3
APRIL 26, 1912
The Commoner.
Mr. Bryan's New York Interview
Special from a New York World staff corres
pondent: Chicago, April 7. It requires only a
few minutes' conversation to convince one that
William Jennings Bryan, thrice democratic can
didate for the presidency, still retains many of
the ideas that overnight won him a conspicuous
place in political history sixteen years ago. Be
fore three of the ninety-seven minutes during
which a World correspondent talked with him
on Thursday night had passed Mr. Bryan re
vealed his determination to insist upon the
adoption of a "progressive" platform and the.
nomination of a candidate in sympathy with
its provisions at the Baltimore convention.
Of personal ambition, aside from leading this
battle against the "reactionary" forces within
his party, Mr. Bryan seems to entertain none
at present as far as the presidency is concerned.
"What in your opinion, Mr. Bryan, will most
conduce to the success of the democratic party
during the coming presidential campaign?"
DEMOCRATIC AND PROGRESSIVE
"The one prime essential is that the demo
cratic party shall be democratic. By that I
mean that it shall live up to the standard that
It has raised before the people and fulfill the
hopes that it has excited. The democratic party
has led in the sixteen-year fight against the
corporate domination of politics. For more
than one-half of that time it had scarcely any
assistance from 'the republican leaders. Seven
or eight years ago Senator La Pollette, the
pioneer reformer in the republican party,
began to organize a progressive force in that
party. Mr. Roosevelt during his second term
gave some encouragement to the movement, but
the chief growth of insurgency in the republi
can party has occurred during, the last four
years.
"At the present time it is difficult to measure
-accurately the progressive strength in the re
publican party, but it is probable that if it could
find free expression at the primaries it would
be found to be a dominant sentiment. Its ex
pression is not free, however, for two reasons.
First, because the presidential-preference pri
maries are not held in many of the states, and,
second, because the reform sentiment is now
divided between Senator La Follette and Mr.
Roosevelt. If it were concentrated on one man
it might be able to control the republican con
vention but for the southern contingent in the
convention, which does not represent any senti
ment, progressive or otherwise it simply rep
resets what money or patronage can purchase.
""The third term objection to Mr. Roosevelt
very materially lessens his ability to represent
progressive sentiment. If ho had taken up the
cause of Senator La Follette or some other
representative leader of the progressive repub
licans and worked .as hard for 'him as he is now
working for himself Mr. Roosevelt could have
compelled the nomination of that leader at
least that is my opinion."
"What element of the republican party do
you think will control in the Chicago conven
tion?" GAY.ETY AT CHICAGO
"I do not care to express an opinion on that
point. I am not fond of making predictions.
It seems quite certain that Mr. Taft will have
anore votes than any other man whose name
is presented; but it is still possible that Sena
tor La Follette and Mr. Roosevelt together may
control the convention.
"However, there are indications that thero
may be two conventions. This attempt on the
part of Mr. Taft and Mr. Roosevelt to have con
testing delegations looks like two conventions
were possible; in that case it is hard for an
outsider to fix a limit for the gayety of the week
that the convention meets."
"What about the democratic situation?"
"I have purposely considered the republican
situation first, because democratic opportunity
may be very materially affected by the results
of the republican convention. With nine-tenths
of the democratic party progressive, an,d nearly
If not quite one-half of the republican party
progressive, the necessity for nominating a
democrat who is progressive ought to be ap
parent to any one. In fact, it is so apparent
that no democrat is an aspirant for the demo
cratic nomination as an avowed reactionary.
Even Governor Harmon is being urged ontiroly
on the ground that he is a progressive all his
literature is addressed to the progressives. Tho
democratic progressives would bo willing to pay
a liberal reward for any literaturo sent out by
his campaign managers appealing to tho reac
tionaries. This is the tribute that Wall street
pays to progressives."
"Do you care to discuss tho relative merits
of tho gentlemen who aro candidates for tho
democratic nomination?"
GOVERNOR WILSON OR SPEAKER CLARK
"No, I have studiously avoided expressing
any opinion regarding tho relative availability
of the two gentlemen who seem to bo dividing
public attention Goyornor Wilson jind Speaker
Clark. I have avoided expressing" any prefer
ence as. between those two gentlemen" for sev
eral reasons. Tho first is that I am not clear
in my own mind as to which of them would bo
able to poll tho larger vote, and a good deal
may depend upon the action of the republican
convention that is, the course of the conven
tion may affect the relative availability of these
two candidates and I would like to have all tho
light I can get before expressing any opinion
regarding either Governor Wilson or Speaker
Clark.
"In the second place, I am anxious to render
any assistance I can in keeping the progressive
forces together so that they can act unitedly
against the reactionaries. I think I can have
more influence In this respect if I observe a
strict neutrality between them.
"And then, again, I desire to help whichover
one seems to be tho strongost in any particular
state in tho fight against tho reactionaries. I
would not hesitate to help Governor Wilson in
one state and Speaker Clark in another if I
were satisfied that the weaker one wag injur
ing the progressive cause. In my own state
we have an unfortunate situation. Wilson,
Clark and Harmon aro all candidates at tho
primaries, and the division between tho pro
gressives may enable tho Harmon force to se
cure the instructions even though Harmon
might have less than one-half tho voto in that
state the remainder being divided between
Wilson and Clark.
"If I could be satisfied that either Wilson or
Clark was so far behind tho other as to bo
clearly a menace to tho success of tho progres
sives, I would not hesitate to support tho
stronger man in that state, reserving tho right
to give the opposite advice in any other state
where conditions were reversed.
