The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-08-15
THE ECHOES FROM MADISON SO.


Its bigness not bit bumptious.
The chief city in the United States as
similates with ostrich-like complacency
a great many elements that would sadly
or gladly, as the case might be, stir the
bowels of the ordinary community. You
can dance quite jig in New York with
out attracting much OF a crowd, and the
average little red wagon may rattle
through the streets without arousing
any great public curiosity.
There is one element, however, that
Will turn the big town topsy turvy, and
that is originality. No matter how
humble its sphere, II the thing possesses
originality, IL 1t is different from the
ordinary run of its kind, New York
will set II on a pedestal and worship it
frankly, ecstatically and with the accom-
paniment of huge noise 80 that the
rest of the world shall be attracted to
Examples are not wanting OF this
characteristic Of the metropolitan tenn
per- New York has gone equally wild
over NoRDICA and a MAGGIE CLINE.
She has sbowered her favors equally
upon some hero of the TenderIoin and
upon foreign royalty within her gates.
She honors statesmen, providing they are
big enough, and she glorihes bosses,
providing they are smart enough. She is
indiscriminate in her selections from
any social or ethical standpoint ard
makes no bones about abandoning an in
terest in upper tendon TO get up an
spotheoss down In the slums, as read
lily retiring the favoriie, however, just
so soon as it becomes stupid and tire
some.
The possession of talent is not enough
to via New York. 1t must be talent
with burst of orig inaliiy in 1t. Given
the originality the amoun: or quality Of
the talent Is OF small Importance. But
originality New York is hungry for,
must have IT, and welcomes cordially all
offers OF IT.. When New Ysyk learned
that BILLY BRYAN was coming on from
Nebraska to be notified, New York re-
ceived the news with great relish. Poll
ticians may have shifted and business
men may have laughed at the idea of the
Boy Orator undertaking to drive his ideas
into the calculating metropolitan head.
But as whole New York was pleased
with the prospect. From all New York
had heard Of the Boy Orator, he vas a
novelty. Novelties are scarce enough and
not every roof garden has FREGoLL
New York would welcome the Boy Orator
not because his views were worth a con-
tinental, but because he was something
new and original. And before last We'd
nesdsy night New York's pulse beat high
with the zest OF pieasurable anticipation.
BILLY BRYAN said he was "coming
into an enemy's country" That made
New York smile. As II New York cared
about being an enemy 10 little BILLY
Orator was coming into town than
which no ether on earth would have re-
ceived him with so hospitsble a spirit.
And the town was as receptive OF impress
sions, good impressions. 1t was like
child with now toy, prepared to be
easily pleased, providing only BILLY
BRYAN would prove to be new and
orig inal.
And so a great crowd went to see aud
to listen in Madison Square Garden on
Wednesday night. II was not "distin-
guished company There were few
"men OF prominence" even in the DEM
oeratic party present. But 1t was
typical New YORK crowd that came 10 be
informed, 10 be interested and to be en-
tertained. That it was not made up of
BRYAN supporters or OF believers and
sympathirers with the Chicago platform
fantasies was made evident enough by
what followed. That great mass-meeiing
is a matter Of history and the verdict of
history ia already given. The thousands
upon thousands that hau crowded and
fought their way through the streets and
into the garden to welcome BILLY BRYAN
were badly disappointed. BILLY BRYAN
made them tired. And for one human
being to weary another, means the sacri-
flee OF all possible al miration, OF esteem,
OF friendship and even Of tue holiest
,rnoff. ma Of thu human bport gtutfdffv