The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-10-22
WRITES LETTER To
VIM JENNINGS BRYAN

r. G. Ballard of Gary, candidate for
congress the independent ticket,
formerly one OF w. J. Bryan's most ard
emit supporters, has turned his back on
Bryan, because he wrote Mr.. Bryan a
letter and Mr.. Bryan didn't answer 1t
the way Mr.. ballard thought 1T should
be answered. The letter written to the
Peerless One is as follows:
E. G. Ballard, II. III. Stanton, Ballard
& Stanton, Attorneys at Law, Kahn
Block. Broadway, near Seventh Ave-
nue., Gary, Ind.
Gary, Ind, Dec. 81, 1907.
Hon. w. J. Bryan, Lincoln, Neb., Dear
Sir and Fellow Democrat:
In the fall of 1895 l cast my first
vote for democratic principles because
was fully persuaded that the demo-
cratic party had came back to the
faith of Jefferson and Jackson, and
admired and hailed your success and
efforts at the Chicago convention with
the keenest appreciation and delight,
and as the campaign progressed my
enthusiasm increased as your efforts
equalled in my humble judgment those
of any statesman or any orator ever
produced. In fact, 1 came to glory in
the fact that I was known to every
body in the state Of Indiana, almost,
as a Bryan democrat"
l campaigned over the greater part
of the state under that banner, and
no one felt deeper sorrow or regret in
your defeat than myself.
In 1900 l was again in harness, and
prepared a campaign book for the ma
tional committee that was widely cir
culated by it. and appreciated by many
| of the leaders of democracy through
out the land, among whom were Gov
ernor Altgeld, Willis J. Abbott, Henry
| U. Johnson, George Fred Williams
etc
l have been a consistent and enthus-
iastic democrat ever since, and deeply
| deplored the capture of the last ma
| tional convention by the eastern and
southern traitors to true democratic
principles. The democracy of the peo-
pie was crucifed between the eastern
| and southern aristocracies-the plutoc-
| racy, If you please. The former believ-
ing in white wage slavery and the
| latter, true to their traditional belief
| in black slavery. Naturally sympath-
izing with their eastern brethren, were
! eager to join hands in the ensIavernent
| of the white wage earners Of the land
So Wall street was doubly pleased ir
] the status-it did not matter to then
| whether Roosevelt or Parker won out
hey could not be interfered with.
1 am satisfied that you abhorred the
situation yourself. 1t is needless tt
relate that the thousands of true demo.
| Gratis were forced to enter a protest
it was all that they could do. And ii
was a protest such as the people OF
this country had not beheId since the
| election of Abraham Lincoln. If il
taught any lesson, it certainly indi.
Gated that the people-the real democ-
racy-cannot be fooled into voting fol
anybody and anything under the party
emblem.
1t takes more than that these day.
| to interest the honest voter
Our defeats in 1895 and 1900 wer,
largely due to the work of traitor.
in our own party, men who professeC
| to be democrats but who did not be
lieve in the principles of Jefferson
Jackson, Bryan nor the platforms O.
| our party. They were the same peopl.
who captured the last national con
vention and again led the old part!
to defeat-ignominous and disgracefu
defeat for they were in the saddl,
and directing the pretended fight. 1
can hardly be called in common hon
esty a real battle.
Our differences with these peopl,
was fundamental, they did not merel,
dislike the ratio of 16 to /; they die
not like any other plank in our plat