The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-08-18
Thurston Says He Did Not As
sail Bryan's Character.
ONLY READ FROM A PAPER
Senator Stewart Makes Reply
to the Slanderer.
SAYS JUSTICE is OUTRAGED
Charges Thurston With Being Ped
dIer of False Report that He
Has Not the Courage to-
Stand BY.

Omaha, Neb., Aug. 17.-Senator John
NJ. Thurston yesterday gave out for
publication the following copy of a let
ter which he mailed to Senator Stew
art, of Nevada
TO Hon. William Stewart, editor of the
Silver Knight, Washington, D. c.:
Sir: On my return from my recent
campaign tour l find your open letter
of August l, which you so kindly gave
to the press of the country before
awaiting dts receipt by me.
In your letter you refer to the ad-
dress delivered by me at the Chatauqua
Assembly, at Madison, Wis, on July 81.
You must have known when you pen
ned your letter that did not make any
charge against Hon. William j. Bryan
of any kind whatever; that did moth
ing except to read portions of an edi
> storial published in the Chicago Chron-
icle on the 11th of last July. The edi-
torial, as read by me, is as follows.
There was a time when the owners
of the big bonanzas of the far West
We're glad to occupy, by purchase, seats
in the United States Senate.
art, and others gratified their fancy
in this manner until the novelty wore
off, and then they deputized attorneys
and other employees to take their pla-
ces and vote for protective tariffs and
free silver.
'sOf late years, owing to the encour-
agement that they have received from
the Republican party, which always
does something for silver when 1T pass
es a tariff bill, the proprietors of the
big bonanzas have found it profitable
to keep a large number of editors, lee
turers, and other spokesmen on the
road, preaching to the people, already
limping as result of the bites of the
free silver cur, the sovereign remedy
of applying the hair of the dog to the
wound.
Among the many who have thus
been employed, and carried on the pay
rolls of the big bonenzas for number
of years is William J. Bryan, of Ne
braska. The paid agent and spokes-
man for the free silver combine has
not, since retirement from Congress,
had any other visible means of sup
port"
/ did not directly or even indirectly
express an opinion as to the truth or
falsity of the charge thus clearly, ex-
pediently, unequivocally, and editorial
ly set forth by a great Democratic
newspaper, reputable and responsible.
I did say, and j still say, that the
man who poses as the advocate of the
down-trodden masses of his country
holding crown of thorns in one hand
and the bugaboo, a cross of gold, in
the other, owes it as duty to every
man, woman and child, to say whether
that charge, thus publicly and dsIiber-
ately made, is false or true.
Now, my dear Senator, you must
have known, and you did know, when
you indited your open letter to me,
that the charge was not mine; no, not
even by adoption; that had not even
expressed an opinion with respect to
it, and that ! no more than fulfilled my
duty as citizen in insisting that Mr..
Bryan should tell the American people
whether or not the charge made by the
Chicago Chronicle was true.
One word from Mr. Bryan
would have set the public right; one
word from him on any day since that
time would have accomplished the
same purpose. The charge thus edito-
rally made by the Chicago Chronicle,
while the Chicago convention was still
in session, was reproduced in many of
the leading journals in the country;
it came to the attention of Mr.. Bryan's
own paper. the Omaha World Herald,
of which he was at the time the map-
aging editor, and the only reference
ever made to it in that paper was on
the 18th day of July, when in its edi-
torial columns appeared the following:
"The Chicago Chronicle want. Mr..
Bryan to explain in whose pay he has
been since he dropped out of Con-
gress." Sioux City Journal.
"Mr. Bryan did not drop out Of Con-
greSs-be stepped out-but he has
been in the employ of the World-Her-
aid, and it is generally conceded that
he has fully earned his salary"
Mr.. Thurston, after making the
above quotation, says that Mr.. Bryan
was asked August to make an answer
TO the Chronicles charge "But." adds
he, Mr.. Bryan had nothing to say ex-
cept that he would answer in due time
and manner"
lfr. Thurston then makes the state
ment that the Chicago Post. of pecent
date, had said, that Mr. Bryan's sta
ted salary from the silver mine own
ers, of the silver league, was $4,000 per
annum."
Continuing, the writer quotes from
the Philadelphia Ledger, of recent is
sue, as follows;
'Those familiar with Mr.. Bryan's
political career are aware that eontri-
buttons from silver miners to the ex-
pense of his lectures began before his
general stumping tour of the country,
two years ago"
Mr.. Thurston, continuing, says he
would be the last man in the world to