The New York herald., 1921-09-27
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BRYAN AND WILSON AT BALTIMORE IN 1912
Close Friend Of the Former Denies the Correctness of Statements
in McCombs Memoirs.
70 sAs Editor q The New York r.m<s:


TO the Editor Of The Hcp York Times:
In recent editorial article. Bryan
IN Baltimore" you refer to the install
n'ent OF Mr.. McCombs's Memoirs IN
which he relates an alleged conversation
between hlmself and william Jennings
Bryan purporting to have taken place
during the 1912 Democratic Convention.
lie makes Mr.. Bryan say to him that
Wilson cannot be nominated" and to
suggest that he, McConibs~ turn his
forces to some progressive. naming him
self.
You state, in your article that unlcss
Mr.. McCombs can be impcached. or the
matter In soma way cleared. the issu&
raised Is one which the future biQsxSx
pher OF Mr.. Bryan cannot ignorsk8y
are correct. but fortunateIxx&9 kstSS6Y
necessary to delay this fsae Nat
important work. I d#4t t6ertake
to speculate upon>.e |4eaye5k for the
McCombs statex yaShly say 1t is
untrue. Asd sesSe6f men who were
closelXa Bryah's councils at
th0aG pSN that having no such
r. he. Of course. had no such con-
AZ ktion. and I. for one. am In POSI-
le7tp to say with absolute certainty that
5Sfis statement attributed to Mr.. Nc
Combs Is entirely without foundation.
Mr.. Bryan at no time sought or desired
that nomination. He persistently dis
couraged the suggestion by friends who
urged that 1t was appropriate and logi-
cal, and absolutely refused to consider It.
have enjoyed an intimately friendly
relation with him and his confidence
since 1906. the year prior to his first
nomination. He has been many times q
visitor at my home. and has done me
the honor freely 10 discuss with me
throughout these years Intervening. such
personal interest as he has had in party
affairs and incidentally his estimate Of
tho character, fitness and availability OF
other party leaders. Several months be-
fore the Baltimore convention. on an
occasion when he was a guest OF niine
in Dallas. Texas. while referring to the
apparent prospect that there would be a
split In the Republican Party that year.
and the probability that whoever the
Democrats nominated would be elected.
urged that he permit his friends to CO.
operate with hin, in the matter oNprSan-
izing in the interests of his no ii;satlon.
/ pointed out that in 1906 tho &dSeland
detection had defeated him. thaA II. 1900
the war with Spain and RoAseNelt's
popularity had made his electiont in4os-
sible, and that since he had threA tNlcs
led the forlorn, hope with unparalleled
force and brilliancy no was entitled 70
the then opportunityfso become PreAf-
dent. !.
His reply was charAs,Aastic of ting
patriot that he is. We VpdNalone. ana
turning to me he said: N~
q 1t does not matter so rntxASysTssAs n oids
tho offices. The importaSN vi seS ill d;
we secure the reforms for Il sstraa
lpbored. and we arc securing tuaT ysSsN Nln,ss'
year both parties will pS%:sfAt
trusts: this year both paz<t5es ~ sE|
for election OF United States asssSya
direct vote OF the
cecded to name>~other n M Nj
emphaStzing sach Of them and the fsEes.. -.
h%rpcolleey1Sly. We tNSawc in that cons
yS.eatiethat hoSsd eNsither expect
q VIII to be nomR sFRX the ap-
proAk,ing conventionAA~ ~
&Accded him byNsS&E lays Ic&
lB3tiMdrc and saw iIin,A sx M y in
ply Of his NoflSw and
MAH,$ 6pc orStw6 other csfiNcnds,
upon his arrival Xfhc Bel
Aedcre HotGA urged agaWfthc same
Mpws above %etaiicd. statbg that. as
Nav tho Situation. onf hird of the
,Meratcs came to work ~ his ncn,ina-