Bridgeton pioneer., 1896-08-20
WHOLE NO. 25l2:
THE FIRST GUN,
a Peculiar Mass Meeting at the Local
Taesday Night Opens the
~ L~Camaaipn

Taesday Night Opens the
~ Campaign.
The Bryan and Sewall. w atson ratifica-
ton meeting Tuesday night, at the Opera
house, was peculiar one. 1t was first
advertised as a Democratic meeting.
Ihen Populist Leader John Lippincott
got into it, and it became genuine Popo.
crat or DemopOp mass meeting,
Ihere were about six hundred people-
present, among them being many Re.
pubhcans, who had gone out of curiosity ).
to hear the speakers.
The City Band played a good many
tunes before the distinguished people ar
riveo, they being late in reaching the
nall Finally they came, and there was
sign of awakening upon the part of the
audience. .-..--
AS the gentleman appeared upon the,
platform it was evident that there was a
fusion of the Silver Democrats and the
disciples of Coxey.
Editor Gwynne, of the Chronicle, who
does not believe in free coinage and never
did, sat along side of Senator Bill Daily,
the Hudson county statesman. Next
him sat Populist candidate for Congress,
! John T. Wright, accompanied by Popu-
list delegate to the District Convention.
Over on one side, near the wings, sat
ex-Councilnan Johnson. Next him
was Populist and x-Prohibtionist, Geo.
fQlliver. Then came Samuel Iredell, Sec
Eetary of the Democratic County Conn
mittee. His neighbor was Populist John
Wilcox, who marched with Garlic
Brownies wing of Coxey's tramps.
Then Chairman Charles E. Sheppard, of
the Democratic Committee, appeared,
while his neighbor was Populist J. Wal
ter Pancoast, of Woodstown. Ex-Post-
master Laning was fianked with Populist
David R. Streets.
These gentlemen just happened to be
seated this way, butt it was a political
sandwich that made funny mixture.
| That there was not prominent Demo-
crat upon the platform, and in fact the
well known Democratic leaders were not
in the house.
Editor Gwynne told couple of anti
quated jokes, and introduced Senator
DAILY, as the lone Democrat of the State
Senate who had single handed and alone
fought the oppressive monopolies in the
| interests of the working people.
The big, jolly, brainy Senator arose
smilingly. He looked real pious and
sincere for moment, and it hardly
seemed possible that he was the great
leader in the Senate steal in 1894, when
the popular will of the people was at
tempted to be set aside.
He said he was real tickled to be a,
champion of labor. He always says that.
He. told his audience how he had tasted
the bitterness of labor, when boy, and
then become lawyer. All the while he
was denouncing the rich and pleading for
the poor, he was protuse in his gestures,
and used his left hand principally, upon
which was flashing handsome diamond
ring.
To attempt to report Daly's speech
would be impossible. He don't know
what he said himself unless he reads
again from his manuscript. Usually
Senator Bill is a bright, witty, keen, sar-
castle orator. His best efforts are made
upon impulse and when he can speak ex-
temperaneOusly. Last night he confined
himself almost wholly to the written
pages, and the financial problem seemed
to be one that he had not given very much
study. The entire address was taken up
from extracts of what others said, loosely
put together, and was very dull to the
audience There was much apathy dur
ing the deliverance of the speech which
was an hour and fifty minutes long.
When Daily had finished the band play
ed, despite the vigorous opposition Of Mr..
Gwynne and Mr.. Sheppard, who did not
want the people to have an opportunity
to retire
But the band played on.
And the people went out.
Then Mr.. GwyDne introduced John T..
Wright, of Camden That's all Mr..
Gwynne SAID. He did not say that Mr..
Wright was the Populistic candidate for
Congress.
But Mr.. Wright didn't care. He is a
volcanic sort of an individual, and he
told few stories and used considerable
profane language. This stirred the audi
ence up. and there was show of real en-
thusiasm. He talked money, and ad-
vanced the theory of Coxey, that money
had no value, and anything was dollar
that was stamped dollar by the Govern
ment
The Populist carried on this way quite
a spell, and finally wound up his speech
by declaring 1.-THE people are awakening,
and thew will wipe the two old parties
out of existence, and it ought to be done."
This assertion was greeted with consid-
able applause. Every other man on the
stage was applauding, while every other
man was looking sober and keeping his
hands quiet. That is explained that ev-
cry other man on the platform was Pop
ulist, while his neighbor was Democrat.
Then came the unkindest cut of all. j.
Walter Pancoast, of Woodstown, was in