The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-08-19
A GIBRALTAR OF LOGIC.

Whatever the speech of Mr.. Bryan
delivered in Madison Square Garden last
week, may lack in the nature of a per-
sonal triumph, it cannot be denied that as
fearless, vigorous and able presenta-
ton of Democracy it has never been sur
passed.
Such speech as many in the audience
expected, and as Mr. Bryan could have
made with only Il tenth part of the labor
which he bestowed upon his written
speech might have had the happy effect
of converting Madison Square Garden
into scene of riotous enthusiasm but
it could not possibly have influenced the
masses of the people as the great speech
which he delivered is sure to do.
Instead of Il meteoric shower, therefore,
whose brilliant pyrotechnics might have
charmed the multitude and secured for
himself a marked personal ovation, he
preferred rather to aXalt the cause which
he represented. In doing this he accom-
plished the still more difficult task of
building up solid Gibraltar against
which the waves of Republican oratory
are doomed to beat in vain.
Taking this view of the Madison Square
Garden speech, the reason for the lavish
manner in which the organs of the money
party have criticised the speech is as
plain as anything can be. Instead of n
masterpiece of oratory, the speech which
they were ready to condemn in any event
proved to be Il masterpiece of reason.
Some Of these papers were taken so com
pletely by surprise that it was not until
the day following that they were able to
discuss the speech with editorial DELHI
Grafton. Even then, after twenty-four
hours had elapsed, the expressions which
came from these papers clearly revealed
the CONSERVATION into which they had
been thrown. OF all the giddy and dis
gushing nonsense thai ever issued from
befuddled intellects the shallow criti-
cisms which these papers lavished upon
the speech easily takes the premium
Greater confusion never prevailed at Ba-
bel than in the editorial brains that in
spired the criticisms of Bryan's speech
With cooler judgment than the New
York papers have brought to bear in
commenting upon the speech, the Chicago
Journal declares that Bryan has scored
Il distinct gain and that his argument
will not be without its convincing effect
upon the campaign. Everyone who
reads the speech, according to the lam
guage of this same authority, will recog-
niZe the vigorous intellect behind it and
experience profound admiration for the
man himself.
Hon. George Fred Williams, the bril-
such n gallant fight in Massachusetts,,
was present when Mr.. Bryan delivered
his speech in Madison Square Garden
In "A nutshell he describes the speech
as follows:
1T was hoped that he would show that
he was merely an orator dealing in beau
tiful phrases and well turned points, and
their disappointment lies in the fact that
in his sober, earnest address, delivered
not to the audience in New York, but
to 10000, 600 of people, he has demonstra-
ted that he is not only an orator but a
statesman and patriot. Every man of
experience in addressing public audiences
knows that the holding of notes in ones
hand is fatal to oratory, and | am glad
that our candidate, capable though he
was of expressing himself carefully and
fully without preparation, did not allow
one word to escape his lips last night
which had rot been carefully and Judi.
cially considered
AS the campaign proceeds the wisdom
which inspired the Democratic nominee
in the preparation of his great speech will
be more distinctly recognized and thous-
ands of votes will be gained by reason of
the good judgment which he displayed.