically two terms. could do nothing
that would better cap and surmount
',
to declare. am in earnest when
say | will not be candidate for re-
election; that | believe all the essen
tial principles for which l have con-
tended will be safely conserved under
the administration of William Jen-
nings Bryan, and that / will support
him ON Demo-Republican ticket for
the Office of President. Believing
as we did. that this would have
rounded out the administration, by a
grand act, whose blemishes were
more the result of marked individ-
uality, involving precipitation at
times, when deliberation should have
been displayed, the suggestion was
made in all candor, and we still be-
lieve that Mr.. R, lost an opportunity
seldom if ever afforded other men
for receiving the grand acclaim of ma
tiOns.
IL 10 HOt tuC HISb tIIilC tiidV VAI !.
Bryan's party has shown that party
should not be allowed to stand in the
way of patriotism. That was done
when the electoral commission ig-
nored the duties prescribed by the
law which created it, {" to investigate
and examine persons and papers, "
and base their opinion upon them,
when it was simply declared, on a
strictly partisan vote, that it was
inexpedient to "go behind the re-
turns" verification of States rights
invoked as dernier resort, to vail.
date a fraud. The acceptance of the
finding, to end all strife, was a re-
markable test of patriotic duty by q
choice of evils that might avert an
other civil war. 1t was done again,
when the party by balance OF
power, elected Mr.. Roosevelt, know
ing him to be safe, on some points,
than to trust the election of Parker,
who had catered by act, if not by
word, to the wishes behind the
trusts. 1t has been continually
shown by adherence to party, when
tempted by brides of position, power
and their emOluments.
There would be no other form OF
expression that could be used by Mr..
Bryan, if he expressed an opinion,
when he acknowledged admiration of
RoOsevelt's work. It was to be ex-
pected, however, that he would be
misquoted, and there is not the
slightest ground for belief that he
ever said anything that would justify
a" close friend" in saying that 6 if
he Bryan) was not himself candi-
date for the Presidency in 1908, and
if Mr.. Roosevelt consents, or is
forced to run, he Bryan) would give
his support to the Republican lead
er." 1t is an insult to Mr.. Bryan's
intelligence and fairness, to say
nothing of duty to his associates, to
assume that it may be true.
>0~