Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-12
BRYAN's TENNESSEE VISIT
Appears Now to Have Done Him More
Harm Than Good.
He Meddled in State Polltics-Gold
Democrats Are Nettled Into
an Open Revolt.
MEMPHIS. Tenn. {

Correspondence of The Evening Star
MEMPHIS. Tenn, October Z. 1885,
The visit of Mr.. Bryan to Memphis now
appears to have been arranged in the in
terest Of E. w. Carmack. the free silver
candidate for Congress here against Josiah
Patterson. the regular democratic nominee.
Some time ago it was suspected that the
eHort to get Bryan hele was to bolster UP
Carmack's cause; but the people were as
sured that the presidential nominee would
not NEEDLE in the local contest; so a good
many gold democrats who expected to sup
port the national ticket co-operated in the
effort to make the reception of Bryan a
success. But when Bryan reached Memphis
ne was importuned so persistently that he
consented to say word for Carmack.
Memphis Is a strong sound money center.
Bryan told his audience i'll effect that he
did not want any sound money democrats
TO vote for him; and he said Furthermore
that any one who stood in The way of Car
maCks election was to be treated DIS an
enemy. The gold democrats were furious
when they heard that he had meddled in
the congressional contest, and The Star
correspondent heard dozens of them say
that they would take Bryan at mis- word
ard would vote the republican state and
national tickets. 1t is estimated that Bry-
ans visit here made at least one thousand
votes for Mckinley.
The press reports of the demonStraii lion
DO not correctly represent the situation.
The cheap railroad fares brought 1900
people from Tennessee, Mississippi and Ar
kansas, but not one-half of them went to
the speaking. There were never at any
time during his speech many 10000
people on the grounds. and he had rot
been speaking five minutes when two
streams of people about three blocks long
could be seen rushing for the electric cars.
When Mr.. Cleveland was here he was
greeted by probably six times many peo-
pie as greeted MIR. Bryan Not more than
800 people could hear the democratic can
didate, and had he confined himself to
discussion of national affairs his visit
would have done him no harm. But there
was an utter lack of enthusiasm every
where.
More Harm Than Good.
In Nashville the railroads reported that
they had brought in about 5000 persons to
the city Mr.. Bryan spoke three times
there to crowds aggregating 1000 people.
A dispassionate view of the matter will
convince any one that the Tennessee trip
has done the presidential nominee of the
democracy more harm than good The
Sound Money Club here mas 5000 active
members, and these people are just rs much
| in earnest are the free Silverites. Most
OF The IN are democrats and they have be-
come nettled at the disposition of the silver
Hen to accord them no standing in the
party. 1t Is safe to say that not Cne-fourt h
| OF them will vote for Bryan. In Nashville
a Palmer and Buckner club was recently
| organized which has already a membership
OF over loo; and the national democrats
there have also put out u candidate for
Congress in the person Of John Z. Nc
Reynolds, lawyer of ability. In the con-
gressional contests throughout the state
| there is still trouble. EX-Congressman En-
loe has acknowledged his competitor, Sims,
| as the regular democratic nominee in the
| eighth congressional district; but it is said
| he is carrying knife Up his sleeve for him.
| In the ninth district McDearmon has yield
ed to Rice Pierce, who Joined the popuIists
| a few years ago, but is now one of the
| hoislest democrats in the lot. Pierce will
| be opposed by his former populist side part
| ner, John H. Mcdowell, the mogul OF popu-
| lism in Tennessee, who will have the in
| dorsement of the republicans in the, dis
| trict. In the third district Judge Moon, the
| democratic candidate, is complaining OF
| treachery within the democratic ranks. The
| republicans Will certainly carry the first
| and second districts, and probably the third
| and eighth districts. In the tenth distric
| they have indorsed the sound money demo-
| cratic nominee, Patterson, and his election
| is virtually assured
The State Campaign.
| The gubernatorial campaign has been
| marked by many mistakes on the part OF
the democrats, but the greatest mistake
| of all has been made by Bob Taylor. Their
| has been general dissatisfaction with the
| administration OF andlrS IN tennessee, anC
Col w. H. Carroll, who the chair
| man of the state democratic committee
voiced the general sentiment of the people
recently when he said that Tennessee was
| the worst governed state in the Union. The
ous.i rg of II. Clay Evans, the republi.
| can candidate for governor, who got or
| the face of the returns a plurality two
years ago, and the seating of Peter Tur
ney were net pleasing to a great many
| democrats. The recent extra session OF
the legislature called to settle dispute
beteen the treasurer and the controller
as to whether there would be a deficit OIL
| a surplus in the treasury January l ma:
| added an expenditure of s2OOOO witnou
providing any remedy.
| Bob Taylor was nominated by the demo
| Gratis to JOKE the people into a good humol
| and make them forget the ugly facts. A!
| a governor he is the poorest of makeshifts
| but it was calculated that be would q
| through the state arousing the old demo
| cratic enthusiasm AS a stumper Bob Tay
| lor in a good humor is unapproachable
but Bob Taylor in a snarl red In the fac
and dencl ncing prominent republicans a.
liars is only a spectacle, and one that cal
| do the democracy no good. His opponent
| G. N Tillman, has made an excellent i'm
| preston.
1t is thought that Tilman may win tn
, gubernatcrial fight while Bryan may carr
| Tennessee by a very narrow margin.