The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-07-03
A REAL GOOD MAN.
Richard u. Bland Perfect, According
n GoVernOr stone.

Governor stone.
CHICAGO, July 2.-Governor Stone, of
Missouri was asked to-day if he had noted
the report that the Eastern gold-standard
delegates were tending toward Governor
Boies. He answered that he had seen such
a report in the newspapers and had heard
such talk in the lobbies, but knew moth
ing at TO its truth. Continuing. the Gov
ernor said that Mr. Bland and his friends
had not expected and do not expect any
support from that source. He said: Mr..
BANDS stand is the personifcation of the
free-eoinage idea. 1t is utterly Impossible,
in the very nature of things, that there
should be any alliance between him and
the single-standard gold people. If he is
nominated he will be nominated by the
votes OF delegates elected as free-silver-
coinage men. L Mr. Blands NOM
ination will be opposed TO the utmost and
his defeat sought by every means possible
by the gold power. One thing more: The
States represented here by the single gold
standard delegations will not probably cast
single electoral vote for the nominee of
this convention. If Mr.. RSp;dd is nominated
he will be nominated by the delegates from
the States whose electoral vote must be
relied on for success at the polls.
The Governor was asked il he was aware
that two three gentlemen prominent in
labor organizations were not partial 10 Mr..
Blands nomination, on the ground that he
has not been the active friend OF labor.
That is a strange objection TO make to
MIR. Bland, was the reply; His whole life
producing classes of the country. He has
not played to the galleries for mere effect.
but his whole pubic career has been one
| long battle in favor of the peopie-of the
| great masses. Look at the man and his
history. For twenty-five years he was a
Representative in Congress. In all that
| time he never rode to washington or any
where on free passes. lie paid his own way
and that of his family, not that ne was an
tagonistic TO railroads or TO any legitimate
| enterprise: but, knowing that many i'm
portant matters in which these corpora
tions were interested would be the subjects
| of legislation, he did not think IL proper for
him 10 accept favors, great or small. lie
never made any display of things OF this
kind. Only few people are aware of the
| fact to which L allude, but IL is true. He
voted against the back-salary grab. and
| refused to accept the money from the
| treasury, and, on another occasion, when
an extra session of Congress was called 10
| begin Immediately on the close of the reg
| ular session, and before he left Washing
ton. he refused TO accept the mileage Tor
| the extra session when the appropriation
| therefor passed over his protest. He
| was for years one of the prominent factors
| in Congress, at the head OF one of the great
committees, and one of the Influential mem
| bers OF the House: yet a year ago when he
| retired from Congress he was still poor
Lebanon, No., and has been there engaged
| in the difficult task of making honest
living by agriculture. To illustrate his
| character: IL is an actual fact that on the
very day the Texas State convention was IN
session to send delegates here and when II
| was known that his name would be before
| that convention. he was out actively aid
| ing his men in the hay field. Here is an
other incident illustrating his character
| Since he left Congress the citizens OF
!; Ouray. Col. sent Mr.. Bland a handsom.
| silver service an expression of their re-
| gard for his great work for the cause OF
| free silver. but even under such circum-
| stances as these stated. he declined TO ac-
| cept IL and returned IL. For any man
therefore. TO say that Richard p. Bland Is
/ in any sense, even in the slightest degree
unfriendly to the industrial masses of the
| country is worse than absurd. The state
| ment Is contradicted by his home life
| Although Bland is such man / have
| described. he is also a broad man, OF large
| experience in public affairs, conservative
| just and patriotic He is also a man OF
| wide reading, a man OF books. who thinks
| and has a lofty conception of American
| citizenship. He stands to-day the idea
| Democrat OF America, and would make AT
ideal candidate for the presidency"