The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1908-01-17
w. ]. BRYAN HITS BACK

united STATES SENATOR, UitS DICK dt TIE
unkind and unjust things said about
him by the editor OF the Ocala Banner.
namely: that he, Bryan. on his ap-
p0intment by Governor Broward to
going to make the people Of my state
the best senator any state ever had;
also. Some day I shall be the oldest
senator"
The Banner prints Senator Bryan's
reply. which we reproduce that all OF
our readers may see and read the
same The Star, when 1t saw the al
legged interview in the New York World
and the Jacksonville Times Union,
felt confident that Mr.. Bryan had new
er spoken the words attributed to him.
a. we thought he was too wise a man
to say such things. When we read the
account we were prepared to say that
any man. old or young. who could give
expression to SO egOtistical state
ment was born fool and had no place
In the United States senate, and at
the time the Star said 1t could not
believe Mr.. Bryan made such a state
ment We were satisfied that Governor
to be guilty OF so grave an offense
against the people Of this common
wealth to make any such an unjust
appointment.
But we present the letter and Edi-
tor Harris comment and, just like him
Ia matters Of this kind. he is TT" and
the other fellow is init"
Senator w. J. Bryan's Open Letter
q Washington, d. c., Jan. IA. 1908.
Hon. Frank Harris, Editor Ocala Ban
ner, Ocala, Fla:
n Dear Sir-I write you the following
open letter because l do not know you
we'll enough, personally to know
whether you would have the fairness
to publish the same in your paper or
fair And widely copied comment on
my incorrectly quoted statements, that
you may not do So
On this date have seen for the first
time. a copy Of recent editorial in
the Ocala Banner upon my appoint
naent to the United States senate by
Governor Broward, and especially
colnmenting upo ntwO supposed state
ments Of mine. Your editorial credits
inc with saying as follows:
4 am going to make the people Of
my state the best senator any, state
ever had; also. 'Some day I shall
{ be the oldest senator"
A did not make either Of these two
/ Statements. could not have said.
without an unimaginable change OF my
nature. Any such silly or senseless
things. What I did say was I was
tolng to do my beat devote every
. power and faculty Of body and mind.
- msling the state Of Florida as good
q senator as 1t was in my power; that
4 tbs question Of age was a mere Incl
dent and It was just a question Of time
before ! would be as old as anybody.
II had nothing to say about being the
best senator ever seen, or becoming
the Oldest senator.
These statements were corrected by
mo In interviews in Pensacola on or
about the LIST of January. and in all
the Tampa daily papers on or about
the I'd OF January. and in at least six
Hcrehern papers since then.
You state that you have seen no
contraSiction or denial. I do not know
when your editorial was published. but
( e published since those dates the rea-
soA that yot did not see them must
ha6a been that you did not want to
rs them.
In the course Of your editorial you
use the words young" fresh" youth
fhl" seven times. Apparently. there
fuEA your objection to me Is because
H any youthfulness, or freshness" as
yuu. In that wise way Of yours. so
6AAracteristic. define it.
You state $50 far as we know and
sUo tar As we are aware" 1 have never
slade any great speech or made any
tbrukound contribution to any newspa-
szDsrs or periodicals on any Of the vex-
L3a9 questions of absorbing problems
- the day. 1t is we'll that you make
8 frequent use Of such expressions as
40 far as we know" and so far as
We are aware" because in this same
editorial. this profound contribution
o( yours. In which you make such fire.
quent and unpleasant reference to
ma my youthfulness and braggadocio,
yUa display the crudest, commonest,
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