Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-03-16
BRYAN THE LEADER
Nebraskan at Boston Hailed
 as Democratic Chief.
EARRING ROOSEVELT, HE CAN WIN"
Claims He Was Beaten In 1S06 by Fraud and Corporation Campaign Funds - Praises President's
 Use of tour Ideas"

BOSTON. March 16 - George Fred Williams, welcoming William Jennings Bryan at a dinner here, referred to Mir. Bryan as the acknowledged lead CT of the national Democratic party saying also:
 No ten years of our history have brought to public man n surer vim dication of his principles and policies. saving perhaps the first ten years of the last century when the Democratic party took the place of the Federalist party in our national politics"
 Turning to Mir. Bryan, the speaker said:
 T have no right, sir, to place you in the position of candidate for office until you have authorized it, but take no undue advantage of my position and believe I represent the sentiment of the Massachusetts Democracy when I say that the success of our party rests upon your shoulders whether you will it or not.
 If President Roosevelt abides by his refusal to become candidate, no Re publican, unless he be more radical than the president, can prevent the election of William Jennings Bryan to the presidency"
 Mir Bryan was given great demon stration, all those present standing and cheering repeatedly. Chairman Fee ney introduced him as "the foremost figure in American statesmanship" and expressed his doubt if any office which Mir. Bryan might hold would make him any dearer to the American people. . After acknowledging the greeting Mir. Bryan referred to the fact that some people had termed him ''an emo- tional orator." He then remarked. But if err at all l err on the side of conservatism"
 Taking up the accusation that he was the author of the Democratic plat form of 1896. Mir Bryan declared that he wrote but little of that platform and deserved little of the credit for It. but that he had had more to do with the platform of 1900.
 "I think" asserted Mir. Bryan. that if we had had vote unpurchased and unintimidated in 1896 would have been elected by an overwhelming ma lority.' ,-..
 He went on:
 "I shall not discuss the amount of fraud that was perpetrated in 1896. but we had against us the largest corpora ton fund that was ever used in cam paign. If man voted our ticket he did so because he believed in it and because he had the moral courage to do so. I would thousand times rather be defeated candidate with the fol lowing fad than hold an office and have to thank corporation and intimi- dation. It is better to have run and lost than never to have run at all" | No one rejoiced more than he in the vindication that has come to Demo- cratic ideas, for dearer to him than any office was the triumph of the things for which they had been fight Ing.
 And I rejoice so much" said Mir. Bryan. that l never lose an opporti- nifty to thank the president for what he has done. The president was one of my opponents. No one ever used harsher language than he did toward our cause. Yet I want no man in the community to anticipate me in hearty eommendation of anything he does that I believe is right. I do not know what the presidents attitude will be in the coming campaign. but it Is certain that he cannot take back what he has said about our ideas.
 Ten years ago they called our ideas insanity. yet on no question that we ever discussed have We been more yin. dicated than on our idea that more money would make higher prices and better times"
 Mir. Bryan was given second ova- ton when he concluded his address. He left soon for Providence. R. 1.