The herald., 1896-10-06
FREE SILVER SENTIMENT
Shows All the Signs Of Tremendous
Growth
Democracy Loses Some Supporters, but They
Are Generals
Every city and Hamlet Along the
Route Turns Out Most Of Its Pop
ulation to Cheer for Bryan
and Silver
Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
NASHVILLE, Tenn. Oct 5.-The
sraatest crowd that ever turned out to
= .political meeting in this city crowded
about the streets here tonight and
shouted and yelled, cheered ana ap-
plauded and listened with marked at
tention to the triple nominee on his al
rival. The train bearing the perty was
due At s:35, but was ten minutes late,
and II was nearly 9:15 o'clock when Mr..
Bryan addressed his first audience III
this city at the haymarket.
At that meeting the five acres OF
ground in the enclosure was fully half
filled with people who cheered tise can
didate wildly on his appearance. A
Rlee club Of thirty male voices opened
the meeting with Home, Home, Sweet,
Sweet Home, the old-fashioned melody
which the nominee has declared to be
his campaign song.
The candidate was then introduced
by Senator Bate as the next president
Of sthe United States. He was cheered
and applauded throughout his speech.
and many times was stopped by the en-
thusiasm of his listeners
Mr.. Bryan began his speech by re-
ferring to the evident growth Of the free
silver sentiment here since his first visit
to Nashville about year ago. He then
said: beg to thank the young men
who have openedsthis meeting with our
campaign song, our battle hymn 1t
might be called, for in this fight for the
defense of the homes of this land, the
humble as we'll as the palatial home. we
well might take as our battle hymn
that most beautiful Of all songs, Home,
Sweet Home. (Applause.) Our war
fare is in one sense aggressive. In an
other sense 1t is defensive. It is ag-
gressive in the sense that we are in
sisfing that something shall be done,
and It Is defensive in the sense that we
are fighting for our homes and our
people from the invasion Of foreign
financial policy.
The free coinage Of silver is no ex-
pertinent 1t is indorsed by the history
Of tho human race. It has the sanction
Of all the great statesmen of this ma
tion from. the beginning Of our consti-
tutional history down to 1873. My
friends, believe so truly in the justice
Of our cause that cannot for one mo-
ment doubt what will be the result
when the American people are called
upon to decide this question.
Continuing. Mr.. Bryan asserted that
the financial system advocated by the
Republican party struck at the very
foundation of society and threatens to
destroy all that rests upon it. He said
that system had been good for those who
control large sums Of money, and for
the syndicates which furnished gold to
tho government, but he maintained that
Il had been hard on the 1fruggling
masses who paid the taxes and produced
the wealth of the country.
The nominee maintained that the issue
was now clear cut between the capital
ist class, the changing classes,
and the holders Of large fixed invest
ments on the one side, and on the other
side the great mass of the people.
"In drawing the lines," he said, 1--WE
have lost some Democrats in this fight,
but am mighty glad those whom we
lost were generals. We have not lost
many privates. We might have kept all
the Democrats who are gone If we had
been willing to make the Democratic
party the agent to fasten plutocracy
every man who has left US; but we have
to choose between throwing overheard
those who have been millstones about
the neck Of Democracy and throwing
over Democracy itself, and we are here
to save Democracy"
Mr.. Bryan maintained that the Demo-
eratic party had not lost in numbers
through its action at Chicago.
1 After concluding his Haymarket
speech, Mr.. Bryan was taken to the
Athletic park. where he made a ten
minutes address.
At the Populist meeting, which Mr..
Bryan addressed after his speeches at
the Haymarket and Athletic park. he
expressed his appreciation of the honor
done him by the Populist party, and also
his qualification that the Democrats and
Populists had been able to unite upon
an electoral ticket in SO many states.
He said that while he would take no part
in local affairs. he did feel justified, in
urging those who believe in free coinage
to concentrate their votes to defeat the
common enemy. Where fusion is ac-
complished, the fusion ticket deserves
the support Of all friends Of silver He
said If fusion was not arranged in Ten
nessee. he hoped the Populists would
cast their votes for the Democratic elec-
tors, and thus make their election GER
tain, q to vote for Populist electors, who