Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-21
Characteristic Letter From
Thomas w. Lawson.
NEBRASKAN'S OPPORTUNITY
Asked to Retire in Favor of Gov
Johnson.
SPIRIT OF SELF-sACRIFICE
Defeat of the Republican Candidate
Possible Only in Nominating
Anybody But the Peerless.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
BOSTON, Mass, June 2O.-In a letter TO
Bryan, mailed today, Thomas w. Lawson
says:
In Chicago Thursday the farce which
has been incubating since the OCTOBER
panic birthed a tragedy-what Will be a
tragedy to the American people unless
something is done to prevent it.
1.-THE time picked out to heap upon the
American people this GROWING mockery
comes. by fates irony, after four years
Of revelations of private and public cor
ruption on a scale beyond any recorded
by history, uncovering to the world multi
milionaires taking to themselves the last
penny of their neighbors' scanty savings;
lawmakers, law administrators and states
men bowling to every whim of system OF
vast power and incredible baseness:
judges bench besmirching their ermine
with brides: revelations of political and
financial violations Of trust unparalleled
for extent and audacity.
Eat the bidding of the man in whom
America placed her trust to root out rot
tenness which caused it. and with an in
science which would cause the Roman
squirt. Claudius, to turn in his grave.
planned to cram, and did cram. down the
threats of the millions Of republicans
court favorite. And this from Theodore
Roosevelt.
Roosevelt's Efforts But Talk.
when we last talked we agreed that
Roosevelt's efforts up to date had beer
but talk. You maintained ne would pass
into history as word-doer. while held his
words were but the way-cleare:s for
deeds. You are right. 1 visionary ass,
for it is now history that the sum total
of ROosevelt's work was but to put the
people in better condition for the same old
seats in the galley cars.
IF the aroused feelings of the American
people are ch)ked off by the supes io-
scheming of this man whom they Lave
lifted to a dictatorship SO supreme that
he has just chosen his successor. there
will come an explosion the length, breadth
and depth of which no man can predict.
1T has happened that you are the Only
man in this country today who car give
the American people the power to undo the
evil wrought to every republican by the
act of Roosevelt and his henchmen, and
it is to appeal to you to do this great
thing for the people that / wrote you.
Unless the democratic convention nom
mates man other than yourself, and
yet a man whom every voter will know
has the full Bryan strength, the insult
attempted by he republican convention
will become real. and we will have r
President for the next four years who is
acceptable to the system.
Cannot Elect Bryan.
Owing to a peculiar combination of
conditions and after a thorough canvass
Of the entire country. it will be impos-
sible in my opinion for you to be elected
now.
eff you say the word to your party 1t
will nominate Gov. johnson. If you will
then accept in the spirit of Self-sacri-
ficing patriot the nomination of Vice
President this one act of yours will not
only wipe out the insult put upon the peo-
pie Thursday, but will bring about such
a revival of hope in the breasts of the
people that in another year they will elect
an overwhelming majority of members of
Congress who will be in full accord with
the policies which you and Gov. Johnson
will formulate.
THE republican party in the coming
election will spend unlimited sums of
money which the system will willingly
furnish.
THE democratic party, to insure sue
cess. should have large amount of
money to properly arouse and educate the
people everywhere to the real issues and
/ will personally raise from among the
people the sum of S5OOHO to defray the
expenses of the campaign of Gov john
son and yourself, and if this be not suffi-
cient l will personally add another $780,
co.,