The sun., 1908-04-14
dine WITHOUT NAMING BRYAN
THESE DEMOCRATS, VINO ASKED
HIM TO CONE AND NOT SPEAK.

Another king GeOrge-WoOdrOW VIII
son Says we're Ruled by PersOnal Power
The National Democratic Clubs Jefferson
dinner, which William j, Bryan declined to
attend speechless, passed on at the Hotel
Knickerbooker last night with never
mention OF the Nebraskan's name. Further
more, II there were any Bryan followers
among the 500 diners, their names didn't
appear on the seating list.
The whole thing passed on in apple pie
order, iust as the leaders in the Democratic
Club intended IL should. and no hard words
were spoken about anybody, except always
President Roosevelt. He was lambasted
hard by Senator r. NJ, Simmons OF North
Carolina, who can see in the future, pro-
viding present Executive conditions con-
tinue, the spectre OF old King George
stalking abroad in the land and his in
carnated spirit seated In power in the Whl'e
House
OF course there were references py
President Woodrow Wilson Of Princeton
University and other speakers which
could be- construed by a mild flight OF the
ina Rinntion into a knock on the Peerless
One DR.. Wilson for instance characterized
the Democratic party Of the last twelve
years az the party Of the wilderness, en-
loving the wilderness and cultvahng the
virtues Of the wilderness, following voices
and notions and visions but having no
conception OF principles,
DR.. Wilson conceived the Republican
party to be in a worse condition even than
the Democratic Both were In the hands
Of receivers, and both like the ordinary
bankrupt. had lost their principles,
DR.. Wilson mentioned the name OF Gov.
johnson Of Minnesota in the course OF his
speech, and there was an uproar which
lasted for eeveral minutes. II was the only
real political demonstration Of the evening.
There was another volley Of applause when
President Wilson, upon resuming' re-
marked;
4 paused in the hope and expectation
that you would applaud that man..
John Fox, the president OF the club, who
cast the deciding vote. 20 send Alr, bryan
! ssDeechlessT invitation was prevented
from attending the dinner by sickness,
and Judge Warren W. Foster OF General
Sessions, the vice. president, occupied the
toast tmasters chair DR.. Wilson sat on his
left and United States Senator Robert L.
Owen of Oklahoms-the Senator OF Indian
descent-occupie1 the seat on his right.
Others at the speakers table were Augustus
Van Wyck, D-Cady Herriok. j. Sergeant
Cram, Justice James FitzGerald, ex-Judge
Morgan J. 0'Buen, the Rev. John =. Child
wick, chaplain of the Maine; Comptroller
Metz, President McGowan OF the Board OF
De- nv n vi
! Warfield OF Maryland, United states
Senator William A. Clark, Congressman
William Sulzer, William Lindsay and James
! Fitzgerald, former Mayor OF Boston. A
| place al the speakers table was reserved
| Tor Leader Charles F. Murphy OF Tam
many. but he didn't show up.
Among the other diners were Borough
| President Ahearn John F. Carroll, John d..
! Crimmins, State Chairman William j. Co
ners. State Senator Daniel F. Cohalan,
| Frank j. Farrell, Justice Samuel Green
| baum. Justice Giegerioh, Frank j. Cool
/ win, Francis Burton Harrison, John +,
| McIntvre. Justice Newburger, Thomas NJ,
/ Osborne Of Auburn Justice Platzek, Justice
! Seabury John B. Sexton, Samuel 'nter,,
! myer. John J. Scannell and Richard
| Croker. Jr,
! Toastmaster Foster introduced Presi =
| dent Wilson as q man who was eminentl y
! fitted 10 point out the faults OF the time.
/ DR.. Wilson said in part
sWe hear n great deal Of candidates. and
programmes but very little OF principles.
| said President Wilson. Party lines seemeol
indistingliishable, both parties having turned
! 10 the regulation OF the business OF the
| country, wing with each other In the radl-
cal measures they propose. II was a time
| now 70 stop speaking Of candidates and
! undertake to test measures by principles
! Then he said:
The greater part Of the business Of the
| country has come into the hands of great
corporations and trusts and its new aspects
| unquestionably require adjustments and
: reformulatlons Of the law, which the courts
/ have not had the power or the courage 10
| make and which must therefore be made
! by legislation The mere scale OF business
operations, moreover. has vastly increased
| Comparatively small groups OF men In con-
! trol ~ greet corporations WELD a power
| and control over the wealth and the business
| operations OF the country which makes them
! seem rivals Of the Government itself, Law
! must be strengthened and adapted to keep
| them in curb and TO make them subseryient
4 to the general welfare.
We have in fact turned from legal reeua-
! ton 10 executive regulation, We have turned
| from law TO personal power. Il Is that choice
| which a. Democrats we challenge. aud chsl-
/ lenge with confidence a. opposed to every
I ancient principle OF liberty and OF just gov
I eminent. Have We given up law? Must W
/ fall back on discretionary executive power
| The Government oi the United States was
established 10 gs, rid OF arbitrary. that is,
| discretionary executive power. II We return
| to It we abandon the very principles OF our
| foundation, give up the English aud Ameri-
can experiment, and turn back to discredited
models Of government.
Recent statutes had failed, he said, to
| define and discriminate the transactions
which Il was the purpose OF the Legislature
| TO forbid They had run in vague terms,
! Jumping things permissible with things
| impermissible, interfering with business
without analyZing II or carefully disorlm-
mating its good and bad features. And then
when the results we're unsatisfactory they
had sought to lodge the power TO discrimi.
nate, to permit and forbid In the hands Of
commissions with very extensive discre-
tionary powers. The Sherman act was az
clumsy as II had been ine6ectual, and the
remedy for IL had been TO lodge the power
10 discriminate between what Il should have
forbidden and what Il should have permitted
In the hands Of bodies Of commissioners
appointed by the President
The same principle had resulted in setting
up here and there public service commits.
sions The discretionary opinions Of the
commissioners, not rules Of law, governed
regulation by these public officers. He
added
II this is necessary, government by Law
has broken down and personal government
has been substituted. for one do not be.
lleve that II IL necessary, Neither do | be.
lieve that the American people have con-