Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-29
DISTINGUISHED C0MM0NER
GIVES VIEWS ON SUBJECTS
IMPORTANT TO AMERICANS


Jr. at 4O12 Pasadena avenue Mr.. Bryan
submitted to an extended interview
with The Herald.
Mr.. Bryan looks the picture Of health,
and he appeared to be keenly interest
ed in the topics discussed. although
some of these were touched upon with
reserve not unnatural to a man who
has made 1t a rule never to open his
mouth unless he was certain of what
he intended to say and that 1t was the
proper time to say 1t.
One of the subjects was the very
pertinent one as to whether Mr.. Bryan
would be a candidate for the nomina-
tion for the presidency in the cam
paign of 1908, and 1T vas brought up
in a rather unusual manner.
During the interview and while the
reporter was getting up courage to ask
the point blank question on the subject
of Mr.. Bryans candidacy, Mr.. Cole
brought into the room a neighbor who
had expressed q desire to meet the dis
tingulshed visitor. Mr.. Bryan arose to
greet the caller and as he took his ex-
tended hand the man said:
Calls Him the Next President
"Mr. Bryan, I have long entertained
a desire to meet you personally, and I
wanted at this time to shake hands
with the next president"
Mr.. Bryan, smiling pleasantly,
thanked the caller for taking the
trouble to meet him and then added:
"As to your Inference, 1t Is always
easier to tell Of the past than to pre-
dict what will occur in the future"
After the departure Of the caller Mr..
Bryan was reminded that this was one
Of hn iOh hnan
touched upon. He smiled. but without
moments hesitation said:
"I have nothing to add to the subject
of the presidency to what l have al
ready said. I do not say that I will
or will not be a candidate, because
the time has not come to decide that
question. Conditions make platforms
and platforms make men.
"Only on one occasion have I de-
clared myself as to the candidacy for
any office. and that was after the cleo
ton of 1900 when I said that I would
not be a candidate for the presidential
nomination in 1904"
Mr.. Bryan then told Of an incident in
connection with the declaration. He
said he was asked by a st. Joseph
newspaper man If he would be, a candi-
date for the presidency In 1904, when
he told him of his declaration which
had been previously made.
His questioner asked him If that re-
ferred to future nominations for pres
dent or any other office, to which Mr..
Bryan replied that as to future nom-
nations ne would not give bond.
When the interview appeared the re-
porter was found to have quoted Mr..
Bryan correctly, but had added that If
Mr.. Bryan wanted to give bond he
could find many bondsmen.
M. RrVan LAUGHED heartily while
telling the story which he said he re-
garded as an original witticism.
Discusses National Issues
Mr. Bryan said that inasmuch as he
would deliver an address at the BAN
quet he did not think it advisable to
touch national issues to any extent,
as he did not desire, when delivering
his address, to be compelled to dodge
subjects which he had previously dis
cussed in the newspapers, but he un-
bosomed himself to the following eX-
tent in reply to questions:
"It Is too early to write a platform,
but it seems certain that one of the
most important issues, If not the most
important, will be the trust issue, for
1t involves the railroad question. the
tariff question, the labor question and
the question of swollen fortunes.
Yes, am in favor of direct primary
election laws. am in favor of the
election of United States senator's by
the people; the initiative and referen-
dunn and all other reforms that are in
tended to give the people more COM
plete control of their own affairs.
president Roosevelt's administra-
ton? I have indorsed the president
whenever he has done anything that l
approved of, just as 1 have criticised
him when he has done things of which
I did not approve. I have commended
his prosecution of the trusts, though
he has not gone as far as l would like
to have him go. I approved his recon-
mendations for rate regulation, though
I am sorry that he surrendered to the
railroad representatives in the senate
In the matter of court review.
at approved his recommendation of
an income tax and agree with him on
what he has said on the subject of in
heritance tax, although 1 think 1t is
better to withdraw the special privi-
leges that allow swollen fortunes to
accumulate than to build them by spe-
cial legislation and then take them
back. 1 do not approve of his policies
when he adopts the views of Hamilton
and ignores the rights Of the states"
Ownership of Railroads
Asked as to his views on public own
ership of railroads expressed in his
New York speech, Mr.. Bryan said:
my position was stated In the recep-
tion speech in New York as 1t had
been stated two years before. And it
has not been modified, although un-
friendly papers have sought to misrep-
resent 1t. l stated that regarded gov
ernment ownership as the ultimate So
luton. Do not overlook-ultimate solu-
ton.
"I stated that did not know whether
the country was ready for 1t or II the
majority of my party favored 1T; but
expressed as my opinion that the coun-
try would finally come to 1t and that
the railroads, by their corruption and
idna In anticlnation OF this ultimate