The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-10-23
They Are For Bryan and Free
Silver.
TOURISTS CLUB MEETS
An Eloquent Address by Capt.
T. w. Mason.
OTHER PATRIOTIC SPEECHES
Twenty-Five New Members Join the
Club to Fight For Free Coin
age and Good Govern
ment.

ment.
The meeting of the Bryan CONNER
cial Tourists Club alt the Park Hotel
last night was one of the most notable
meetings of the campaign. There was
a large attendance of the members OF
the club present, more than half the
States of the Union being represented.
1t was characterized by enthusiasm
from the opening remarks of President
Neal, to the eloquent closing speech
of Chairman Manly. The members of
this club GO from county to county,
from State to State, and they are the
best barometers Of public sentiment,
as we'll as being intelligent, wide
awake, well informed and patl .otie
citizens. They are lending their infiu-
euce to the cause because they see that
the gold standard is disastrous to bus
mess, as well as injurious 10 Farmers.
Some of them represent houses that
advocate the gold standard, and it
might be expected that Chey would
take their opinions from their employ
ers, but such an expectation would do
injustice to their independence, their
manhood and their patriotism.
The large parlor and hall of the Park
Hotel were full at O'Clock when Pres
ident w. T.. Neal called the club to or
der with the statement that the drum
mers were for Bryan, and were ressOlv-
ed that he should be elected Presidnet
He introduced as the first speaker, Hon.
Thomas w. Mason, Democratic candi-
date for Lieutenant-Governor.
AN ELOQUENT SPEECH.
Capt. Mason was received with enthu-
siasm, and began his speech with pleas
ant and timely reference to the charec-
ter of the drummers, the opportunity
their work gave them 10 come close
to the heart of the people, and to know
where the shoe pinches. The drummer
knows better and quicker than others
when the times are hard, and better
than that, by putting his ear close
down to the beating heart of the peO-
pie he learns the cause of hard times.
Captain Mason then showed the over
whelming sentiment in North Carolina
five months ago an all parties for silver;
traced the conversino of Pribchard,
Russell, Walser and all the other flop
pers to the influence of Mark Hanna;
and exposed in whitening terms the
hypocrisy of those Populists who talk
ed silver and entered into arrange
men,ts with the Republicans 10 elect
goldbugs to office. His argument for
free coinage was strong and forcible,
and carried weight. But presently he
touched upon the attempt OF corpora
tions to control the votes of their en-
ployes, and said ib was an attempt TO
take the shackles that had been taken
from the negro and put them upon the
Anglo-Saxon. He said corporations
were necessary. He would not speak
against them, but when he thundered
out his anathemas upon those who
sought to coeree their wage-earneTs
into voting for the gold standard, he
looked like a prophet of old dispensing
the law and the gospel. He spoke
with the fire OF the true orator. His eyes
blazed with the Indignation that filled
his soul His own adherence of this
new Anglo-Saxon slavery was hurled
forth with such graphic power that ii
became contagious and every heaTer
felt moved by the speakers own right
eous indignation. He claimed that
most of the railroad officials who try
to coerce their employees are the SER
wants of the men to whom they sell
their bonds and that the in
timidatiOn comes all along down the
line. And in this connection
the speaker paid an eulogy to George
Hood, the young man employed in thS
Cumnock mines, who resigned his posi-
tion rather than surrender his man
hood The words of eulOgy, waTTA
from his own heart, were among ths
most eloquent that ever fell from the
lips OF man. Indeed the speech, of
which we attempt NO synopsis, will
ever stand out in the memory as a
masterpiece of eloquence. At some
points, it rose to the highest genius,
and as a whole has not been surpassed
in this campaign. It stirred all hearts
with genuine feelings OF patriotism,
and nerved every soul TO a determine
tion to do and dare for the homes and
firesides of the people, now threatened
by evils black and terrible. No man
could have made this speech who did
not have a heart that beats for love OF
his fellows.
Twice did the speaker close, but has
hearers were so under bhe spell Of his
eloquence that he could not disregard
the cries of ''go on" which greeted
him from all parts of the room. 1t was
as remarkable a tribute to AN orators
success as we have known.
MR.. JOSEPHUS DANIELS SPEECH.
The next speaker who was intro
duced was Mr.. Josephus Daniels, editor
of the News and Observer He began
with the remark that the oft-repeated
pessimistic statement that the day or
orators had passed could never again
find credence with any whose good
fortune it had been TO hear Capt.
Mason's eloquent speech. He hkened
it's boldness and power TO the bugle
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