The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-11-17
What BRYAN SAYS
ASKS WHY FRIENDSHIP FOR
WILSON IS QUESTIONED
OPPOSES PLANS FOR WAR
Nebraskan Says Policy of President
Means Trouble-Wrong Philoso-
ply is Being Followed-Says Ques-
ton is Not q Party One and He is
Not DiS1oyaJ

-
Not Disloyal.
William Jennings Bryan has issued
another statement in connection with
his attack on President Wilson's pol
icy Of national preparedness. This
pronouncement was intended appar-
emily to show that Mr.. Bryan could
criticise the presidents plan without
properly subjecting himself to the
charge Of being unfriendly to Mr..
Wilson.
According to Mr.. Bryan's state
ment, the presidents appeal at the
Manhattan club celebration, was to
all Americans and not merely to
members Of the Democratic party,
and therefore no party disloyalty
was involved IN criticism by Mr..
Bryan.
Mr.. Bryan argues in his statement
that it is not disloyal for Demo
crat to differ with Democratic pres
ident on a pon-partisan issue and
asks many questions suggesting
that it is proper for the American
people to let the president know
what they think Of his preparedness
program.
Asking What plans have you
made for opposing the presidents
program" the ex-secretary of state
answers.
'I have no plans formulated. /
am doing what I believe it the duty
of every citizen to do How can the
president know what the people think
unless individuals express them
selves. Those who approve of his
plan do not hesitate to express them
selves. Why should those who dis
approve be silent?
seThe editors Of metropolitan news
papers who daily swing incense be-
fore the special interests do not hesi-
tate to express an opinion as to what
the country needs. Why should a
country editor like myself be denied
the privilege? And why should a
Democrats friendship for the presi-
dent be questioned because he diff
fers from the president On an issue
like this, which has nothing in the
history of the country or the party
to commend it?
'9The presidents appeal was not to
members Of his party, but to people
Of all shades of opinions When did
it become unpatriotic for citizen to
differ from a president? When did
it become disloyal for Democrat to
differ from a Democratic president
on an issue which the president de-
clares to be non-partisan?
ttThe president said he would ask
those who differed from him to ex'
z press their opinion. He certainly vii
be the last to complain because his
request is complied, with. A great
many people-no one can definitely
state theSnumber, but they are quite
multitude that we can moi
insure the nation against war b.
adopting the very policy which
brought Europe into war. They be
ieve that it is more reasonable to as
sumo that peace can be promoted be-
tween nations by the same philoso'
ply which promotes peace between
individuals and communities.
1--WE are now spending two hun.
dred and fifty million dollars a year
for preparedness. a great many
think this is enough, and are opposed
to any increase at present. The bur
den Of proof is on those who say that
an increase is necessary, and it vii.
be hard to prove this in view of the
presidents statement that We are not
threatened from any quarter; that
our relations with all nations are
friendly; that everybody knows OF
our capacity for defense, and that
there is no fear among u.s.
Mr.. Bryan's original statement was
given out last week. 1t follows:
81 have read the presidents speech
at New York with sorrow and con-
Germ. He is doing what he believes
to be his duty, and so long as a man
follows his conscience, and judg-
ment, we can not criticise his mo-
tives, but we may be compelled to
dissent from his conclusions. I feel
it my duty to dissent, and, as he has
given his views with clearness and
emphasis, those who differ from him
are under like obligation to express
themselves with equal clearness.
tHe says that his position is differ
ent from that Of the private indi-
vidual in that the private individual
is free to speak his own thoughts and
risk his own opinion. This sentence
is a little obscure. Insofar as he eX-
presses his own opinion, he does not
differ from the private citizen except
that he speaks under sense of Off
cial responsibility, but where a ma
tion's fate is involved in a policy
: every private citizen who loves his
country and tries to serve it is con-
scious of responsibility.
"The president will not assume
that he is more deeply interested in
the welfare Of his country than the
millions: who elected him to be for
the time being their spokesman. And
il, as he evidently believes, he is
giving voice to the opinions of his
countrymen, he is, of course, anxious
to have them as frank with him as he
has been with them-how otherwise
can he know whether he represents
or misrepresents their views?
"He has announced a policy which
has never before been adopted in this
country, and never endorsed by any
party in the country and he has no
way of knowing, until he hears from
the people, whether he has correctly
interpreted the will Of the public.
His appeal is not to any party, but as
he says, TO men of al: shades Of opin-