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The Commoner
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4
'HrK
yOLUMB;7, NUMBER 32
.
A Chapter in Nebraska Politics
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Til rough tho courtesy of tho Omaha Boo
The Commonor is permitted to reproduce tho
fno simile of a letter together with an editorial
which appeared in tho Bee of August 14, 1907.
Tho Bee is a republican newspaper, but it
protests against tho misrepresentation of Mr.
Bryan by those who seok to make it appear that
ho bolted tho democratic tioket in 1892.
Mr. Bryan does not deem it necessary that,
his democracy bo protected from tho attacks of
tho Now York World, but the Bee's editorial' ,
and fac simile are reproduced on this page in
recognition of tho graceful act of a Nebraska
nowspapor that is not in sympathy with Mr.
Bryan pblitically, as well as for tho purpose ot
challenging tho good faith of the New York ''
World when it made this charge against Mr. '
Bryan and inviting the World to reproduce the
Boyd letter as printed in the Beo together -with
the'Boo's editorial.
it may be 'explained that Governor Boyd
wfoto two letters to Nebraska, democrats,, one
under date of October 17, 1892, and one under
date of November 4, 1892. The first letter 'was
sent to a limited number of leaders; the second
letter, which the Bee reproduces, was more wide-"
ly circulated and was issued. at a late hour in
the hope that it would not become public .
property. .
',. It may also be explained that Governor
Boyd was what was once known as -fa gold dem-
ocrat.'7 And in 1900 the republican newspapers '.
printed an interview with Governor Boyd in1t
which he declared in "favor of Mr'. McKinley.'s
election, .ao it win do seen mm. me bu-uuuwu..
"Nebraska "boltf "of 1892" was -operated" through. -a
gentleman to whom the .New York World
would point as a model democrat rather than
through the one whom tho World has so often
sought to brand "a Wild-eyed populist." That
"bolt" originated with tho democratic national
committee when it was composed of men, whose
domocracy was vouched for by the New York
Wdrld:
'
A A CHAPTER IN NEBRASKA POLITICS
..
The Beo is not politically aligned with Wil-
Warn Jennings Bryan,' but for the truth of! his?
tory it volunteers the evidence to" exculpatehim '
from an old charge which is being revamped
anew. In a pungent editorial, entitled, "Tho
Source of Bryanism," the New York World un-'
dertakes to support its assertion that Bryanism
is traceable to populism by charging Mr. Bryan
with having helped in 1892 to arrange a form of
fusion between Nebraska democrats and popu
lists by which tho bulk of tho democratic vote
was cast for Weaver, Cleveland polling fewer
than 25,000 in a total of 200,000. For Mr.
Bryan The Commoner enters denial, particularly
to that part of the World's charge that would
lead people to believe that Mr. Bryan bolted tho
democratic ticket in 1892. The Commoner goes
oh to say:
"It is truo that a largo number of demo
cratic votes were cast for General Weaver, but
this was done in the hope of keeping Nebraska
out of the republican column in that year. The
plan was not arranged by Mr. Bryan. It was
arranged by the democratic national committee
and for the benefit of Mr. Cleveland. The plan
was communicated to tho democrats in a 'con
fidential letter written by the late Governor
James E. Boyd, under date of October. 17, 1892;
In that letter Governor Boyd asked democrats
to vote for tho Weaver 'electors, saying that ho-
f BOYD'S HISTORIC LETTER.
i . . .
LINCOLN, NEB., NOV. 4th, 1892.;' ;w"r
.. ' vV-DEA-R SIR:.
. ,.- It affords me pleasure jto.: "inform Vou"' t
that I have been personally, authorized'! by'".
'; " . the National Ooraraittee of the DemocratioA??
..V,-.'. party -W large the democrats bf Nebraska $1m
:$'
; ; -
'.t? support "the electors nominated by-, -fi
. ,' the "Independent party in this state--the-2$i
9?
, (.
object being to so increase the vote f oiI?8
Si
M'
, - oi; the Weaver electors that thb'Be nominate :',I;'
i - 'QjiJjJi
'T ' '
rn c 4n behalf of Harrison shall be defeated;
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- 'and this state -taken out of ita ftnmmt.hniAfl 'i
t ;v lace in the republican column. . . .y., riW
- ' ; To do this is no sacrifice of demooral
- principles "inasmuch as the object is the1' Tk
" . wi j-wmu vji -J,QiilUi ttUJf CfcilU. UU9 U.UWIJU UJL JL OS' ;v
republicanism and the -vicious, polioies ' -
V-.Vlftiich it advocates.
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. :vr . In Nebraska, a vote for, Weaver and -pTei fi '"'
v '
.?e.r&&atfv
is more, than half a vote, for Cleveland andi
vw,,
..,x Stevenson. ,. ,..t ,.-,, . -.'-cjsHSm;
r:Hs J, -. .Hoping .for, your co-operation, I remairi''
,;m Yours in the good cause, . : r.: &&:
f ,i wit. ?-.
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mad-the request at the instance of the demo- committeeman for Nehraska. Governor '-Boyd's
cratio national committee, and ho assured Ne- confidential letter was in the hands oi the re-
hraska democrats that this 'would be 'a definite publican national committeeman before it
step toward victory and the ultimate triumph reached the democrats for whom it was lntend-
of Cleveland and Stevenson and the principles ed, and by prompt and judicious work to coun-
they represented.' " teract its effect Nebraska was carried for tho
The. Bee presents herewith a facsimile of republican ticket and its electoral vote cast for
the "confidential letter" referred to, which is Benjamin Harrison.
practically self-explanatory. That tho demo-
In following out the directions given in the
'cratic scheme to sidetrack the electoral vote of Boyd letter in 1892 Mr. Bryan simply proved
iNeorasKa 10 weaver was irustrated was due his devotion and loyalty to the Groyer Cleveland
largely to this paper and its then editor, who democracy, from which he had not then been
was at the same time the republican national weaned. Omaha Bee. -j
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