Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1909-05-15
CLARK SPEAKS or sRVAN.

/ Inc SAVANNAH News OF AuNfeoat
speaks edltoriaIly OF Congressman
Frank Clark and Hon. William Ien.
nings Bryan as follows:
ION his return % Washington from
Tallahassee. where he addressed the
House IN response 90 a resolution
criticising him for his attack upon
Mr. Bryan IN a speech IN Congress
on the tariff question. Representative
CLARK Of Florida declared that Mr..
Bryan was down and out as the Dem
ocratic leader. and that he would vel.
come that issue IN his campaign for
reelection next year
There Is no particular reason why
Mr.. Clark should be particularly dis
turbed by threats Of opposition I'm
his district because Of his refusal to
recognize Er. rryan's leadership. o.
course Mr. Bryan has many friends
in Florida as he has in all other
States. but all the signs indicate that
his leadership OF his party is in
name rather than In fact. The real
leaders Of the Democratic party are
not counting upon Mr.. Bryan TO rem.
der any further service Of cOnse-
qnence. In fact. they are not consid-
ering him In connection with the
Presidential nomination in 1912. n
they were. Il would be right and prop
er TO respond 60 his wishes and take
account OF his views In all party mat.
tiers. That the party isn't doing. Il
Is true that there are Democratic Con.
gressmen who consult him respecting
questions that come before Congress,
but the number. from all accounts.
isn't large. He isn't having much
70 say respecting the pending tariff
bills, though now and then he has
something to say about tariff princi.
pies In a general way.
1T isn't known OF course whether
Mr.. Bryan will be a candidate for the
Presidential nomination Of his party
I'm 1912. and he doesn't know himself
II he sees a chance TO get the nOmi-
nation there Is no doubt that be will
make the most Of H. n he should !
get the nomination again he would |
have the distinction OF being nOml.
mated for President oftener than any
other man. He might regard that |
worth having and working |
for. But the leaders OF the Demo |
cratic party are not going to risk |
losing another Presidential election |
simply TO crafty Mr.. Bryan's ambI-
tiOa to be nominated for President
oftener than any other man.
Representative Clark Is OF the
opinion that he could be REELECTED to
Congress even though Mr. Bryan
should canvass his district against
him. lie knows his district pretty
well and he undoubtedly feels safe
in challenging Mr.. Bryan TO try 10
defeat him.
The friends 81 Mr.. Clark In Florida
have no feeling OF hostility to Mr..
Bryan. They simply feel that he can
not be elected President. and that
therefore he shouldn't complicate the
situation by maintaining an attitude
OF willingness 90 accept another
nomination. They think he should |
state frankly that he gives up tho
leadership so that Democrats oouil
seek another leader.
My Bryan isn't going 10 Florida 90
make a canvass against Mr.. Clark |
In fact there Is no good reason for |
thinking that he would care 20 bring |
about Mr. C!ark's defeat, even II he
could. aud Il H. pIr,Jy certain that |
he couldn't even II be wanted 90. u /
Is a safe statement that bis influence |
with Democrats Is steadily declining