Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-05
NOT TO BUY BRYAN
PopuIist Editor Tells of Money
Sent to Nebraska in 1904.
USED ON BERGE EDITION
Special Issue Printed for the State
Campaign.
STATEMENT BY T. H. TIBBLES
Declares Bryan Freely and Loyalty
Supported Parker - Nebraska
Leader Challenges Accusers.
USED ON BERGE EDITION
BY T. H. T1BBLES

OMAHA. Neb.. June 3.-Some light is
thrown upon the disposition of the now
famous $4,000 campaign fund said to
have been raised in New York in 1904 and
spent in the Nebraska campaign by
statement Just given out by Thomas ii.
Tibbles. the popuist nominee for Vice
President in 1904.
AT that time Mr.. Tibbles was editor of
the Independent at Lincoln and Mr..
Bryans Commoner. was printed by the
independent plant. Bryan's editorial desk
was in the Independent office. Mr.. lib
bles says:
Il know right where 81. 900 of that New
York fund went. IT went into a special
edition of $500 copies of the Independent,
which was gotten out for the purpose of
eiecting George W. Berge for governor.
The entire paper was given up to his cam
didacy in that edition. The independent
was populst and Berge was the illusion
candidate for governor This amount
was. handed us by Tom Allen. James c.
Dahlman and Col. John G. Maher. and
they secured the funds from the demo-
crntie national committee on a trip which
they made to New York.
Il do not know what. became of the
other $1,000. but I know positively the
disposition of that 5000
Il also know something about that
charge that the S1JOOD was sent to Ne
braska TO get Bryan to support Parker.
The day after Bryan returned from the
ST. Louis convention he dropped into the
Independent office: he sat down at his
desk and began writing an editorial The
first words were 4 shall support Parker
We put that editorial in type and ran it
i'll the Commoner the following week. All
that was done long before there was any
talk of needing money in the Nebraska
election. and should dispose of the ridicu-
lous talk about Bryan being paid to sup
port Parker
Bryan Asserts Ignorance.
LINCOLN, Neb., June 3.-In state
ment given to the Associated Press. Will
liam J. Bryan replied to an article appear
ing week ago in a New York newspaper
charging that Mr.. Bryan was the bene-
ffciary of campaign contribution made
by Thomas F. Ryan. Mr.. Bryan says:
Il have just read the story charging that
my brother-in-law. Mr.. Allen, chairman of
the democratic state committee. had a
conference with Mr.. Sheehan in 1904 in
regard to campaign funds; that Mr.. Shee-
han. as Mr.. Ryan's attorney, secured
from the latter $4,000 for the Nebraska
campaign: that Mr.. Ryan made the con-
tribution to secure my open and UNI
qualified support of Judge Parker: that
to disguise the source of the contribution
Mr.. Ryan gave the check to Mr.. Shee-
han and that Mr.. Sheehan gave his check
to Mr.. Allen. >. -a
Chairman Allen and Mr. Dahlman. Ne
braska member of the national democratic
committee. have already denied the
charges and stated that the only money
received came from the national commit
tee. but / desire to add the following
statement:
"Mr. Allen says that he never saw either
Mr.. Shceban or Mr.. Ryan. and / have no
reason to doubt his word. If Mr.. Ryan
contributed to the Nebraska campaign it
was without my knowledge or consent.
; Willing to Refund if Paid.
while 1 had but a remote per-
sonal interest in the Nebraska campaign
that year. I am interested in Nebraska
politics, and am also interested in national
politics. am not willing to be, in the
slightest degree. obligated to any favor
seeking corporation.
IF, therefore, the newspaper in ques-
ton will secure from either Mr.. Sheenan
or Mr.. Ryan a statement, or prove in any
other way that Mr.. Ryan gave to Mr..
Sheehan, to any ono else, or to the ma
tfonal committee any sum whatever, with
the understanding that the sum would be
used in the Nebraska campaign, l shall
see that the amount is returned to Mr.
Ryan.
As to the charge that my support Of
Judge Parker was purchased. I need only
say that l announced my support Of
Judge Parker Immediately after the ST.
Louis convention. and that support was
open and unqualified from the convention
until the polls closed. l had opposed his
nomination. but he had no more loyal
supporter during the campaign. was
in correspondence with him; and both on
the stump and with my pen rendered all
ho let