The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-09-21
BRYAN IN WASHINGTON.
Spoke In Driving Rain to an En-
thusiastic Crowd.


Washington. Sept. 21.-A heavy wind
and rain storm seriously interfered with
the arrangements which had been made
by the local committees for a grand re-
ception to Candidate Bryan at the Old
Capitol base ball park Saturday after
noon. The crowd was considerably be-
low the expectations of those having
the arrangements in charge, but there
was no lack of enthusiasm. When Mr..
Bryan appeared on the platform he was
received with such a demonstration as
is rarely accorded a public speaker.
For fully five minutes the cheering con
tinued, Mr.. Bryan standing bareheaded
and evidently much gratified at re-
ceiving such unmistakabIe evidence of
approval of himself and his cause. For
some time before his arrival dark, rain
and wind-laden clouds from the west
save certain promise of a doWnpOur.
and he had not spoken more than 40
minutes when the rain came down in
torrents, drenching everyone exposed
to it. Still. the great crowd kept their
places and cheered and called to the
speaker to go on.
The scene was a remarkable one
After waiting some time, however, Mr.
Bryan left the platform and drove to
his hotel. Almost every sentence in the
speakers brief address was wildly
cheered.
The nominee opened his speech by a
reference to his four years of official
life in Washington, which provoked the
cry, Wen make it four more from
his audience. Then when he strongly
endorsed the home rule plank in the
Chicago platform, the audience was es-
pecially vOciferOus, but there was still
greater applause when he said the
Democracy stood opposed to life ten
ure IN the public service and in favor
of appointments based upon merit. and
in favor of such an administration of
the civil service laws as will afford
equal opportunities to all citizens of
ascertained fitness. Continuing, he
said:
My friends, we are in favor of the
civil service reforms that mean some
thing, and not a civil service reform
law that permits the president to sus-
pend the civil service law until he can
get his friends into office and permits
another president to extend the service
just as ne is going out to keep his
friends in. (AppIause.) We are in
favor of fixed terms OF Office in the civil
department of the government. We
want it so that when man goes in he
will know how long he is going to stay
and when he is going out. We do not
want to build up an Office holding class
and ill our offices for life A man when
he gets his Office will then have no more
concern about his country except to
draw his salary when it is due. (Great
applause) We believe that the life
tenure which relieves a man from all
further care is destructive to the high
est forms of citizenship and should not
be tolerated in a country like ours
CApplause.)
Now. my friends, want to call your
attention to one other subject. Our
opponents are doing as much for US in
this campaign as We are able to do for
ourselves. (Applause) And of all the
public documents recently issued, the
most important one is a letter just
given to the public, written by the sec
rotary of the treasury, from which I
desire to quote one sentence
1t Is the duty of the secretary Of