Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-08-18
STEWART ANSWERS THURSTON.
Denies Charge Against Bryan Recently Made
by the Latter.

Washington. Aug 17.-This after
noon. Senator Vim. y. Stewart OF
Nevada. gave out for publication re-
ply to Senator Thurston's letter Il
him. published this morning. regarding
the charge that Mr.. Bryan had been 8
paid lecturer in the employ of silver
mine owners.
The letter quotes Mr. Thurston's
statement that he had not assailed Mr.
Bryan's character in any instance ol
by any word and Mr.. Stewart asks Mr.
Thurston how he can reconcile thai
statement with the following Language
used by him in the speech which give.
rise to the controversy:
The proprictors Of the Big Bonan-
zas have found it profitable to keep
large number Of lectureres and othel
spokesman on the road preaching Il
the people Among the many who hay,
thus been employed and carried on thu
pay rolls Of the Big Bonanzas for
number Of years is VIM. j. Bryan O.
Nebraska. paid agent and spokesman
Of the free silver combine"
The letter then continues: You
disclaimer IN connection With the fore
going statement requires an cXplana
ton. provided you consider your repu
tatiou for truth and Veracity valuable
I.ut your disclaimer that you would bt
the last man to assail the character o.
Mr. Bryan reflects either upon your
Veracity or your knowledge of the law
of libel
You assume that YOU are not assail
ing Mr. Bryan when you are quotins
M.
him and giving to such statements al
the credit that your high official posi-
tion can confer The people under
stand the animus of partisan news
papers and make proper allowance fU
their assertions, but when you clothc
their Islander with your official robes
it is Il lame and cowardly defense OF
your part to protect yourself by skulk
ing behind miserable newspaper scrib-
blers..
| called your attention to the injus
ticc Of your charge, not the charge o.
newspapers, which | have again quoted
for the purpose Of calling your attcn-
ton to the charge you made suppos
ing that you We're an honorable mar
and would retract the charges at once
if you were unable to prove them. In
stead of doing so. YOU repeated Other
stale ISLANDERS against Mr.. Bryan. my
self, Senator Sharon, GOV. STANFORD
and others. which. if true, do not prove
your charge against Mr.. Bryan.
Il shall not reiterate in kind and
quote what venal newspapers or even
reputable men say of you, because it is
not pertinent to the issues The is
sue is whether You have unjustly and
without proof assaulted the character OF
Mr.. Bryan. You cannot avoid that is
sue by pretending that you only re-
pcated a falschood which somebody
else originated
DO you not fear that the repeating
of a falsehood and attributing it to If
responsible parties will impair your
influences in favor of the cause you are
advocating? You must remember, my
dear Senator. that there is n sense Of
public justice which is outraged by
chandler and libel. which you cannot
justify by claiming that you have a
right to repeat it because you had not
the courage to originate it.
IF you have no case against Mr.
Bryan. which you have already virtu-
any ettiltlltttt ny titLllS II iNlts ant, III
competent hearsay to prove your
charge. your ISLANDERS will be harmless
so far as he is concerned, but can you
afford to be published to the world as
a peddler of ISLANDERS which you can
not prove?
IF you have any friends who sup
posed that you We're both honest and
brave. they will be sorely disappointed
if you fail to frankly avow your error
and retract your ISLANDERS or prove the
truth of your charges which l have
quoted above"