The Mena weekly star., 1907-04-18
H[RE, ,SA QUEER PROPOSAL
William ]. Bryan Requested to Present Roosevelt's Name to
 Democratic Convention.
WOULD COMPLY F SHOWN TO BE DUTY
The Request Was Made at Bryan Anniversary Dinner at chatts- roosa, Tenny by John Temple Graves, of Atlanta, Ca, The Presi- lGent Remains Silent.


 ident Remains Silent.
 Chattanooga. Tenn, April 12.--At the Bryan anniversary club dinner Wednesday night John Temple Graves, of Atlanta, in the course of an address. asked William ]. Bryan to present the name of Theodore Roosevelt to the next democratic na- tional convention as the party's can didate for president. MT. Bryan in reply. said that according to present conditions he should not present MT. Roosevelt's name to the convention
 Dear in mind MT Bryan added, T say 'as at present advised.
 In his address Wednesday night NIT. Graves said in part
 Among those who have lead us in the past. and among those who are to lead us in the future. there deserves to live and there will be left to live no name more honored, no character more revered, no leadership more trusted. and no personality more be loved than William j. Bryan of Ne braska.
 We have found where we did not seek him man to do the things the people solely need. We do not know if we could succeed in placing in power the man our partisan loyalty would prefer. We do not know whether in this environment our party's choice would change the ma chinery and win or lose the fatefui battle of our economic life. In sound logic and in clear common sense we must recognize the tremendous start. the tremendous prestige. which the president has made. he Is every inch a leader and by all the record he is A predestined winner in the fight. Can we. the peoples party, afford to risk the peoples vital interest by changing leaders in the very crisis of the great battle that is on.'
 The times may change and men may change as we'll before the cam paign of 1908 begins. But if the con ditions then are as thcy are today If Roosevelt rides the storm that Is brewing in the realm of corporate capital, then our Way seems open and our duty clear.
 Speaking here deliberately for my self. and in my fair judgement Of the great majority of the plain and hon est democrats. of the Empire South ern state. from which 1 am, I believe that we should put the party then below the people, the priciple above the man. We should rebuke the spirit of spells and the hunger Of faction. We should affirm our prin' ciples. confess our faith. recite the necessity of the reform of corporate capital as the supreme and transcen dent issue of the times. pay tribut to the great and typical American who has proved himself the dauntless and conquering captain of the peoples cause and then and there in that great convention of our own, William I Bryan, the one unmatched and in comparable svangel of our faith. speaking for a pure democracy. and speaking for the whole plain people of this republic. should put in nomina- tion Theodore Roosevelt for one mora undisputed term of power to finish the work that he has so glorlously begun.
 rt would give this great country Of ours one millennial period in which factions and partlsans should be stin and the spirit of representative gov ernment should be given new birth and a new consecration to Its great ideals--to the glory of the people and the admiration of the world.
 Replying to Mir Graves address Mir. Bryan complimented the Georgian for his honesty and boldness and said if there was any place in the world where absolute freedom of speect should prevail # ought to be in . democratic gathering. He added thai when he had heard that MT. Graye' had retired from the hall because there might be doubts about the wis dom of what he had to say. he had sent for the Georgian to return ans insisted that the speech should h' delivered.
 "As at present advised" said Mir Bryan, T shall not present the nam' of Theodore Roosevelt to the nation ai democratic convention Bear Il mind, I say as at present advised.
 Mr. Bryan deciared thai if after ma ture consideration and reflection o the arguments in the case he shoul' consider that his duty lay in tha direction. he would present Nil Roosevelts name if it should prov the last act of his life.
 Washington. April r. -Presiden