WON'T BE DELEGATE IF NEBRASKA '
INSTRUCTS FOR HARMON
"I am a candidate for delegate-at-large from
Nebraska. If elected, and the state Instructs
for either Wilson or Clark, I shall be glad to
carry out instructions. That, however, would
not Indicate any personal preference between
the two gentlemen.
"If, however, tho party in my state instructs
for Mr. Harmon, I shall resign, for I am not
willing to participate in his nomination or that
of any other reactionary. I am not willing that
Mr. Harmon's friends In Nebraska shbuld con
trol my action and prevent my discharging what
I regard as an imperative duty to the progres
sives of the nation. My resignation will allow
instructions to bo carried out by some ono else
who can execute them in both the spirit and
the letter.
"I believe In the primary law, and I believe
in it so firmly that I think no man should be
a delegate who can not givo voico to tho wishes
of the people, as expressed at the primary.
"It must be remembered, however, that
under our Nebraska law a plurality controls,
and instructions might be given by less than
one-half of the voters the progressives being
divided. In which case the delegates in carry
ing out the instructions would be enabling a
reactionary minority fcto override a progressive
majority."
"The newspapers announce that Mr. Harmon
Is going to speak in your state?"
"Yes, and they alsp ought to announce that
Nebraska is the only western state in which
Mr. Harmon Is making a fight, and there would
be no more Harmon sentiment in Nebraska than
in any other western state In fact, there would
be less but for the fact that tho liquor in
terests are attempting to use him to punish me
for refusing to go into partnomhlp with them
two years ago." ,
"You speak of not being a delegate if Mr.
Harmon gets tho instructions from your ntatc;
does that moan that you will not attend tho
convention?"
BUT WILL GO TO CONVENTION TO FIOIIT
"No, It doosn't mean any such thing. I ex
pect to attend tho convention, whether I go an
a delegato or not. My chief biiHlnosa In poll
tics during my remaining yours will bo to servo
the people with whom I have co-labored sinco
I entered national politics. If I can bo of any
sorvico to them at this timo in preventing tho
nomination of a reactionary and In securing
tho nomination of a real progrouslve, my ser
vices aro at tho disposal, of tho party. I shall
do what I can to sccuro tho nomination of any
progressive who is shown to be tho choice of
the progressives of tho party."
"Thoro have been a number of othor men
mentioned for tho presidency besides Governor
Wilson and Speaker Clark. Would you regard
Mayor Gaynor of New York as available?"
"Yes, I included him in a list I published
nomo months ago, and see no reason for chang
ing my views on the subject. Judgo Gaynor
has been an active supporter of tho ticket in all
tho campaigns In which I have been a candldato
not only a supporter of tho ticket but of tho
party platform. Ho has boon one of tho com
paratively few prominent democrats In Now
York who have boldly stood for our party at
all timos, beginning in 189G."
"Is thero not a danger that tho reactionary
forces may secure an ndvantago by putting
forward 'favorite sons' as a means of getting
control of tho delegates?"
"Yes, thero is always that danger, and wo
must rely upon tho progressives of each stato
to see to it that the delegates themselves aro
trust-worthy. Instructions are not sufliclent for
tho protection of tho public, although I havo
also believed in instructions. Instructions do
not generally cover platforms, nor do they bind
tho delegates beyond the candidato Instructed
for. I believe that delegates ought to reflect
tho sentiments of tho people for whom they
act. If New York is progressive, her delegates
should bo progressive and at all times stand for
a progressive platform and for progressive can
didates. If New York is reactionary, thoro is
no reason why her delegates should not bo re
actionary. I can say this without fear of hurt
ing tho progressive cause, for tho reactionaries
aro not likely to elect progressive delegates, al
though progressives arc sometimes mislead into
electing reactionary delegates."
"Do you regard tho action of tho national
committee In seating James M. Guffey of
Pennsylvania as tho committeeman oD that stato
as indicating a reactionary tendency of its
members?"
REFORM CAMPAIGN BY PRESENT NA
TIONAL COMMITTEE A FARCE
"Yes. While several members of tho com
mittee might explain the votes in such a way
as to relieve themselves of tho charge of being
reactionary, I think tho bulk of the men who
voted for Mr. Guffoy did so because they aro
tarred with tho sarao stick. Our campaign
will bo greatly embarrassed unless there is a
complete regeneration of the committee. A re
form campaign led by the committee as it
now stands would be a good deal of a farco.
But It is only fair to assume that the personnel
will be considerably changed if the progressives
control the convention, as I think they will."
"Have you anything to say about tho under
' taking! and achievements of the democratic
house of representatives?"
"Measured by what o republican congress
would have done, 'our democratic house haa
made a splendid record. It haa a number of
very important measures to its credit. Tho
submission of the amendment for tho popular
election of United States senators Is Its most
Important act, although it has erred in not
devising some plan for bringing tho senate and
house together on the proposition. The resolu
tion is now In conference; it would be a great
mistake to adjourn without acting upon It.
"The admission of Arizona wqb a most credit
able act, and the house actpd wisely in adding a
provision for. a change in tlie constitution of
,New Mexico, whlph conferred a gret benefit
, on the people of that state.
"The bill providing for the publicity as to
.campaign contributions before election was an
other splendid measure, and I hopo that before
, adjournment the doctrine of publicity will be