Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-04
HITS FROM THE SHOULDER
Makes First Front-Door Speech of
the Campaign.
CELEBRATES DAY AT FAIRV1EW
Addresses Delegation From the Key.
stone State on It's Way to the
Denver Convention.

TAAnN1C NeD, July 4. - w. D.
Bryan celebrated Independence day at
Fairview. his home. and made the first
front porch" speech of the campaign.
Mayor Tom L. johnson of Cleveland
was in conference with Mr.. Bryan when a
delegation from the Bryan Democratic
League of Pennsylvania arrived. There
were more than score of delegates rep
resenting the anti-Guffey wing of the par
ty. In all there were 1Os persons in the
party, several of them being women.
National Committeeman Guffey came in
for scoring at the hands of Mr.. Bryan.
Mr.. Johnson and James Kerr. Guffey was
charged with betraying the will Of the
people. Mr.. Bryan said In part:
1T is very appropriate that the Penn
sylvania delegation should come here for
the Fourth of July. for the Fourth Of
July was made memorable by the signing
of the Declaration of Independence in the
keystone state.
1T is also appropriate that you should
be the first delegation that has come as
delegation on its way to Denver. CAP
plause). For in no state in this Union
have the democrats who believed in the
principles that now dominate the demo-
cratic party, in no state have the demo-
Gratis. believing in these principles. made
Pennsylvania. (Applause.)
IF 1 properly understand the signs of
the times the Overshadowing issue in this
campaign will not be one of the issues
that arise from time to time presenting an
economic question. The overshadowing is
sue is one that pervades all these ques-
tions. 1t Is simply this: Shall the people
run their own government? Shall the
masses be exploited by those who are
raised to power by predatory corpora rations?
(Applause.)
Against Political Boss
Let the people rule is going to be one
of the slogans in this campaign. AS the
convention is about to assemble and the
platform is about to be written and its
nominees named. it Is appropriate that-tf,e
Pennsylvania democrats should be the
first to stop here and give their pledge
that in that convention Pennsylvania
influence will be thrown against the polit-
ical boss and the corporation in politics.
Great applause.) You will bear me wit
ness that the twelve years during which I
have been In national politics I have
avoided interference with the politics of
the various states. Even in my own state
l have never taken part in the aspira tons
or In the controversies for nominations. l
have never expressed an opinion as to
which democrat should be nominated for
an Office. Even when delegates are Sc
lected and instructed for me do not take
part In the naming of those delegates. l
have abstained scrupulously from taking
part In those controversies between ind
viduals. and I have done 1t for a reason.
l believe in the right of each community
to attend to its own business. I believe
that the people of the community know
better what they want done than any out
side person can know. And the only rea-
son why I expressed an opinion In your
state is that Mr.. Guffey. your present ma
tional committeeman. who aspires to
be committeeman again, deliberately and
willfully conspired to defeat what he
knew to be the expressed will of the dem
ocrats of Pennsylvania. Applause)
You have primary law in your state
under which the voter has right to Sc
lect the delegates to the national conven-
ton.
Those who favored my nomination or
ganized for the purpose of presenting that
issue to the voters in every district they
put up their candidates and these cand-
it was written upon the ticke. that was
presented to the voter at the polls. and as
result of that primary a large majority
of the voters in the democratic party in
the state Of Pennsylvania expressed their
desire that I should be nominated and re-
corded themselves in favor of the dele
gates who promised to go there and favor
my nomination. 1t is not for me to say
whether those democrats were wise or
foolish, but If I understand what democ-
racy means those men are the ones to de-
termne what Pennsylvania shall say on
that subject, and when a political boss,
whether he calls himself a democrat or a
republican, assumes to defy the expressed
will Of his party he shall never be in the
party organization except over my pro-
test. Great applause.)
Guffey Notified.
And as I have tried to be honest in
politics. I have notified Mr.. Guffey that
wherever my opinion has been asked
have stated that 1 would regard his selec-
ton as unfortunate and his membership
upon the committee as an embarra ss-
ment.
Now. my friends, l shall not discuss
| the question further. 1 am not new in
| for some time. have taken the people
into my confidence ever since have been
| in politics. l have discussed questions
frankly Nobody is in doubt as to what
believe or where l stand, and when
while did not know whether I ought to
| be nominated not, if the people said
| that they thought I ought to be NOM
mated / would take it for granted that
| they meant what they said. and when
they nominated me they wanted to elect
me- and that no bushwhacker would be
put into my counsels to betray me. Great
applause)
And the man who thinks that my
election would be injurious to this country
| ought not to participate In that injury by
helping to elect me through organization
prefer me to other candidates. but as
soon as he believes that my election would
not be for the good Of the country or as
soon as he cannot put his heart into 1t and