The Washington times., 1924-07-10
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! BIJS|N
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Davis Interpretation OF the
Platform Will Reveal Atti-
tude, Commoner Adds
BY WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN.
Written Especially for The Washington
Times.

BY WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN.
Written Especially for The Washington
Times
NEW YORK, July 10.-Mr.
Davis, the Democratic candidate
for President, has made his first
appeal to the nation. It is in the
form of statement given to the
press Immediately after his NOM
ination.
Speaking of the obligations that
have fallen on him as a candi-
date, he says: "Not least Of these
is the duty to put before the coun-
try as clearly as my powers per-
nit the Democratic creed and the
Democratic policy, as the conven-
ton has declared them. That this
creed and this policy will receive
the militant support Of all those
who call themselves by the Demo-
cratic name, l do not doubt for
an instant. I shall hope to rally
to their aid that great body OF
liberal, progressive. and independ-
emit thought which believes that
progress is motion, government is
action, which detests privilege in
whatever form, and which does not
wish the American people or their
government to stand still or re-
treat in the. midst of a changing
world. There can be no comprO-
mise with reaction. Liberal prin-
ciples must and will prevail. This
Is the mandate Of the hour and !
shall obey it."
Platform Views His Own.
It is a clear, candid, and EN-.
phatic statement Of the real issde
that underlies all the surface. De
mocracy versus plutocracy Is he
way of stating the issue; equal rights
versus privilege is another wey Of
putting it.
Mr.. Davis has taken the Der."-
cratic platform, which is an I'm
eQualled application of democratic
principles to present conditions and
offered it to the nation as an EN-.
bodiment of his own views. His i'll
depreciation of it from time to tine
will more fully reveal his own att.
tude on these overshadowing ques'
tons. The slogan, There can he
no compromise with reaction" Will
challenge attention.
The nomiation Of Governor Bryan
for Vice President Is due to the TACT
that Mr.. Davis desired q running
mate taken from the West. He also
wanted a man in harmony with the
sentiment of the West.
BY one of those accidents that
continue to happen in politics, Coz
ernor Bryan fitted into the picture,
He lives in the West and Is in har.
mony with the sentiment OF that
section.
Rests on Own Record.
Nebraska is the very center u
agricultural unrest, above 1t are the
two Dakotas, east of 1t are Mime
Gotta, Iowa, and Missouri, south nj
It are Kansas and Oklahoma, west
Of it the mountain States.
He was elected governor two years
ego by $4,000 majority. His record
CT economy, law enforcement, and
proposed reforms will strengthen the
ticket, as that record becomes
known. I will be pardoned for say
ing in his behalf that his career
rests upon his own record.
He is six years younger than my
self and my only living brother.
Twenty.eight years ago this fall.
after my first campaign, I put him
in charge of my correspondence,
which was at that time very heavy.
In handling this correspondence, he
became acquainted with the public
men throughout the United States
and with political issues.
Since that time, he has been as.
ISOLATED with me in all my political
work, and has aided in securing
four constitutional amendments and
numerous statutory reforms.
When l esta blished the Commoner
in January, 1901, he became the
publisher of it, leaving to ME only
the editorial work. AS his interest
in public affairs increased, he took
up municipal questions, and under
the initiative and referendum, in.
stituted reforms. He has carried
through propositions at popular
elections with vote that has run
as high as eleven to one.
Succeeded as Commissioner.
He was elected mayor in a Re.
publican city and after an interim
was elected a second time, but u
majority of the city commissioners
being unfriendly to his program,
he was made street commissioner
instead of receiving the office to
which the people intended to elect
him.
As street commissioner, he pro-
posed and carried through a meas.
ure for the establishment of q
municipal coal yard, saving the
people something like $15O,O0O on
their coal bills during the winter,
when the court, upon a technical.
ity, decided that the charter did
not specifically authorize a mu.
nicipal coal yard, he proposed an
amendment to the charter and
carried it through ut a popular
election by over ten to one.