Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-09-06
BRYAN ANSWERS TAFT
Nebraskar Calls Secretary of War "the Great Postponer."'
ATTACKS OHIO MANS SPEECH
Tells Oklahoma Audience That Taft Might Be Accused of Advising Post ponement of Statehood to Deprive Democrats of Electoral Votes.

ponement of Statehood to Deprive Democrats of Electoral Votes. l Oklahoma City, Okla, Sept. 6.-Wil. |liam J. Bryan, speaking here, said in lpart:
 Secretary Taft in his speech made in this territory few days ago ad- vises the people to reject the proposed constitution and postpone statehood until another enabling act can be se- toured. At first blush one might sus- pect that the secretary's advice was due to his personal interest in the next election.
 "He might be accused of advising the postponement of statehood with a view of keeping seven electoral votes out of the Democratic column, but the more generous view taken of the mat
 ter is that his advice resulted from his habits of thought.
 Senators Reject His Advice.
 "Taft is inclined to postpone every thing. He promises to acquire the title
 of the great postponer. He is on his
 way to the Philippines to tell the Fill
 pinos that while he. thinks they ought Ito have self government after awhile,
 he wants it postponed for the present. It is not strange, therefore, that he
 should yield to his ruling spirit in the
 matter of statehood and tell you to
 put it off.
 "He holds out to the people the hope
 of another enabling act, but what as-
 surance can he give that Republican
 congress will act immediately to bring
 in a Democratic state just before a
 presidential election? You have been . struggling for statehood for some f1f-
 teen years and now when it is within
 your grasp he asks you to exchange a
 certainty for the delusive promise Of
 another chance. Does he control the
 congress to such an extent that he can guarantee immediate action? The sen ators from his own state do not accep, his advice. His influence as presl dential candidate cannot yet be meas : ured, for not a single state has yet in
 structed for him.
 Foraets Tariff Speech. "Why does he advise you to rejec' the constitution and postpone state : hood? Because he is opposed to some
 parts of the constitution. He has sug , gested several amendments which h' l would like to have adopted. Even i the amendments were worthy to b' ' adopted it would not be necessary t' :, reject the constitution in order tt r, adopt them..
 ? Secretary Taft says that if you in :. sist on having statehood and are de
 termined to adopt the constitution vol
 ought to have a Republican govern :. ment to amend the constitution. II 1, l certainly has forgotten the argumen ' he made in Ohio recently, that tn ], tariff ought to be reformed by 1t u' friends. If he applies his logic to thi V constitution he ought to insist that tn | constitution should be reformed by 1t
 friends rather than by its enemies ' and surely there is little to induce COT fdence in the Republican party whe Il, the party has delayed statehood for u many years and delayed it for purel V partisan reasons.
 n The Philippine Question. ,s Have you read his Columbu n speech? If so you will find in it a N arraignment of protection as we hay - 1t today, an appeal for a revision
 the tariff, but he realizes the force h- his own speech by postponing the ta 'r If reform until after the election. III 'T am glad that the secretary r u' ferred to the Philippine question, ft a- his discussion shows that he believe u- in a colonial policy and that he di ie putes the doctrines set forth in Il .o Declaration of Independence. Whi h- he seems disposed to acquiesce In Il e-s suffrage amendments adopted in tl
 south. he overlooks the fact that il n- black man of ,the south is treat' h- much better than the brown man a- the Philippines. The black man of Il -, south has the protection of the cons ii- tutions. state and national. while t lI constitution is denied to the Filipino