The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1908-05-28
WASHINGTON LETTER
The Influence TryinS to Defeai
Bryan Pointed Out.

Washing ton Star, the most widely
circulated newspaper nj the capita
and a publication which has neyel
J been accused OF being streDuously
pro-Bfyan, has this to say regarding
: the question OF instructed delegates
; to Denver The star quoted the
men who are appealing for unin-
structed delegations as saying that
their request Is not anti-Bryan not
formulated for or against any man.
And then the Washington editor goes
on TO express these incontrovertible
facts:
"As matter Of fact, however,
those who hold this strain are mas
queradine. Their request is formu-
lated against a particular man. and
that man Is Mr.. Bryan. =
They are going TO the convention
with the object OF beating him in
view, and the more uuinstructed del
egates there are the better their
chances Of success will be. In vain
viii they spread their nets In the
sight OF any instructed delegate.
Moreover, as Mr.. Bryan probably
sees, the fight against him at Denver
will be directed by New York mon.
eyed interests and they work only in
one way their wonders to perform.
A nomination made by The influence
OF money would have to be supported
In the campaign by the same inhu-
ence, and that would make success at
the polls impossible. Mr.. Bryan
himself though bound to support the
ticket would be so heavily handi-
capped that his value as a stumper
would be reduced to the minimum. "
There is much In this editorial
from an ultra -c0nser vative paper
which Is absolutely true. In Wash
ington during the last week when
men OF political prominence from all
parts OF the country have been pres
ent, there has been an army of anti
Bryan agitators nearly all hailing
from New York and all lavishly pro.
vided With funds for entertaining
purposes. The anti-Bryan campaign,
IKE the Parker cam paign, is financed
In wall street, and the same men are
conducting this one as did the former
one And yet no Roadway is being
made, no state that might fairly be
regarded as friendly to Mr.. Bryan
and to progressive democracy has
been lost to either. The ridiculous
claim that all uninstructed delepa.
tons are anti-Bryan delegations is
one not to be considerd for mo-
ment by any intelligent observer of
politics. At the same time the de-
mand OF the loyal and sincere friends
OF Mr.. Bryan that all delegations
should be instructed Is iustIfiable
ana proper one. The state that does
not instruct viii be claimed. whether
justly or unjustly, by his foes The
state that instructs is on record and
the whole nation win know where
lts public men stand.
one OF the most interesting figures
In Washington during the past week |
has been John Mitchell, long time
president of the United Mine Work |
ers OF America. Somebody started
the story that Mr.. Mitchell might he |
the candidate for vice president on
the ticket with Mr.. Bryan. | talked |
with MIR, Mitchell on this subject,
Out II was necessary for me to do
most OF the talking, Since the
famous anthracite strike of 1902. I |
nave had the pleasure of knowing Mr..
well. He is not much of n
balker' A wonderfully competent
executive, he keeps his own counsel /
ind is as silent man as public life
1as often seen. He did say, however.
20 me when | asked about his politi Il
'al Affiliations that while he admired
resident Roosevelt for the many
'ood things he bad done In the cause
ma Tor the benefit of labor, he was
himself democrat and had been all II
lis life.
Ihere has been much talk concern.
ny the possibility of Mitchell as a
Ice presidential nominee. No man
the labor movement stands biobe,
han he. Few men who have occa.
lon to Eight labor's battles have
cen able to conduct their campaigns
nd at the same time retain the
'iendship and the respect of what
9 may call the employing class.
MS John Mitchell has always been
Die to do. Today he holds no Office +
the labor organizations, maintain.
u himself by his work for news
aper In Indianapolis which he con.
OILS. IL Is characteristic OF the man
lat when the United Mine Workers
America offered him upon his 70.
rement pension which almost
lualled his salary, he declined II
wing that IL lie was not to work no
served no pay. There Is n feel;nc
n0ng the labor Daanl.. A..