People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1896-10-01
CALIFORNIA FOR BRYAN.
Charley WEIGH Writes Us a Letter Showing
the Status Of Affairs There.

looked that way last month when the
Republicans had a rally at this place
Southern California is normally Re
publican by safe majority. But thi'
year the gold plank of the ST. Loui;
platform has caused quite a shaking
up of dry bones among the rank anC
ole Of the McKinleyites. These
premOnitiOns of serious seismic dis
turbanceS within the party ever
reached as far as San Francisco, SCI
miles distant. Something had to bt
done with out delay,
A grand rally to be held at Lo;
Angeles was advertised throughout
The country. Excursions were arrang
ed for at cheap rates. 1t was particu
larly emphasized that San francisco
would contribute special train load
OF shOuters, composed principally Of
the Oakland Alliance. a Republican
club.
The day for the Republican 'love
feast" arrived. So did the excur-
SiOnistS and the special train from the
north. The latter had a private car
attachment for the benefit of G. F.
Croker vice PRESIDENT Of the South
ern Pacific, and his friends.
The Oakland Alliance is a marching
club, composed Of 125 gilded dudes,
finely dressed in gaudy uniforms
which affected a style much in vogue
IN NapOleonic times. They we're &C.
companied by the United States
Army band from San Francisco, and
a contingent Of San Francisco spell
binders. These were well calculated
80 awe into submission even the most
Obtuse.
Los Angeles is city Of about u.s.
900. At night everybody turned out
to see the procession. The United
States Army band and the Oakland
Alliance composed the parade.
Marks crowd has not yet given an
explanation Of why they did not
have procession a couple miles in
length, such as there was when
Bryan'S nomination was ratified.
But what there was of it was a mag
nlficent spectacle. The Alliances
snowy uniforms we're made even more
50 under the electric lights, and their
graceful and intricate evOlutiOns were
executed with clOck-like precision.
They were the admiration of every
one. As an exhibition Of the unlin-
tied resources Of "Hanna's Darrell
and the marvellous love (?) of the G. o.
p. for the working man it was a dis
tinct and unqualified success!
After the street performances were
over, Hazards Pavilion, with seat
capacity Of over 5000, was chock-full
OF people. And great overflow
meeting was also held.
The first speaker to uncork some of
the imported San Francisco enthus-
iasm was the Hon. Sam Shortridge,
asilVer man up to last spring, and an
aspirant for the seat of Senator Per.
klns. With rich and mellow voice,
heard distinctly throughout the vast
audience, he alleged great deal
about the historical glOries of the Re-
publican party. He finally, however,
got down to the present campaign.
AS though by design, he at first
avoided any direct reference to Mr..
Bryan, although with certain affec.
tatlOn, commented freely on his utter.
ances. But he soon forgot himself
and the name William Jennings
Bryan came tumbling out in the mid.
Ole OF a Sentence-and that is as far
as he ever got With that sentence.
The cheering Of McKinley's name had
been frequent and perfunctory, but at
The first mention Of Bryan's name
there was a great wave Of applause
which spread to hearty half the i'm.
mense concourse Of people, and was
continued, The overflow meeting
was even mUre demonstrative.
This spontaneous tribute to the
next president Of the United States
50 distracted Hanna's cohorts that
they became nearly bereft of reason.
They made the silly charge that the
meeting had been packed for the pur.
pose, and the Infamous one, that
those who cheered Brysn's name
'were anarchists" and should have
been thrown out of the pavilion
bodily.
This expensive effort Of the bosses,
to chuck down the Threats of the sill
yer Republicans the gold standard,
completely collapsed, and fell with
cold, sickening thud, whose reverber-
atiOns will resound with increasing
odistinctness throughout this section
OF the country to the very day of
election.
They came, they saw, but they did
not conquer.