The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1896-08-22
THuRsr0rs CHARGES REFUTED
BRYAN Dares tho National Committed
% Present an Indictment
SENATOR J. n. rHuRsT0N cRAwIs OUT

william j. bryan udS Iuauo ma
official denial of Senator Thurston's
charges that he was the tool OF
mine-owners. Mr.. Bryan's denial
is coupled with a challenge 10 the
Republican national COMMITTEES to
preset an indictment. In his letter
of denial, Mr.. Bryan says:
II have already denied this charge on
several occasions, but the relteration OF it
by Senator Thurston. distinguished res
ident Of my own State, justiftes me in
xnswering it again. l have never. At any
time or under any circumstances, been IN
the employ Of any mine owners, individ-
uaIly or collectively, directly or indirect.
u, nor have I ever been in the employ OF
or paid by any Bimetallic league or asso.
citation. Aside from my editorial salary Of
about 81 so per month, paid by the Omaha
World Herald, and small amount paid
the legal profession, my income since my
retirement from Congress has been de-
rived from lectures before the Chautauqua
lyceum and lecture bureaus, which have
usually paid me fixed sum, and from
contributions made by the people Of the
localities where I have spoken. In some
instances have received nothing at all.
In most cases I have received no more
than enough to pay travelling expenses
In only two instances. I think, has my
compensation exceeded 500, and In these
instances it was about $500 at one place
and about $500 at the other.
"The first platform on which ran for
Congress, in 1890, before was known
politically, outside my State, contained .
free coinage plank, and my Republican
opponent that year was an advocate OF
free coinage. In the campaign OF 1899
again ran on free coinage platform. In
1894 l again ran on free. coina2e plat
form, and my opponent for the Senate. Mr..
Thurstou, while opposing unlimited coin
age It Is to /, insisted that he favored
h,metallism. I wrote the free.coinaee
plank on which ! ran in 1890 and the
tree-coinsge planks in the Nebraska State
platforms of 1891, 1894 and 1895. and
tried to secure the adoption Of free COIN
age planks in the State platform in 1892
and 1898. only mention this to show
that my advocacy of free silver is not of
recent date.
"Having made this answer to Mr..
AuOISkQu loILcI, ouoIl u04C0AAe1 S0no
no notice of individual or newspaper
comlpent on the subject. If the Repub
lican National committee will say 0fh
cially that have ever been employed to
deliver speeches by any mine owner, .
group of mine-owners, or by any asso
citation supported by mine owners, I AM
ready to make = statement showing in
detail all money received BY me for
speech making.
THURsToN ACCEPTS THE DENIAL.
In reply to Mr.. Bryan's letter of
denial, Senator Thurston handed to
the Associated Press at Chicago
Wednesday night the following card
over his signature, with the request
that it be disseminated:
ITO THE PUBLIC: On July 18th the
Chicago Chronicle charged w. ]. Bryan
with being . salsried employs of the
silver bonsnz interests. On July 8lst, 1t
Madison, Wis.,, l read the editorial of'the
Chronicle, and insisted that Mr.. Bryan
owed it, ~ duty to tho American PEG.
pie, to answer the charge. His explicit
denial appears in the press this morning.
! stated in Nebrasks that Mr.. Bryan
denial would be accepted and would 30
notify the country, which l take this i'm.
mediate and public manner of doing.
lSigned) "JoHN n. THuRsroa."