The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-09-13
By WILLIS ]. ABBOT.

Special 20 The Washington Herald.
st. Paul. Mimi. Sept. l2-It has seemed
remarkable. almost inexplicable. to one
who has attended public gatherings. and
particularly conservation congresses for
years past, to neither hear the voice Of
Mr.. William J. Bryan nor even any dis
cussion Of him. I was told that Mi.
Bryan had not been invited. This was
denied by the secretary OF the congress.
But Mr.. Bryan has not been here, nor
has anybody spoken for him on either
the question of conservation or Of poll
ties. ollie James was here, though his
purpose was to attend the meeting at
Minneapolis OF the Ballinger- Pinchot
in the slightest degree departed from his
long time admiration for Mr.. Bryan. No
body who knew him thought he could.
But about the hotel corridors, talking
with men from Texas and from wash
lngton. from Maine and from Colorado.
found a general feeling that the Bryan
influence was decidedly waning.
Strong in Minnesota.
Perhaps the most striking. and to me
the most unexpected expression to the
contrary. came from Frank A. Day. who
Will be remembered as the earnest sup
porter of Gov. Johnson. for the last Presi-
Dental nomination. as against Mr.. Bryan
and who is to-day chairman Of the Dem
ocratic committee
Don't make any mistake" said Mr.
Day. Mr.. Bryan is to-day the strong
est man in the Democratic party, and
no Democrat can be nominated and
elected without his influence. His ire
mendous popularity rivals that of Roose-
welt, and he is the only man who can
rival Roosevelt with The people. Here
in Minnesota he is. 1 should say.
stronger than he ever was, because his
only possible rival In the affections Of
our people, former Gov. John A. John
son. has gone to the other world. He
can have what he wishes from Minnesota
Democrats at any time"
Texans Against Bryan.
On the other hand. a delegate to the
convention from Texas. man Of high
standing and influence in that State, in
sisted that what power Bryan had had
there had been lost l asked him why,
and he told me he was one Of the most
enthusiastic OF the Bryan supporters IN
1896 lukewarm supporter in 1900, and
that while he had cast his vote FOR Mr..
Bryan in 1908, # was perfunctory vote.
because he was in the habit Of voting
the Democratic ticket. He declared that
while he could not himself explain the
attitude OF the Texans to-day, he felt it
was largely due TO Mr. Bryan's chang
ing Of issues and principles. and par
ticularly TO his compromise with certain
politicians who were put upon the ma
tional committee not by him, but who
might have been kept of the committed
by him.
Il cannot understand" said he. why
he should have made so strenuous a
fight upon James NJ. Guffey, OF Penn
sylvania. and still have come 10 terms
with Roger Sullivan, Of Illinois. All that
could be charged against Guffey. except
the name of Standard OIL, could have
been charged against Sullivan More
than was ever alleged against Gufrey was
alleged against Sullivan when Mr.. Bryan
called him train robber.' Yet Bryan
with equal power in the two cases threw
Guffey off the committee and not merely
left Sullivan on, but made the latter