The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-02-03
BRYAN WOULD STEP ASIDE Willing to Support Any
 One. HE HELD NO CONFERENCE Declares He is in Hands of Denver
 Convention. 'In rh,s Respect The Nebraskan Say. His Views Have Not Chahsed
 From His First An- aouneement.
nY ALFnEp sToFER.


 Washington, Feb. 2.-(Special. )---As is generally well known. MT. Bryan spent most of the week here. and while | in Washington he met scores of the most prominent Democrats In Con- gress. as we'll as a number of leading party men from various sections of the country.
 As previously mentioned in these dis patches MT. Bryan did not come to Washington with a view of attending formal conference such as certain newspapers in this part of the country insisted had been arranged for the spe- cial purpose of talking over his csndi. dacy for tho Presidency. Indeed, in several of these publications an at- tempt was made to create the impres. sion that a poll of Congress had been made and such a large percentage of the Democrats were opposed to the nomination of Mir. Bryan that some of the most prominent men in the party had determined to take the bull by the horns, and request the Nebraskan for the sake of harmony, and in order to have a show for winning the next great battle, to eliminate himself.
 It was stated that the belief was growing stronger day by day that if Mir. Bryan would step aside and per- init the nomination of Judge Cray of Delaware. Governor Johnson of Min esota, Senator Cu1berson of Texas. ex- Attorney General Judson Harmon of Ohio or Governor Folk of Missouri, Democratic chances would be greatly improved.
 At GPidiroa Dinner.
 Primarily Mfr. Bryan came to Wash ingtont his time for the purpose of be- ing a guest of the famous Gridiron Club at it's twenty-third annual din- ner. He had hoped to be present at the December dinner but on that same evening the Democrats of the West had gotten up a large dinner sn his honor at Omaha. and he had promived to at- tend inst and could not possibly break the enERRement R 6g-a
 Six weeks ahead inavranging his kravafsf si.Ir.ss ysryan spIa asea ts be here ors January 2s. and nxed his dates for speeches in Tennessee and Alabama 90 that he cowId finish down there in tinle to reach washinktsn the day, of the 6sriAiron Club dinner @
 The night sfter his arrival and when the air was full of rumors that con-. ference of this sort was certainly to be held, The Advertiser cogresnnndent had a half hours private conversation with Mir. Bryan at the New Willard Hotel He was highly amused at the stories that had been printed to the efeact thst he would be called upon by leading Democrats to eliminate himself from the contest remarkinR that ft was news to him # any such movement was on foot There was no necessity. he let it he known. for any such move nnent. if Democrats had read carefully the statements regarding his position which he had taken pains |" have pub' lished in his own paper. The Common CT. which had been sent broadcast over the. United States, and which had been reiterated by him in numerous speech es. Before reaching WashinRton Mir. Bryan said that he had not had line by mail or wire from any Democrat requesting conference with him on the subject of his candidacy for the Presidency. or the remotest suggestion that there was dissatisfaction with ms position, or that any number of Dem- ocrats thought he should step aside and give some other Democrat the right 10 contest for the nomination..
 Mir. Bryan wishes it to be distinctly understood that he stands just where he did when he made his announce. ment to the effect that he was willing to accept any other nomination 1T the Democrats of the country think that ne is the most available candidate. IT thev do not think so all they have to do is to get together at Denver and give emphasis to that belief by select ing some one majority. Cor rather two" thirds. as required in Democratic na- tional conventional. think would be stronger man before the people and likely to poll enough votes to bring about the defeat of the Republicans thls year.
 In Hands of Friends.
 Tn other words. it is evident to any
 nn the afh- iect that MT. Bryan is in the hands Of his friends and admirers. If they think he should be nominated and vote that way in the Denver convention he ia willing to make another fight. If they nrefer somebody else all they have 0ot to do is to say so, and that Will settle the matter. His contention IS that the majority should rule, and from bis manner. when converstng on the s,'btect he does not impress his listen CTS as being determined 70 try tue FOIo of political boss. ,
 Navy of the Democratic Congress r,a,, xyi,o have been heard to express opinions of late say that it should DC borne in mind tbat while MT oFyan was travelling around the worId-Ine journey requiring nearly one year to ventIons in the various sections of the limited States passed resolutions Sin- dorsinr the Nebraskan for the Presi- dency and demanding that he should accent another nomination this year. And while he was abroad any number of prominent Democrats who did not support Mir Bryan in 1896 came out in public interviews or in speeches at notable gatherings in which they de- clared they believed him to be the stron9est man that could be nominated this year, and at the same time an- nouncinE that they would cheerfully support him.
 Mir. Bryan's friends sllude to these marked changes in his favor with the greatest satisfaction, and they say they would have his opponents bear in mind also that the list includes three diStin- guished men who were members of the cabinet of President Grover Cleveland during his last term, viz: Governor Hoke Smith of Georgia; ex-Govetnor David R. Francis of Missouri and ex- Attorney General Judson Harmon of Ohio. M F. Ingalls, of Ohio, and for mer Governor James F. Campbell Of the same state did not support Mr.