The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-14
weary and worn from the excitement

llX. He bought tickets Ter himself ana
/ wife at the Illinois Central depot and
| there was no special car provided. The
/ man upon whom the Democratic party
| thrust the greatest honor within its
/ power rode in a Pullman coach on a
/ regular train, and every passenger on
| board the train had access to the car,
! and nearly every one of them came
| back and shook hands with Mr.. Bryan
! and his wife and expressed to them
! their good wishes and congratulations
There was no demonstration at the
| Park Row depot when Mr. Bryan ana
his wife left Chicago Mr. and Mrs
Bryan rode to the depot in cab few
| minutes before the time for the train
to depart A few people recognized
Mr.. Bryan and exercised the privilege
of Americans toward candidates or
public officers by shaking hands with
/ him.
The first stop after leaving Chicago
/ was al Kankakee.
Fully / O0O citizens had assembled
around the depot and were eagerly
waiting for a chance to catch a glimpse
of the Democratic nominee. The state
insane asylum band was present play
ing THE Star Spangled Banner when
the train pulled into the depot There
was a general rush from all sides, as
every one seemed determined to grasp
the Democratic leaders hand. The
train only stopped five minutes, but in
that time Mr.. Bryan was a decidedly
busy man. Just before the train start
ed there were cries of Speech" from
all parts of the crowd and some en-
thusiastic individuals carried huge
dry goods box over the heads of the
people upon which they intended To
place Mr.. Bryan that he might talk to
them all. But before they reached him
the conductor called ''All aboard and
the train pulled out, much to the dis
appointment of the assembled citizens.
Mrs. Bryan was an interested spectator
of the scenes on the depot platform
THE VETERAN KNEW BILL"
The little town of Paxton was the
Ct M ak
from the car a stalwart veteran with
long gray hair and flowing whiskers
pressed his way to the front and
graSped the presidential candidate by
the hand. I knew it would come to
this some day, Bill he said in a gruff
voice. I knew your father before you
were born, and I have watched you
from the time you used to kick up the
dust in the streets Of Salem with your
bare feet. And have always said that
you would be a great man some day
The people at RantOuI were given but
three minutes in which to shake hands
with the new leader Of the Democratic
party. The town only boasts of a
thousand inhabitants, and at least two
thirds of them, men, women and chill
dren, were q the depot to greet MI.
Bryan and he was enthusiastically
cheered. As Mr.. Bryan boarded the
train he turned about on the platform
in response to loud calls for a speech.
He raised both hands and instantly all
was silence. If you will only vote
next November as industriously as you
shout now, Will be sure to be elected
The bell on the engine began to clang,
the train move away and the assembled
citizens roared with delight
Champaign gave the greatest dem
onstratiOn of the trip. The streets
were blocked with vehicles and people
in every direction There was a mill
tary band and nearly every one of the
thousands of people who had come to
do honor to the nominee carried a flag.
A committee representing the citizens
of Champaign county and city We're at
the depot to meet the distinguished
man from Nebraska. Mr.. and Mrs.
Bryan We're escorted to q temporary
platform which had been erected on a
fiat car which stood on a sidetrack. 1t
was draped with bunting and flowers.
There was an ovation of hand clap
ping and cheers when Mr. Bryan step
ped to the front of the platform. He
was introduced to the thrOng of citi-
zens by Col. J. H. Wolfe, 8. venerable
gentleman, bearing strong resem-
blance to Gladstone.
When quiet was restored Mr.. Bryan
said: Fellow citizens, I believe I have
not visited this city since about 1879
(Cries of Good boy Bryan and great
applause.) In that year 1 was a stu
dent at the Illinois college and we had
a contest, I think an intercollegiate
contest was had in this city at your
college and it was my good fortune to
be present and meet some of your peO-
pie, and that is the last time and 1 be- |
Heve the first time till now that I have
been here or passed through here
I am not going to make a political !
speech this afternoon. I have just |
been talking some at Chicago and am
kind of between speeches. L am glad |
to have an occasion to talk to you for
awhile and am gratified to see that |
so many people by their presence here
have shown their interest in this cam |
paign. In my judgment it is the most |
important campaign through which |
this country has passed in time of |
peace during our existence as ma
ton (Applause) A campaign in which |
great issues are to be settled, issues |
which affect every man, woman and /
child in the nation. And beg of you !
that you shall realize and appreciate |
the important part which you bear in !
this campaign.
This is the greatest nation on the |
earth. 1t is in advance in my humble |
judgment in all that makes a nation |
great: in advance of all nations that |
live, or have lived, in those great !
things, and the opportunities which |
people find here have their highest and |
best development. We have the best |
form of government and we have it |
because it is government which can |
be just as good as the people desire it |
to be. No government can be better |
than the people deserve If our gov
eminent is good, if our laws are just, it |
is because we make them ourselves. ! |
have confidence in the intelligence. in |
the patriotism of the great common /
people of this country (Applause)
The only trouble that we have is /
that people are so often Indifferent of |
their duties as citizens. Some have !
an idea that patriotism can only be |
manifested in time of war 1 was too /
young to show my patriotism in time 1
of war, but I glory that in this land /
every year gives a patriot an oppOrtu- !
nifty to show his love for country, and |
there is no year better than this. Gap |
plause.) You have the right to con |
slider and act upon every question |
which arises, and when you find a |
person who tells you that the masses
and the people are not competent to |