The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-10-30
CREELMAN's PEN SKETCHEs
The "WorId's" Famous Writer Paints
His Daily Picture of Bryan's Tour.

Every day the variation Of James
Creelman's immaginative brain is
shown in his striking letters to the New
York World in which he describes Bry-
ans trip through Illinois. These sketch
eS Will be worth remem bering a part of
history Below We give the Creelman
letter that appears in the World which
reached Topeka today
Alton, III. oct 26.-JUst at daybreak
a cannon shot awoke Mr. Bryan, and
he found himself under the roof that
sheltered him when he was a humble
student. Troops of resplendent mar
shals on pOnder0us plough horses NOV
ed through the streets Of Jacksonville
drum corps recruited from the corn
{ fields whacked their way about the ex-
cited old town and thousands of COuu-
try people trudged in over the rough
prairie roads to see the youngest man
ever nominated for president.
Mr. Bryan listened for a while to the
sound OF the minute guns, the drums
the tOlling bells and the gradual swell
of voices, and then ne arose and looked
out of the window to see wonderful
professions Of men and horses arrayed
in gay trappings. The sabbath rest
was over and the last week of the great
campaign had begun.
Thirty thousand men and women had
come into Jacksonville and the place
was a vortex Of sound and color. Pike
county was in a fever. The streets
were choked with people and acres OF
farm wagons stood on the outskirts.
Hundreds of men who had heard Lin
coin and Douglas debate the slavery
question in this very town We're to be
found in the clamorOus and uncouth
crowd The gallant marShals on their
lum bering animals shouted orders which
nobody Obeyed
Brass bands chorused to and fro un-
der the leahess elms and cOllided on
street corners. Still The noise and con
fusion grew. 1T became a roar. The
last battle of the middle west had be-
gun and the sun was high.
a f114la Il fral "
wife were driven to the Illinois college.
Here the students were assembled in
the chapel. where Mr.. Bryan used to
pray More than three-Quarters OF the
young men are for Mckinley and the
whole faculty of the college indorses
the gold standard. but all had agreed to
take of their party colors- The organ
pealeds the students sang America
and Mr.. Bryan stood forth to address
them. It was a dramatic moment.
President Bradley had told the stu
dents just after Mr. Bryan was nomi-
mated at Chicago that he did not get his
financial theories in that college Eve
rybOdy expected a. sensational reply
There was a hush on the scene. Presi-
dent Bradley watched the leader anx-
iOusly as he strobe to the edge of the
platform and read from a book on po-
Htical economy written by Prof ROut-
ledge, the former president of the col
lege. in support of the theory that an
approaching standard Of value meant
disaster. There was a look Of triumph
in MT Bryan's face as he read the words
of his old mentor and glanced out of the
corner Of his eye at the new president
The students applauded him.
He said with a show of emotion that
he had begun the study of the financial
question simply to find out what was
best for the whole people and having
found it. he would defend it.
HURT AT THE COLLEGE DEFEC-
TON.
His voice rang defantly through the
old chapel The truth is that Mr. Br~v-
an was hurt when he learned that his
own college was against him When
Mr. Bryan left the college his Ole" soci-
ETY.. the Sigma Psi, sang:
our strong bond shall ne'er be broken,
Formed by Sigma Psi,
Far surprising wealth unspoken
Sealed by friendships tie"
There were tears in Mr.. Bryan's ewes
as he walked out between the ranks Of
young faces. But hardly had he left
the hall when the gold standard youths
began to show their yellow ribbons
shouting, wen. we heard him through;
We're not Yale men, anyhow" and 50 it
was.
Then Mr.. Bryan went to the house Of
his friend. Mr.. Dunlap, the only free
silver banker i'm Jacksonville. "a great
crowd was assembled there. Mr.. Bryan
stood on the porch and made a speech
He said he had been accused of going
around the country in an undignified
manner instead of having people come
TO hear him speak from a porch. This
speech at least could not be criticised
The fact was that Lincoln was the most
undignifed candidate ever known. and
the next most undignified candidate
was Jackson Whereat the crowd Wag-
ged its head and shrieked.
ANOTHER PARADE OF THE FARM
ERS.
sound Of music ended the speech.
and there appeared cavalcades Of horse
men. regiments of plOughbOys in sash
es, drummers in white drummers in
scarlet, drummers in yellow and drum
meTS in blue iAanS- Vaa0nfna7z of
maidens white. dead gold bugs carried
on stretchers and attended by pallbear-
ers, gold bugs on pitchfOrks. stalks of
corn II feet high. a wagon loaded with
huge boxes and bags marked '-Hanna,s
money" q mOnstrOus fat man in Grim
son garments Iolling in a huge red chair
on wagon with a false face made to
resemble Mr. Hanna; "a cart contain
ing q gigantic brown hog Labelled He
gets fat but we don't" another wagon
filled with money chests and inscribed
Millions for votes" a live eagle in
cage. a white rooster on a pole and
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