The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-02
So Vast Is the Throng That the
Candidate Divides a Speech
Into Four Sections.
REPEATS THE USUAL SONG.
Says There Is Only One Issue in the
Campaign, and That Is
Cheap Money.

large and so enthusiastic as that gathered
in the State House grounds tonight.
Under the shadow of the big structure
where the Ohio Legislature holds its ses-
sions, the Democratic nominee saw before
him a concourse of Major McKinley's fell
low States people that cannot be COM
pared to any political assemblage in the
country, except to the thousands of peo-
pie who gather in front of the capitol at
Washington once every four years to hear
new chief magistrate make his salutatory.
Fancy an open park of ten acres and
nearly every foot of that great space, with
the exception of narrow strips on the
very outsk rts, choked with human beings,
each pressed so closely to his fellows that
movement was impossible. The steps of
the Capitol building presented one slant
ing mass of perspiring but patient human
ity, who stood in relief against the
packed and jammed thousands of their fell
lows on the grassy lawn and cemeDted
pathways.
People who have witnessed the inaugu-
ration of the Ohio Governors in recent
years say that the crowds on those occa-
sions never mum bered more than 10000
But tonight everybody was saying that
the inaugural assemblies did not compare
in point of numbers with the magnificent
congregation that came to hear the young
Democratic candidate on the issues of the
campaign.
As Mr.. Bryan himself said, at filled all
outdoors" and so far beyond the reach of
his voice did the solid human mass ex-
tend that Mr.. Bryan was obliged to divide
his speech into four segments, one deliv-
cred from each side of the canopied stand
that had been erected for the occasion.
Fifty thousand is a conservative estimate
of those who were present. People had
been pouring into Columbus all day from
the surrounding country.
This is the second day of the State Fair,
and that with the additional attraction of
Bryan's presence filled the city with
strangers. Then a number of political
organizations, to whom the fair had no
interest, but whose soAe object was to do
honor to the Democratic standard bearer,
helped swell the crowds in the streets and
to lead in the enthusiasm which was
everywhere prevalent Two thousand
miners came from the Hooking Valley.
The Newark silver organizations, num-
bering 1900, put i'll an appearance. Two
thousand more, com posing silver clubs.
the west of Column bus furnished 700. The
railro I'd companies gave unusually low
rates and thousands of people took advan-
tage of them.
Mr.. ard Mrs. Bryan reached Columbus
over the Big -Four at $3.50 o'clock this after
noon in a special car chartered by the
members OF the Columb bus reception COM
mittee, who accompanied them from
Cleveland.
The candidate was cheered by thou
sands at the railway station and by thou
sands more along the mile or more of
streets through which he was taken. es-
corted by the Franklin County Silver
League, the Jackson Club and other local
and visiting Bryan and Sawall organiza-
| tions. There was a tremendous jam at
the Chittenden Hotel where apartments
had been secured for Bryan and his wife
but way was forced through the wildly
excited enthusiasts gathered there in the
hope of getting look at the Democratic
standard bearer, and the rest of the pro-
cession passed on.
Prior to to-night's great demonstration
N front of the State House there was an
other parade, in which of course Mr..
Bryan was the central figure, seated in
carriage drawn by four white horses. The
local silver clubs and those from other
places in the State, many of them with
bands of music at their heads, marched
behind the carriage along streets thronged
with interested and cheering spectators
A number of buildings were decorated,
the Examinations of the permanent arches
maintained by Columbus business men
here were handsome and the display of
fireworks were extreme fine. By good
police arrangements far better than that
OF any city visited by the candidate, a
way was kept clear from the outskirts of
the park to the stand in front Of the CAPT.
tol building, and through this Mr.. and
Mrs. Bryan and those accompanying them
were enabled to reach the assigned posi-
tions with difficulty.
Just before they arrived the stand,
hitherto darkened, burst into food OF
| light, given from scores of electric globes
which studded the ribs supporting the
canvas ceiling. The stand was spacious
and accommodated not only number OF
| prominent Democrats and their wives, but
| the members of brass band and the
! Democratic Glee Club.
| Nearly every person in that stupendous
| audience, packed over ten acres OF ground,
could see the Democratic candidate as he
mounted the steps of the rostrum and
! stood before them. And then the cheer
! ing began. The initial shouts came from
those who were the first to see the young
| Nebraskan, and then they spread through
the crowd until it seemed that every man
and woman there was testing the capacity
OF his or her pulmonary organs. BRYAN,
Bryan, Bryanp was the cry, and the
cheering rose in volume until it reached
| the final limit of enthusiastic potency.
James Ross, chairman of the Franklin
County Democratic Committee, attempted
to call the assem- blage to order in his ca
| pacity as temporary chairman. But the
| buzz OF voices was SO great in volume that
! it drowned his words, and nobody knew
what he was saying, until Allen W. Thur
man, the son of the "Oid Roman" stepped
! forward and acknowledged his introduce
| sion by Mr.. Ross. MIR. Thurman did not
waste words. He knew what the people
wanted. and in Jew brief sentences pre-
scented Mr.. Bryan.
The cheering was more intense than it
had been at Mr.. Bryan's appearance. and
it was several minutes before il ceased.
So great was the confusion caused by
those who could not hear thai the first
words of the orator were lost to all but
those near him, and he was obliged to
| stop until quiet was secured. But this
| was not accomplished until Mr.. BRYAN an