Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-06-13
BRYAN STILL PEERLESS
He Arouses Much Favorable Sen
timent
Ncbraskan n More Conservative Can
didntc-Many Republicans for
Bryan Against the
Colonel.

script SAYS: Republicans assembling at
Chicago from all parts of the country
are amazed at tho unanimous testimony
from dozen or more States that the
nomination OF William J. Bryan by the
democrats will he prayed for by thou
sands of anti-Eoosevelt republicans, If
by any chance Roosevelt succeeds In de-
feating President Taft The expression
"lf Roosevelt is nominated Will vote
for Bryan If get chance" has been
heard so often and from so many quar-
ters that 1t has become n matter of
general comment here. The politicians
admit themselves puzzled by IT. not that
the sentiment exists. hut that I, should
be so widespread. They have been study
ing the psychology Of the unprecedented
situation in the Republican party and
trying to discover what state Of mind
1t is that is leading so many dyed-in-
the-wool republicans to express their
preference for man of the opposite
party who so conspicuously stands for
what the Republican party does not or
never has stood for since l., has been
intrusted with the affairs Of the coun-
try.
BRYAN SAFER THAN ROOSEVELT
The reason is "A simple one. to my
mind" said prominent Massao husetts
republican to-day. My State IL as solid
~ republican in presidential elections as
state could be and never has elected
n democratic Legislature. Yet firmly
believe that IL Bryan were nominated
against Roosevelt. he would get larger
republican vote in massachusetts,. pro-
port!onat ely speaking. than in any other
State in the country.
The reason is that Roosevelt. with hts
| latter-,lay policies, Is so un-republican
that old-fashoned members OF the party.
like myself. believe Bryan more nearly
represents republican ideas than Roose-
welt lie Is more conservative than
Roosevelt. lie has stood for everything
IA republican did not believe In and Yet
| II the republican national convention
dominates Roosevelt. would turn to
| Bryan as the safer man. with all MS
progressiveness which Roosevelt has
stolen. Bryan Is a strict CONSTITUTIONAL
| list He was an ant-imperialist because
he saw danger to republican institutions
in a colonial policy and he always has
advocated the doctrine that the consti
tuition follows the flag. President Taft
dwelt upon this feature of the ROOse
Welt vapares in his Springfield speech
recently. Bryan las criticised the judi
ciary. but he never has demanded re-
call of decisions. He has fought all his
life for political reforms but he never
has thought 1t necessary to overturn the
constitution to get them. A vote fol
|
from a republican only. would he a pro
test against the nomination OF a fercel
radical than Bryan, but II would In m,
opinion aid In elect1ng a safer man from
all points of view than Colonel Roose
welt"
DEMOCRATS WAITING AND WATCH
ING
That the democrats are alive 10 th'
political strength of Bryan this year anC
would prefer to take no chances will
any other candidate. however popular II
his own party. should Roosevelt win a
} Chicago. is evident In the common re
mark of well-informed democrats whei
questioned as to the possible outcome o
their own convention. They invarabl!
refuse to predict as between Clark
; Wilson. Underwood and Harmon. bu
they never fail to add thai the nomina
tion of Bryan is n possibility, Friends o
Bryan who know OF his affairs say H.
has excellent private reasons for refus
Ing to accept the nomination under an
circumstances. but this knowledge is no
general and the apparent intention q
the democrats 10 hold off their ow
nominations until the republicans hav
chosen is held largely with reference I
the Bryan possibility. Cecil Lyon. tn
Roosevelt leader and republican nationa
committeeman from Texas says althoug
tho Texas democrats instructed TO
Woodrow Wilson. their leaders had tn
hardest kind OF time holding the ran
: and file In line for Wilson against tn
strong Bryan sentiment. Tho real fig
In Texas. he intiMstes. was not betwse
Clark ana Wilson but between Wiiso
and Bryan
+ The persistsncy of the Bryan talk
S quoted by the politicians as fresh Sv
3 dence Of the power the Nebraskan OF
3 tains within his own party and Is take
TO indicate Enthusiastically that althoug
o Bryan himself may not be the nomine,
I the Baltimore convention will not dar
n turn down both OF the sren shown 10 1
. satisfactory to him. namely, Woodro
r Wilson and Champ Clark. The demo
4 Gratis, oddly enough, gossip a little MOI
4 freely than their republican friends wit