New-York tribune., 1896-10-01
WHY DIR. FIELD HEARD BRYAN.
NOT AT THE TAMMANY MEETING AS SUP
PORTER OF THE BOY ORATOR. But OUT

NOT AT THE TAMMANY MEETING AS SUP
PORTER OF THE BOY ORATOR. BUT OUT
OF CURIOSITY TO HEAR HIM.
The brothers Field for than third Of a
century recognized devoted supporters of
the National honor. unstained and unimpaired
earnest and steadfast for the maintenance Of law
and order This was Of all Of them the two
who are dead-David Dudley, the eminent lawyer
and Cyrus W.. the constructor of the Atlantic
cable-and the two living-Stephen j.. Justice Of
the Supreme Court of the United States. and the
Rev. Dr. Henry NJ. Field. the Editor Of THE Evan
gelist" 1t was not without unmixed surprise
therefore, that people read In yesterday mornings
newspapers that the Rev. DIR. Field had occupied
seat on the platform of Tammany Hall on Tuesday
night. when William Jennings Bryan made his In
cendary appeal for votes and defended the An
archistic doctrines taught In the Chicago platform
People wondered. too. how the Editor of THE
Evangelist" must have felt in the company OF
tom" Grady. Barney" Martin. John Scannel,
Eddie" Sheehy Jim" Keating ex-warden Of
Ludlow Street Jail, and others Of like character
who were prominent In running the Bryan meeting
They thought that DR.. Field must have found his
new associations exceedingly remarkable and
strange
But 1t was all explained yesterday and by DIR.
Field himself He has not become infatuated with
the silver craze: has he Joined the ranks OF
the rcpudiationists He went to Tammany Hall
on Tuesday evening solely from desire to see.
hear and study so notable person as Mr. Bryan.
and he did not sit the platform among. the per-
sons named He accepted place in w. L. ST.
Johns box and listened to Mr.. Bryan. Just as
thousands of other loyal Mckinley men did.
DR.. Field explained his presence at the meeting
to Tribune reporter as follows:
II also have desire to hear and see men on
whom the attention OF the public is hxed ike
to know these men and to study them. When
Rourke Cochran spoke Madison Square Gar
den was present. and was delighted with the
speaker. So much has been written and said about
the cloquence OF Mr.. Bryan that l naturally
onged to listen to him. and In consequence had
the opportunity of satisfying my desire by get
ting seat In Mr.. St. Johns box. Notwithstanding
the fact that | differ from Mr. Bryan politically.
did not go to the meeting to ridicule him. but to
listen to him with duo respect, just as would II
l had gone to hear Roman Catholic priest
speak or to hear any one holding views different
fiom my own. Mr.. Bryan impressed me as an i'm:
pressive off hand speaker. and one who would
sway the masses. Some say he Is not honest In
opinion that he Is truly sincere He has been car
ried away by the silver craze. and now things
only from the point which he has taken. l would
who shouted and howed at what Mr.. Bryan said
are just az sincere as the speaker In the doctrine
which they hold.
| was in Paris IN 1915. on the very day Louis
ran through the streets of the city. That mob
was of the idea that the Government should sup
port ii, even II there was no work to be done. 1t
believed that the Government should find or,
rather; make work for It, 1t should be paid for
other. and then back again. II there was nothing
else for 1t to do. The false idea which 1t held led
to bloodshed and is usually the breaking up-the
end-of such mob. The Populists seem to hold
to such beliefs They think the Government should
support them"
DR.. Field further said that Mr.. Bryan, in his
speech. leaned toward Socialism