The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1896-09-04

legislature holds its sessions, the dem.
ocratic nominee saw before him a con-
course of Maj. McKinley's fellow citi.
zens that can not be compared to any
political assem- blage in the United
States, except to the tens of thousands
of partisans who gather in front of
the capitol at Washington once every
four years to hear new chief magis-
trate make his salutatory. People who
have witnessed the inaugurations of
Ohlo's governors in recent years say
that the crowds on those occasions
never numbered more than 80, 900. But
tonight every body was saying that the
inaugural assem- lies did not compare
in point of mum bers with the magnifi-
cent congregation that came to hear
the young democratic candidate on
the issues of the campaign. AS Mr..
Bryan himself said, 1T filed all out
DOORS" and SO far beyond the reach of
his voice did the solid human mass ex-
tend, that Mr.. Bryan was obliged to
divide his speech into four segments,
one delivered from each side of the
canopied stand that had been erected
for the occasion. Fifty thousand is a
conservative estimate of those who
were present
People had been pouring into Column
bus all day from the surrounding coun-
try. This is the second day of the
state fair, and that, with the addi-
tional attraction of Candidate Bryan's
presence, filed the city with strangers.
Then number of political organiza-
tions to whom the fair had no inter-
est, but whose sole object was to do
honor to the democratic standard
bearer, helped swell the crowds in the
street and to lead in the enthusiasm
which was everywhere prevalent. The
railroad companies gave unusually
low rates, and thousands OF people
took advantage of them.
Mr.. and Mrs. Bryan reached Column
bus over the Big Four at $3.50 o'clock
this afternoon in a special car char
tered by the members of the Colum bus
reception committee, who accompanied
them from Cleveland The candidate
was cheered by the thousands at the
railway station and thousands more
along the mile or more of streets
through which he was taken escorted
by the Franklin Silver league, the
Jackson club and other local and visit
ing Bryan and Sewall clubs.
way was forced through the wild.
ly-excited enthusiastic gathering and
the procession passed on.
Prior to to-night's great demonstra-
ton in front of the state house there
was another parade, in which, of
course, Mr.. Bryan was the central fig-
ure, seated in a carriage drawn by
four white horses. The local silver
clubs. and those from other places in
the state, many of them with bands of
music at the head, marched along the
streets which were lined by cheering
spectators. By good police arrange
ment the way was kept clear
from the outskirts of the park to the
capitol building and Mr.. and Mrs.
Bryan and those accompanying them
were enabled to reach the assigned
positions without difficulty. Nearly
every person in that stupendous audi
ence could see the candidate as he
mounted the steps of the rostrum and
stood before them and the cheering
began. The initiative shouts came
from those who had seen Bryan in
Nebraska and it quickly sprean
through the crowd.
James Ross, chairman of the Frank
lin county democratic committee, in
his capacity as temporary chairman,
attempted to call the meeting to order,
but was unsuccessful until the son of
Allen G. Thurston stepped forward
and in few brief sentences presented
Mr.. Bryan.
The cheering was more intense than
1t had been at Mr.. Bryan's first appear
ance, and order and comparative quiet
was not secured until Mr.. Bryan an
nounced that he would speak from all |
sides of the platform