The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-12-29
BRYAN TALKS PLAINLY.
In a Speech to Travelling Men He
Speaks of Prosperity.


Lincoln, Neb.. Dec. 2e.-The state
Travelling Mems association rendered
w. ]. Bryan a banquet last night at
the Lincoln hotel.
Editor G. NJ. Hitchcock of the Omaha
World Herald introduced Mr. Bryan.
He said
THE cause of the people is never
beaten; the hero of the people is never
vanQuished. After the gloom at Valley
Forge came the victory at Yorktown.
After the disappointment of 1896 viii
come the joyful triumph of 1900. To-
night we entertain a guest whom many
millions love and whom all the world
respect. Gentlemen, I propose a toast
to the great guest of the evening our
candidate that was, our leader that is
and our president that is to be, W. J.
Bryan of the United States"
Mr.. Bryan said in part:
4 am glad to have the travelling men
interested in bimetallism because they
are always able to defend any position
taken and are travelling missionaries in
behalf of any cause which they espOuse
and expect them to be of great serv-
ice during the next four years in pre-
senting the merits of free coinage to the
business men Of this country The trav-
cling men are in a position to measure
the promises made by the Republican
party with the fuldllment of those prom
lSeS; IN other words, they are prepared
to compare the goods delivered since
the election with the samples shown
during the campaign.
The public was told that Republican
success would restore confidence, and
that confidence was the only thing
lacking. In Dun's review of November
z, we find these words: a great revO-
luton has been effected this week in
the conditions which control business.
1t could not be in any fair degree re
( fleeted as yet in transactions or in rec
OrdS, but there is ample evidence al
ready that the crushing weight has
been lifted and rolled away, and the
business world has begun to adjust it.
self to a state of freedom and security
winch 1t has not known for years.
Dread of immeasurab bic disaster no
longer locks up resources and paralyzes
industry, and new contracts involving
since the election
THE following week the same Re
view says: No one doubts that the
brighter day IS dawning, and it is the
common remark that never before has
busienss shown so great a change for
the better within a single week
'On the following week the Review
starts ont with the statement: The
gain in volume of business continues
entirely without precedent By the
fourth week disappointment began to
manifest itself, and I find that accord
ing to Dun 5 report five of the eight re-
ports since the election show an in
crease of weekly failures over the cor
responding weeks of the last year
rot the elShI weeks since the cleo
ton the reports show IS business fail
ures more than for the corresponding
eight weeks in 1895 I call attention
to these figures because they show
either that confidence has not vet been
restored, or that confidence, il restored,
has not restored prosperity
Every failure among the Wholesale
houses means q loss of employment to
travelling men. and every failure among
retail establishments means the loss of
a customer. Bimetallists have con
tended that hard times are due mainly
to the rise in the purchasing power of
money. They have cOntended that
prosperity must begin with the farmer
and labOrer, and afterwards reach the
commercial classes. The Republicans
have promised to restore normal condi-
tions without Increasing the volume of
currency. What they may do here
after remains to be seen, but it is evil
dent that they have thus Tar failed to
bring relief to the people.
''Dun's Review of December 26 re-
ports a falling off of "A per cent in bank
exchanges in the leading cities for the
five days ending December "A over cor
responding days of last year. and a
falling off of 16 per cent over the cor
responding days of 1892 "
J. H Atwood of Leaven worth fol-
lowed. eulOgizing Mr.. Bryan. His pres
ence." he said, ''proclaims to the world
that honor among the nations leaders
is not legend
Addresses were also made by Gov
other prominent men of the state. Let
ters of regret We're received from R p.
Bland and Governor Stone of Missouri