Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-30
"WHY|A.N FOR BRYAN"
Henry Watterson Tells of His
Recent Conversion.
AGAINST HIM FOR YEARS
Anti-Bryan Habit Self-Deceptive,
Says Marse Henry.
SCORES REPUBLICAN POLICIES
Admits Democratic Outlook in the
East Is Not Encouraging-State-
ment Is Characteristic.
SCORES REPUBLICAN POLICIES
By HENRY WATTERSON

i
. During ten years, from 1896 to 1906
no one rejected Mr.. Bryan for a leader
more resolutely than myself If 1 could
finally reach him and accept him, any
good democrat can. 1t may help the yet
undecided if ! relate how 1 did.
In the early part of 1902 I began a
discussion having for its purpose some
agreement among the Bryan men and
the ant1-Bryan men touching a presiden-
tial nominee other than Mr.. Bryan. Dur
ing ten months this encountered from
the anti-Bryan men either Indifference
or detraction. l got no second to NV mo-
ton Emulating the frontier presiding
officer who said. Second your own mo-
tlon, you son of a gum" they would none
OF 1T. So I went to Florida, leaving
them TO go to thunder. or words to that
enect. and the entire winter passed the
nomination of Mr.. Bryan being either
openly accepted or silently conceded Nv,
every public man suggested as an al
tentative Finally, in the early snring
TWO facts. sufficiently ascertained to he
oohcIuslve. decided me: first, that an
oseIwheifnlng majority of the democrats
OF the south and west were for NJ
Bryan IN spite of the argument 7 bnd
made against his availability as a candiN
oate, ana second, that the belated move
np-s rcd
under equfvocal patronage and invoI,.o,
.he use or money which emanated from,
oouotful sources. This latter bodinr
parry disruption. lmpel1ed me actively
" take a hand urging d refusal to re-
main silent while a scheme dangero,,
ana unworthy in character. percolated
beneath the surface. The result was -
friendly conference with Mr. Bryan.
The Shields Reverse.
lhteihgent people will not need IN no
'"io that there Is all the difference in tbe
"orio between sympathy and agreement
.iioush tentatlve-and opposition and
""'ds'hlsn, though resting upon oues-
IONS only OF expediency. There was of
H Sc reverse side of the shield Mr.
i an mad MS story TO tell and this en-
pTaced very strong case Whit ~,
1horization had he to name = sucnos gu
III case ne stepped aside? What nouyor
iIdd ne, conceding the will to transfer
ms ioiloWihS to another? Not one but
nan dozen, aspirants would tax ~
heid Immediately on his withJrau.aI ' ~.
majority of the party was for btn,-
what mad made 1T so? Surely neither nr
sdHiza'lon' nor money. nor other effort
o his than the constant nreacbina -
democratic gospels If he asraS "
stand down and out. designating an bair
1ppdrent, would he not become :, al
tatof. an autocrat. and what difference
would there be in his naming a $500
soT, and attempting 10 foist b;,, -
tHc party. and RooSevelts naming "a
Ioicfhg Taft upon the republicanso IL
u!o NOT stand upon his rights at ali:
upon his claims: upon his u,iSLa.
ambitions He put the facts of tho cit,
all"h plainly. tmpersonaIly, precisely as
'hey were and are. and there was no
reasonable answer To be made by any
reasonable man ~ any
Then and there ! laid down nay, -,
AS a good democrat. seeing clearly ava
az tne seqoel has shown. seeing truly
me nril' OF the winds. l accepted the
inevitable but / did this in no dnb;o,,S
way. make no half friendsbjns ,,.;tb
any man. OF set Of men There had
never deem anything more than ski,
Hrcp between myself and Mr. BRYAN
Noihlng even skin deep remained ana
when The interview had in New Yor,,
was concluded ! went forth TO make NJ
BrNan's tight my fight because il was
M, IN reality the fight OF what believe
truth against what believe falsehood
Why Deceive Thyself?
The anti-Bryan habit is elf-deceptive
II is pure delusion where not a form
often an unconscious form, of infdcli,v
10 both duty and truth Is it not the
part of wisdom and justice-and is il NOT
!Ilne-lhat those democrats who have
insistently opposed him should look into
the why's and wherefores with the mr.
pose Of reviewing the past. of revising
the present and of casting some kind OF
individual conduct. their actual opinions
and their reasonable aims?
We need not enter upon any course OF
elimination and recrfmination. Whatever
Tree SILVER was. or was not, as an ecCuo-
mic issue. u is no longer here To divide us
Those who contended for il. led by Mr.
BrYan-right or wrong as To the fiscal
prOpOsition-thOught they were fighting
for the masses against the classes. for
the people against prerOgative and against
the same old money devil we had. all
fought under the leadership of Mr. Til
den and Mr.. Cleveland. That question
out of the way. what is there now to
divide u.s. Nothing upon the face of the
contention except the personality Of Mr..
Bryan Having bsen twice beaten he
can never be elected says Sir Oracle.
Having been twice beaten he can never
he elected" shyieE the republicans. ''Hav-
Ing been twice beaten he can never be
alactCd." echoes the unthinhinS democrat.