Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-02-16
SULLIVAN is MILD
IN BRYAN ANSWER
Refers to Secretary of State s
Idea of Official Dig
nifty.

Chicago. Ill, Feb. 16.-Roger c. Sui
Ivan, candidate for the democratic
nomination for United States senator,
made his reply Saturday 10 the attack
upon him by William ]. Bryan in the
columns of the Commoner. Mr.. Sulli-
vans answer is a denial of Secretary
Bryan's right TO interfere in the Illi-
nois senatorial fight and a reminder
that he gladly accepted Sullivan's aid
in the campaign of 1908. No direct at
tack is made upon Secretary Bryan
in the Sullivan statement, but there
is a reference to his career as a chau-
tauqua lecturer and an intimation
that he was responsible in the past for
democratic defeats.
The statement follows:
Il have refrained from comment on
MIR Bryan's editorial in the Commoner
until / ascertained the authorship OF
that article. Today I received con-
firrnatory night message.
IF democrat in Illinois has not the
right 10 announce himself as a candi-
date in his home state without the
sanction of Mr.. Bryan who has more
than once and without success. under
taken to control the democratic party
in Illinois, then my candidacy is 'un-
thinkable-not otherwise.
"In reference TO his statement that
I do not rise to the dignity of the
Office: In the last of the campaigns in
which Mr.. Bryan rode the democratic
party. including the candidates the
candidates for congress. to defeat, l
was OF sufficient Importance and rose
TO sufficient dignity after his nomina-
tion to sit in the council of the party
at his solicitation and request ! may
say further. he willingly permitted me
TO finance the campaign in his behalf I
and he rendered me his grateful I
thanks for my efforts
In passing l may say Mr.. Bryan's {
conception OF the dignity of an Office 1
has been so frequently commented 1
upon by the public press in the past |
nine months that l am willing to let /
the public judge whether he is a cap /
able critic OF that subject
since 1908 Mr.. Bryan has had no .
in which / was directly .
OF Indirectly involved. The basis OF
his comment IS therefore a matter OF
The people of Illinois,
believe. are well acquainted with me
and know me as favOrably as the oc-
,asion requires. Perhaps Mr.. Bryan
will make his charges specific.
i aus a candidate for United States
senator under new conditions, which
have deliberately chosen TO face.
MY candidacy will be submitted 10
he Illinois democracy in a statewide
lirect primary. After that primary
ny candidacy viii be submitted to all
ne voters of the state. / confidently
wait the verdict OF the people"
There was a marked contrast be-
ween the Sullivan statement and those
which he issued in 1906. when he and
Bryan were fighting each other. This
1as explained by Sullivan's friends as
,eing due to his desire not to add 10
he embarrassment which has been
aused to the national administration
y Bryan's attack upon Sullivan. {
Mr.. Sullivan and his friends declare I
hat they are entirely satisfied with S
he situation that has resulted from I
be Bryan editorial as II has served to
how that the national administration v
isapproves OF any interference by I
utsiders in the Illinois fight The n
from the White house that b
ne president believes that the I'LL q
ois democrats should settle their own h
lestions was particularly pleasing to
ie Sullivan mer. n
Some Significance vas seen in the /,
that Governor Dunno
I'D his wife had accepted an invita- \
on 20 be guests OF Secretary Bryan
I'D his wife next week Governor
unne. however. has insisted that he
as not interfering in the senatorial
yht and declared that his visit to
ryan would have no political signif-
nee.