Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-09-28
MIR. BRYANs REPLY.

With all the famed powers OF bis elo'
quence, Mr.. Bryan at Milwaukee on
Saturday night leyeled st President
Roosevelt ole Of the most scathing phil
ippic that ever marked president ]
campaign.
Taking up Mr.. Roossvelts recent let
ter to him, Mr. Bryan met sill the
charges therein in their order, proved
that the president had built up a struc.
ture OF words without facts whereon TO
base it, swept aside as impairment and
ridiculous the insinastions against his
own sincerity, referred the whole Has
kelI mater to the courts, where it can
be settled without partisan bias, tainted
his opponent fer lodging a question
abont campaign contributions, and then,
In two measured paragraphs, fairly
scathing in their scorn and denuncla-
ton, told Mr.. Roosevelt that he has vio-
lated the trust OF the nation and has
prosiituted his great Office in his own
selfish aud partisan desires.
Mr.. Bryan speaks Of the election OF
Mr.. Haskell as governor of Oklahoms,
and says that "the constitution YVES
adopted and Gov. Haskell was elected
in spite of the efforts Of your sdministrs-
ton and in spite of the speech made In
Oklahoma by Mr.. Taft"
Mr. Bryan in his condemnation of the
president travels Ia the highest paths
of elcquence and invective, bringing
Inc chief magistrate squarely betors the
bsr OF public opinion to answer for mis-
use of the sacred trust and powers vest
ed in him. Here is one of bis para
graphs:
Following this, Bryan turns 10 ridi-
cule and speaking Of his own aspirations,
says:
al am sAnguine enough to believe that
if entrusted With power | would be able
to make my administration so successful
that the members of my party could,
without interference from me, select the
one mo t worthy 10 carry on the
work begun by me, 80 successful that 1t
would not be necessary for me to defend
in bulletins or pronunciamentos. L
,hink | could in this way give to the
members of the opposite party as we'll as
to members of my own party square
deal.'
Another affair taken up In the Bryan
reply to Roosevelt is the quotation made
by Mr.. Roosevelt from a speech by
Governor Hughes, attacking the demo-
cratic plank on trusts. Mr.. Bryan
points out that Governor Hughes can
hardly be accepted as an unbiased au-
tborlty upon such subject, since his
own campaign fund included contribu-
tons as Flows: From J. p. Morgan,
500, 900; j. d. Rockefeller, So, 900; An
drew Carnegie, $4,000; CHARLES M.
Schwab, $4,000; John W. Gates, 81, 900;
E. W. Corey, $4,000.
Pursuing this subject further, Mr..
Bryan says that as the president quotes
Gov. Hughes he takes it for granted
that Judge Taft has not expressed him
self satisfactorily on the trust question.
Mr.. Bryan charges, among other
things, that the steel trust, "with your
express consent" purchased one of its
largest rivals and thus obtained control
of more than 80 per cent of tie total
output. He asks the president If he will
insist "thst in permitting this you showed
less favor 10 the monOpolistic corpora
tious than | do in opposing them"
Mr.. Bryan also takes Issue on the
"morsl uplift" question, and sssails the
president for taking advantage Of his
official position to rush Tait's candidacy
for the nomination. Among other things
Mr.. Bryan ssys:
81 might question your ability to act as
an expert as TO panic preventiyes, since
you now have one on your hands.
care you willing to say that any public
interest was served 10 1904 by concealing
until after election the contributions
made to the republican campaign fund 7
81 dare to compare my efforts for the
moral uplift Of the nation with his
(Taf's) efforts, my deeds with his deeds,
auu IuS pOllCiCo w WhlOu 4 OH SOhnih
ted, and more than that, if l may as
sumo that he will follow in your foot.
steps, dare to compare my ideal of the
presidency with his. / do not regard il
as proper for the president to use bis
prestige, his influence or his patronage
to aid one member of his party as
against another who aspires 10 Office,
and regard it as violation Of the OBJ
legation that the president owes to the
whole people 10 use an Cffice that be-
longs 10 the whole people as a party
asset for the advancement of a personal
friend and political prOtege."
81 believe | would be able TO make my
administration so successful that II
would not he necessary for me 10 defend
it in bulletin or pronunciamentos."
Finally, he issues a challenge 10 the
republicans to publish all their cam
paigu contribut ons before election.
Mr.. Bryan telegraphed the reply to
President Roosevelt Saturday night, pay.
ing the charges from his own pocket.