The Washington herald., 1908-05-27
BRYAN GRATIFIED.
Lincoln. Ncbr.. May 2e.

1 have answered Secretary Taft,
expressing qualification and express
ing the hope that the publication of
his letter 10 Burrows will aid in Sc
curing the passage of the measure.
have also teIeErnphcd friends,
suggesting that the burrows letter
ought TO assist In securing the pas
sage OF the measure. do not believe
that we can ask for more than he has
done in giving this letter 60 the
public.
Our people can urge the matter
upon the Senate and House
w. J. BRYAN.
The above is a copy OF a telegram from
William Jennings Bryan to the Washing
ton correspondent of the Louisville Cour-
ier-Journal, expressing the Democratic
leaders opinion of the situation created
by Secretary Taft's reply to Mr.. Bryan's 5
telegraphic suggestion that they join in
urging Congress to pass a campaign pub
liclty bill
The opinion of Henry Watterson. editor
OF the Louisville newspaper, who is un-
derstood to have advised with Mr.. Bryan
before the telegram to Mr.. Taft was
sent, is expressed in the following tele-
gram, also to the Courier-JournaTs
Washington representative:
Louisville, KY, May 26
Tait's reply shows that he relies upon his party
to do the dirty work. Knowing that they viii not
PASS the publicity bin. be can. well afford 10 say
that he is for H.
Mr. Bryan has brought him out into the open
and exposed the duplicity Of the Republicans
Everything 4 aimed az has been ACCOMPLISHED
HENRY WATTERsON.
The general opinion among the Demo-
Gratis is that Mr.. Tafts reply 10 the Bryan
suggestion. which was published in The
Washington Herald yesterday Is rather
an evasion Of the issue than an agree
ment TO the course suggested by the
Democratic candidate.
What MIR. Bryan Intended.
Mr.. Bryan's telegram had no reference
TO what had been done before il was sent.
but was a suggestion that Mr.. Taft as
the probable candidate Of the Republican
party, and Mr.. Bryan. as the probable
candidate of the Democratic party. in
the approaching national campaign.
should together urge upon Congress the
desirability OF passing an adequate and
effective campaign publicity bill It did
not take account OF the bill which has
passed the House. saddled with the
Crumpacker amendment, providing for
Federal interference with suffrage restric-
tions in the Southern States.
Mr.. Taft, prominent Democrats saw.
has replied. not that he accepts Mr.
BTyan's suggestion. but. in effect. L
have already suggested that the pending
bill should be passed by Congress- Your
offer is too late" And the pending bill
being the bill passed by the House. II is
argued. the measure to which Mr. Taft
gives his adherence, is one that could
not be accepted by the Democrats. even
II it were conceivable that the Senate
would concur in its passage by the other
body Of Congress.
Therefore these Democrats say. while
his position would hardly permit Mr..
Bryan 20 make other comment upon NJ
Taft's reply than is made in the tele-
gram quoted above. Mr.. Watterson's YER
sion is more In line with their own
analysis of the Taft reply.
Mr.. Tafts friends. however. hold that
Mr.. Bryan's second telegram, expressing
his satisfaction with the reply Of the
Secretary Of War, Is based upon proper
understanding Of the Secretarys atti-
tude
Result of Chandler Agitation.
Making public his letter to Senator
Burrows, chairman OF the Senate Com
mittee on Privileges and Elections. and
referring to his public announcement
through the columns of The Washington
Herald, that he IS in favor Of the enact
ment Of a bill to provide for the pub
lication of campaign fund contributions,
Secretary Tafts reply to Mr. Bryan
forms the elimination of a campaign
conducted by ex-senator Chandler. OF
New Hampshire, and this newspaper, to
place Mr.. Taft definitely on record as ad-
vising the passage Of a campaign pub
Icity bill. and giving TO the public the
facts In case Congress should fail to take
advantage OF the opportunity held out to
1t by the probable candidate OF the ma
jority party in the approaching national
campaign.
Mr.. Tafts reply to Mr.. Bryan is as
follows:
Hon. William J. Bryan
Lincoln, Nehr
Your telegram received. On April 20 last 7 sent
the following letter 70 Senator Burrows chairman ~
the Committee on Privileges and Elections Of the
Senate;
MY Dear Mr. Burows-I sincerely believe IL
would greatly tend TO the absence Of oornlption II
the expenditures for nominations and elections Of
all candidates, and all contributions received and
expenditures made by political committees could
be made public. both I'm respect 20 State and ma
tionaI politics For that reason am strongly IN
favor of the passage Of the bill which Is now pend
ing In the Senate and House bringing about this
result as far az national politics are concerned
Il mara this letter personal because am anxious
to avoid assuming an attitude IN the campaign
which it is quite possible I shall never have ne
right TO assume; but, far my personal iufu
enco Is concerned am anxious 10 give 1t for the
passage Of the bill.
VERY sincerely yours.
WILLIAM H TAFT"
Since writing the above. IN answer TO inquiry.
have said publicly that hoped such a bin would
pass WILLIAM II. TAFT
The Telegram Of Mr.. Bryan to Mr.. Taft
was the subject of hurried conference al
Continued on Page 4, Column 9.