The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-08-15
BY A NOVELlST'S EYES.
How the Bryan Ride to New
York
Looked to Julian Hawthorn Who
Was on the Train.
Some Description That is Not Often
Found in the Columns of a
Newspaper.


York Journal to write up Bryan's
ride from Chicago to New York:
Pittsburg, Aug. 10.-At Crestline
where we stopped half an hour, L had
my first opportunity of estimating MI
Bryan's oratory- He had, indeed eV-
er since leaving Chicago appeared at
each stop on the steps of his car, and
had often spoken a few words OF
greeting and acknowledgements But
there was no opportunity for elOQuence
or action in these brevities, though
they sufhced to indicate that the man
needed a large canvas to do himself
justice.
But at Crestline the people were to
be numbered by thousands instead of
hundreds, and there was a brass band,
flags and a decorated stand for Bryan
to speak from. He left his car and as
he assembled the platform was greeted
with rOars of applause. Half a dozen
cannon had been fired as the train
rolled into the station. In his short
sack coat, his head barred, and stand
ing solidly on both feet, he began to
speak.
His is an ideal figure for an orator.
His stalwart, broad shouldered pres
ence fills and satisfies the eye; his face
with it's black eyebrows and strong
features shows the expression afar
times both of Edwin Booth and of JnO.
Mccullough. It is an expression at
once of pOignancy and breadth such
as must needs belong to a great actor,
but only occasionally falls to the lot
of a statesman.
Standing square, with an easy swing
of the. shoulders and a graceful action
OF both arms alternately or in unison,
Bryan made a short but powerful ad-
dress, every sentence of which was
punctuated with applause. His voice
is of admirable quality, deep, clear,
resonant and of great carrying power
He brought out word after word with
deliberate emphasis, and the more i'm
pOrtant phrases were delivered with
the arms. but the head and the whole
body. He seemed in these imprisoned
moments to be actuated by a force
greater than his own, yet which found
in him a perfect instrument
In point of action Bryan recalls the
greatest of living orators, Gladstone.
There is the same ease, harmony and
vanity. But Gladstone had also a, gen
tie, half playful, colloquan vein which
he often employed in the house with
great effect. Bryan, in this short
speech, had no time for playfulness-
He hammered his truths into his audi
ence with strokes as of ThOr'S ham
mer, and they respq nded with rOars
and Shr1ekS of appreciation. What re-
sources he may hold in reserve for 9TH
er moods and occasions I have yet to
learn, but I am already confident that
he can hold his New York audience,
and perhaps produce results more vi
tai than any responsible prophet dare
as yet fOretell.
His greatest triumph of all was per-
haps IN Canton, the home of Mckinley.
The latter gentleman himself did not
show at the depot, but most of his fell
low tOWnsmen did, and no crowd along
the route has been more enthusiastic
or more intelligent. A great many of
them were well looking and well to do,
and there was great number of pref
ty girls who wore Bryan favOrs, and
risxed suffOcatiOn in their effort to see
him An enterprising photographer
climbed with his machine to the roof
of the depot and took snap shots at
Etr~Vyn n zfT ia f~OT1 no
platform of a fiat car. The band play
ed and the cheering was almost cOntin-
uOus. The Republican nominee must
have heard it, and it may have set him
thinking.
Meanwhile the heat is terrific and
the question arises how long Bryan can
hold out Were he a fresh man today
the task which confrOnts him between
now and Thursday morning is enough
to daunt a strong man, but the Ne
braskan seems made of iron, and he
has shown no signs of succumbing.
Besides, success such as his goes far
toward renewing tagging energies.
confess I was not myself prepared
for the unmistakable sincerity and al
most passionate enthusiasm which
have met Mr.. Bryan at every town and
village along the route. The demon
stratiOn began at the Chicago railway
station. A crowd of the employees of
the road were gathered there, begging
for Just one kind word, Mr.. Bryan"
and when one of them called out: ''I
I'll vote for you, Mr.. Bryan" the an
nouncement was approved with shouts.
At Valparaiso a name associated in
my mind with Spanish gold rather than
American silver, there was a tumultu-
GUS crowd at 1870 in the morning who
welcomed the candidate with music,
fireworks and cheers.
Throughout the small hours as the
train swept along, the noise of shout
ing rose and died away in the distance
From unseen threats the greeting was
passed on continuously from station to
station like the fiery cross of the an
cient Scottish Highlanders, and the
flame of welcome and gOdSpeed was
never suffered to go out The people
| came to see Bryan, but he was not a
more interesting spectacle to them
] than they were to US.
The mass of them were Door people
! men in dirty shirts and bad hats hairy
| armed, rOugh-handed farmers, small
/ storekeepers, day labOrers, clerks, and
l their wives, sisters and children. Bare
| headed and barefOOted many of them;
/ mothers and fathers, with babies in
/ their arms. These folks had stayed up
/ all night to see the silver candidate
! pass by, to hear the sound of his voice;
| perhaps by good luck to touch his hand.
| and at sunrise at Fort Wayne they
/ were mastering by hundreds. their
! breakfasts still uneaten.
| The numbers grew as we passed on and
/ thes tif1ing night was succeeded by the
] sWeltering day They did not ASSEMBLE
! thus for their health, nor for fun, nor
/ from curiosity You could not look in
/ their multitudinOuS hOmelY faces. pinch
| ed and hardened by IabOrious days and
| narrow circumstances, without feeling
| that they were in earnest, in desperate
earnest They did not know how to
express their feelings gracefully and
| becomingly. They had never heard of
| Delsarte. All they could do was to grin
| and laugh excitedly and to utter ever
| and anon, singly or in concert, that
! shriu Hi, hi, hi" which passes in
| country districts for a cheer
/ But you saw the motive power of
| these abortive demonstra lions in their
| ewes. in the strained. tense look con