Omaha daily bee., 1908-05-16
MR. RRr1Ns MoRAL Rlsk.


people with much confidence of that
brand, a confidence that threatens to
be rudely Jared by the developments
OF the pending effort on his part to Sc
cure the necessary two-thirds vote of
the delegates to the national demo-
cratic convention to be held at Denver
in July.
While the country has been led to
believe that Bryan's nomination at
Denver is a foregone conclusion, there
are some indications that this may not
be the case and, if 1t finally so results,
that the accomplishment of the end
has been secured by concessions on Mr..
Bryan's part that are in direct vari-
ance with his oft-reiterated claim to
the possession of unalterable moral
convictions on political issues. 1t has
not yet been made clear what interests
are behind the candidacy of Governor
Johnson of Minnesota, or Judge Gray
of Delaware, or behind the agitation
for uninstructed delegations from the
south and east, but it has been made
clear that Mr.. Bryan has been suffi-
ciently perturbed by this opposition to
make most humiliating concessions to
some of the democratic leaders whom
he formerly denounced in most scath-
ing terms. He has always bitterly op-
posed the element of democracy led by
Colonel Guffy of Pennsylvania, but
just at this time he is making most
persuasive overtures for terms by
which the Keystone delegates will give
him their votes at Denver. Appar-
emily and ostensibly opposed to Tam
many and all that organization rep
resents in politics, il is known that
Mr.. Bryan and his agents have been
assiduously busy in New York in an
effort to dull the opposition of "Fingy''
Conners, Murphy, Big Tim" Sullivan
and other members-to quote Mr..
Bryan's Omaha organ-of "the old
Parker gang that aided in betraying
the democratic party in 1904"
The compact by which Mr.. Bryan
agreed to admit Roger Sullivan to the
council of the leaders in the Denver
ante-convention plans is an apt illus
tration of the changed attitude of the
Nebraskan toward former opponents
in his party. Mr.. Bryan denounced
Sullivan at st. Louis and, in July,
1905, wrote this concerning him:
Mr. sullivan's presence on the committee
contradicts all that we can say in the
party's behalf His corporate connections
would harm the party far beyond his power
to aid the organization. but this could be
left to some future convention to deal with
IL he were actually the choice Of the demo-
Gratis of Illinois. The fact however, that
he holds his office by fraud and against
the express wishes of a majority of the
state convention makes 1t impossible for
honest democrats to associate with him as
a member OF the committee. If he
refuses to resign and thus puts his ambi-
tion or his business before the party's sue
cess the sooner he is elected from the COM
mittee the better.
The Illinois democrats, in state con.
vention, refused to comply with Mr.
Bryan's demand for the reputation OF
Roger Sullivan and, on September 13
1906, Mr.. Bryan issued statement
from his home at Lincoln, in which he
said of Roger Sullivan:
He is officially connected with a favor
seeking, Misunderstanding corporation, and
the question is whether the democratic or
ganizatlon should be paralyzed by the in.
fluence of men whose private interests
make it impossible for them to be guardi
ans of the public.
Roger Sullivan has not changed
He is still connected with the same
corporations he was when he was de
nounced by Mr.. Bryan as a menace t.
the democratic party. Friends o
Bryan and Sullivan have had confer
ences and no effort is now made t
conceal the fact that Bryan and Sulli
van are working in harmony. Sullivan
is to lead the delegation with fifty-fou
Bryan votes from Illinois to the ma
tional convention at Denver and ha
even been prominently mentioned as
running mate of Bryan on the nationa
democratic ticket.
The nomination of Mr.. Bryan, due t
the aid of Sullivan, Guffy and "the oil
Parker gang" is certain to cause vot
crs to wonder what has happened I
the supremacy of the moral idea whic
has been kept so persistently in tn
limelight in the Nebraskans forme
campaigns for the nomination. Guffy
Sullivan, Murphy, Conners and Parke
have not changed. Is it possible tina
Mr.. Bryan has been converted and /
going into the next fight under ne,
flag?