Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-11
Lest We Forget.

Il viii be remembered that Mr.. Bryan
earnestly supported Mr.. Parker in 1901. yet
was unfortunately unable TO win all Bryan
democrats" TO vote for Parker. World.
Herald.
II the World-Herald wants to be
classed among Bryan democrats" Il
would be discreet to refrain from
referring to the glorious chapter which
narrates how earnestly Mr.. Bryan sup
ported Judge Parker in 1904. Fortu.
nately, or unfortunately, we still have
access to the historic account OF the
self-sacrifcing efforts which Colonel
Bryan put forth TO achieve democratic
victory in the only campaign in six
teen years that he was not it's
standard bearer. Here are the salient
extracts which always make entertain
ing reading:
Mr.. Bryan. all the winter, spring and
summer, had been d%enouncing Judge
Parker as a dishonest candidate. running
on a dishonest platform"
And then he had come home from st.
Louis. sat down at his desk and the first
Wv NANA hN WAbN1 NIANH \ AA9A WV
for Parker and Davis
When the conventions were over and the
campaign committees appointed. the fu-
sionists found that 1t was a difficult thing
to make a campaign in Nebraska.
The chairman Of the democratic state
committee, a brother-in-law to Bryan, came
to Mr., Tibbles, declaring that he repre-
sented Mr.. Bryan, and was speaking in
Mr.. Bryan's name. and made the following
proposition:
II Mr.. Tibbles would spend most Of his
time out OF the state during the campaign
and let the Independent This paper) sup
port the fusion ticket, Mr.. Bryan on his
part would agree to go TO Arizona or
Colorado and get sick. He would continue
to keep sick until the close Of the cam
paign, so sick that he would not be able
to make any political speeches at all. An
exception was made in regard to Indiana.
1t was said that Mr.. Bryan had promised
to make three speeches in Indiana in sup
port of his old personal friend who was
running for governor in that state, but
II was further stipulated that these three
speeches should not be political speeches.
but repetitions OF Mr.. Bryan's lecture on
Ideals"
Mr.. Bryan went to ARIZONA and sent
home a letter saying that he was worse
and would not be able to deliver any
political speeches during the campaign,
That letter was printed in the Lincoln
daily papers and was shown to Mr.. ,Tibbles
as proof that Mr.. Bryan wal keeping his
contract.
Tit chairman of the democratic state
committee went to New York, saw Parker,
Sheehan, Belmont, Tom Taggart and the
rest Of the band of financial and political
pirates. He came home with money for
campaign expenses. Then Mr.. Bryan hired
Ia special train and started out speech
making in Nebraska and other states. The
surprising rapidity with which his lung
healed has never been equaled in all the
history of medicine. But when the votes
were counted 1t was learned that wher-
ever Mr.. Bryan spoke, a tidal wave Of
republican votes followed him, although he
pleaded with his hearers to be regular"
Oh, yes, "Mr. Bryan earnestly sup
ported Judge Parker in 1904" and 1t
was simply his misfortune hat he was
unable to win all Bryan democrats"
to vote for Parker.
N. B. Quotation is from Mr.. Tib-
bles' article contributed to Tom Wat
sons magazine shortly after the event,
when the details were still fresh in his
memory.