New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-18
SENATOR STEWART REPLIES
,,r WRITES ANOTHER OPEN LETTER TO
SENATOR THURsTON.
..or CONCERNED. HE SAYS. WITH WHAT THE
xrwsPArERs sAY-wHAT HE WANTS TO
KNOW is WHY SENATOR THURsToN
QUOTES THE NEWSPAPERS


,rashinston Aug. Ex-senator w. NJ. stewart
- ont to-day for publication reply to Senator
rhurs,on's letter to him published In the papers
,h,s morning regarding the charge that Mr. Bryan
w.. w., heen n paid lecturer in the employ Of silver
re-owners The letter quotes Mr.. Thurston
s.aton,ent that he had not assailed Bryan's char
,ar IN any instance. or by any word. and Mr..
c,avart asks Mr. Thurston how he can reconcile that
,otement with the following language quoted by
,,r, in the speech which gave rise to the contro-
.srsv; The proprietors Of the big bonanzas have
tound II profitable to keep large number or
lecturers and other Spokesman on the road preach
to 10 the people Among the many who have
Am, been employed and carried on the payrolls Of
,hs big bonanzas for number Of years Is Will
lam J. Bryan, OF Nebraska paid agent and
.,okesman Of the frce-silver combine" The letter
then continues;
Your disclaimer in connection with the foregoing
statement requires explanation. provided you con-
sder your reputation for truth and veracity valu-
last man to assai the character of Mr.. Bryan"
rsAects either upon your veracity or your knowl-
s EGG fact Us that you have been retained by the Union
Pacific Railroad for so many years indicates that
you Sb, 70 Know that repeating SANDER or libel is
eonay as slanderous or libelous the original
You assume that you are not assang Mr..
Brvan when you are quoting what irresponsible
monis All the credit your high official position can
confer You belittle your understanding when
Won say that 1t the duty Of Mr.. Bryan to
enter into personal controversy with every hire
ling newspaper scribbler who is employed to SLAM
Jnr or defame him. The people understand the
anin,us OF partisan newspapers ard make proper
allowances for their assertions; but when you
clothe their SANDERS with your official robes. it
is lame cowardly defence your part to pro-
,ect Yourself by skulking behind miserable news
naner scribble.s. j called your attention TO the
inhIstice OF your charge. no. the charge OF news
raners which l have again quoted for the pur-
nose OF calling your attention TO the charge you
,,nads supposing that you were an honorable
man and would retract the charges at once II you
vera unable 10 prove them. Instead or doing SO.
Won repeated other stale ISLANDERS against Nj
Ryvan myself Senator Sharon. Governor Stanford,
against Mr.. Bryan
! shall not reiteratc in kind and quote what
venal newspapers or even reputable men say OF
YOU because II is not pertinent to the issue Inc
nroof assaed the character Of Mr.. Bryan. You
cannot avoid that issue by pretending that you
only repeated a falsehood which somebody else
originated. Do you not fear the repeating OF,
viii impair your influence in favor of the cause
YOU are advocating? You must remember, IN!
dear Senator, that there is sense OF pubic JUS
,ice which is outraged by Islander and libel whc'i
right 10 repeat 1t because you had not the cour.
age 10 originate II. If you have no case agaihs'
Mr. Bryan which you have already virtually au.
ritted by citing irrelevant, incompetent nearsaH 70
So FAR as he is concerned but can you afford to be
nuhlished to the world as a pedier OF slanuel >
which YOU cannot prove? If you nave an! itlenu'
who supposed that you were both honest ana praNe.
they will be sorely disappointed II you ian "
candy avow your error and retract your SANDERS
or prove the truth OF your charges whlch nave
quoted above Yours very respecttuiIE
quo'' WILLIAM NJ. STEWART.