The record-union., 1896-08-17
In It He Explains His Allusions to
Bryan.
They Were Merely Quotations From
Editorials of the Chicago "ChrOn-
icle,'' and ThurStOn Thinks That
Bryan Should Answer the Charges
Made i'm Them and Allow the PeO-
pie to Learn Whether They Are
True or False as Soon as Possible.

OMAHA CNeb), Aug. 16. = Senator
Thurston has sent to Senator Stewart of
Nevada the following open letter:
ITO Hon. William NJ Stewart, Wash
ington d. C.-Sir: On return from re-
cent campaign tour 1 find your open
letter of August 1st, which you SO kindly
gave to the press of the country before
awaiting it's receipt by me-
I'm your letter you refer to the ad-
dress delivered by me at the Chatauqua
Assembly at Madison, Wis, on July
31st. You must have known when you
penned your letter that | did not make
any charges against Hon. William j.
Bryan of any kind whatever; that did
nothing except to read portions of an
editorial published in the greatest Dem
ocratic journal of the West, the Chicago
Chronicle on the 11th of last July.
The editorial as read by me is as fol-
lows: There was time when the own
ers of the big bonanzas of the far West
were glad to occupy by purchase seats
in the United States Senate.
" Sharon. Stanford, Fair, Jones, Stew
art and others gratified their fancy in
this manner until the novelty wore off,
and then they deputized attorneys and
other employees to take their places
free silver.
"'Of late years, owing to the encour-
agement that they have received from
the Republican party, which always
does something for silver when it passes
a tariff bill, the proprietors of the big
bonanzas have found it profitable to
keep a large number OF orators, lectur-
ers and other spokesmen on the road,
preaching to the people, already limping
as a result of bites by the free silver
currency. the sovereign remedy of ap-
plying the hair of the dog to the wound.
Among the many who have been
thus employed on the pay-rolls of the
big bonanzas for number of years is
William j. Bryan of Nebraska. The
paid agent and spokesman for the free
silver combine, he has not since his re-
tirement from Congress had any other
visible means of support.
Il did not, directly or indirectly, even
express an opinion as to the truth or
falsitv of the charge thus clearly, ex
plicitly, unequivocally and editorially
made by a great Democratic newspa-
per. reputable and responsible. l did
say. and / say still, that the man posing
as the advocate of the down-trodden
masses of his countrymen, holding
crown of thorns in one hand and the
buga boo. a cross of gold, in the other
owes it as a duty to every man, woman
and child in this country to say wheth-
er that charge, thus publicly and de-
Iberately made is false or true.
Now, my dear Senator, you must
have known and you did know, when
YOU indited your open letter TO me, that
the charge was not mine; no, not even
by adoption: that I had not even ex-
pressed an opinion with respect to it,
and that / no more than fulfilled my
duty as a citizen in insisting that Mr..
Prvan should tell the American people
whether or not the charge made by the
Chicago Chronicle" was true. One
word from Mr. Bryan on the 18th day
OF last July would have set the public
right: one word from him on any day
since that time would have accomplish
ed the same purpose. The charge thus
editorially made by the Chronicle While
the Chicago Convention was still in
session was reproduced in many of the
leading Journals of the country; it came
TO the attention of Mr.. Bryan's own
paper. the Omaha World Herald of
which he was at the time editor-in-
cbief-and the only reference ever made
TO it in that paper was on the 10Th day
of Julv. when in its editorial columns
appeared the following under the cap
4ion. Tn Whose Pay-The Chicago
Chronicle wants Mr.. Bryan to explain
in whose pay he has been since he was
dropped out of Congress.-Sioux City
Journal
Mr.. Bryan did not drop out of Con-
gress-he stepped out-but he has been
in the employ of the "World-Herald." :"
and it is generally conceded that he has
fully earned his salary
"The press dispatches from Lincoln,
Neb.. show that Mr.. Bryan was asked
on the first day of August to make such
answer as he might desire to the
Chronicle as read by me at Madison.
and the press report is to the effect that
Mr. BRYAN had nothing to say except
that he would answer in due time and
manner.
I'm a recent issue of the Chicago
Post another prominent, response
BILE and reputable journal. I find the
statement that Mr.. Bryan's stated
salary from the silver mine owners of
the Silver League was 5000 per an
nun. paid to him in monthly checks
which went through the Lincoln
banks
Then Mr. Thurston quotes an article
in a recent issue of the Philadelphia
Ledger written by Major John M.
Carson, in which that gentleman says
that in 1892, when Mr.. Bryan was a
candidate for reelection to Congress
from the First District of Nebraska, he
was materially assisted in the expenses
of his campaign by donations from
Denver. Col, which funds he says were
placed in the hands of the Chairman of
the Congressional Committee, Judge
Broadly, and announces that as re-
suit Mr.. Bryan was elected by ma
jority of 40 votes, and more than re-
paid during the Fifty-third Congress
the money expended in his behalf
Continuing. Senator Thurston says
these are only few of the direct and
positive charges of similar kind which
have appeared from time to time in the
most reputable and responsible news
papers of the United States.