The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-07-15
BRYAN At CENYRAuA.
The Candidates Reception There
Almost a Failure.
CROWDED OUT BY REPUBLICANS,

l
Tho City Park Had Been Engaged by Sen.
atorial Candidate, and Mr.. Bryan Was
Compelled to Leave Early, After Max
ing a Speech.
CENTRALIA, Ills, July 15.-For some
reason the ovation that was to have been
given to William j. Bryan hore last night
was almost failure Scarcely 800 people
were at the station when the train bear
ing Mr. Bryan and his wife pulled in. A
club Of Democratic voters arrived from
Nashville with band about $780, and u
few minutes later one>came in from Fair
field, but they added scarcely 200 people to
the crowd. To make matters worse the
place selected for Mr.. Bryan to meet the
crowd.was at the city park, which had al
ready been engaged by William f. Mason,
| Republican candidate for the United
| States senate from this state. On this &C.
count Mr.. Bryan and his friends had to
vacate before o'clock. Governor Altgeld
was not there, and does not seem to have
been invited, though it was announced he
was coming.
1t was originally int ,nded by Mr.. Bryan
and his wife to quietly visit this place
where Mr. Bryan has many relations.
There was to have been sort of reunion
of the Bryan family of Marion county. 1t
was, however, decided by Mr., Bryan to
give the visit and reunion up. The people
here heard that he was coming, and he
was urged not to disappoint them.
The train which brought Mr.. Bryan
here arrived at 5 As o'clock, Mr.. and Mrs.
Bryan were hurried through the crowd to
q carriage in waiting. Captain s. l..
Dwight met them and took them to his
home Mrs. Dwight is cousin of Mr..
Bryan. At the home of Captain Dwight
there was an informal reception to the
ladies Of Centralia who were presented to
the nominee and his wife. There were
several hundred women there, and the af-
fair was decidedly pleasant.
The visiting party was then taken to the
city park. Preceding the carriagei in which
Mr.. and Mrs. Bryan rode was brass
band, and following were several hundred
citizens on foot. The procession increased
in size as 1t neared the park, and upon the
arrival of the carriage at tho pavilion In
the center there were nearly thousand
people there 1t was announced by Cap
tain Dwight that Mr.. Bryan would not at
tempt to talk as he had so little time, but
when it became known that Mr.. Bryan
was going to stand at the foot Of the pa
vilon to greet the multitude there was
quiet, and every one began to crowd for
ward to shake hands with the distin-
guished visitor. AS time went by the
Bryan clubs from Nashville and Fairfield
arrived and then the clamor for speech
was renewed. 1t became SO loud that Mr..
Bryan at length gave way to his first in
tentions. He said in part:
~ trust that the issues involved In this
campaign will be clearly understood and
carefully studied. Parties are not made
to be worshiped. They are merely the in
strumcnts by which we serve our country.
The people are made not for parties, but
parties are made for the people and parties
can only claim the support of the people
when their parties are efficient instru-
ments in the hands of people Of accom-
plshing good. And those who are called
upon to vote have right to consider the
platform utterances or policies advocated
by the various parties, as well as the char
actcr of the candidates who are nominated.
ut matters not whether you believe in
ard You must admit that the settlement
OF the money question is of the first and
greatest Importance. Whom that is done
other things can be considered. On tho
money question the two great parties have
taken positions directly opposite to each
other -Four years ago the positions taken
by the Republican and Democratic par
ties on the money question were identical.
"As this campaign approaches the two
great parties line themselves up on this |
great question. Tho Republican party at
st. Louis declared that the gold standard
should be maintained until it could be !
changed by international agreement, That
platform does not say that the gold stand
nrd is a good thing, because that platform
pledges the party to get rid of tho gold
and substitute for it something
better as soon as it can be done. This
better substitute could not be received
until the world should help The Demo-
cratic party declared itself unalterably op-
posed to a. single gold standard. We also
declared that the silver dollar should To
legal tender for all debts, public and pri.
vate, and that such legislation should be
enacted as Is necessary to prevent for the
future the demonstration of any kind of
egal tender money.
"The issue Is drawn, and we have our
'hoice in this campaign between an Amer
can financial system for the American
people and an English financial system to
,e forced upon us. Those who believe in
unning this government upon tn? Euro
'can plan should go and legislate with the
republican party, If the gold standard
$ good thing why ought wo to try toget
id Of itS fit is Il bad thing why should
We keep it until some other nation helps
is to get rid OF it?
I'VE who stand upon the platform
dopted at Chicago do not come to you as
uppliants begging for your votes Those
otes are your own. You are free men,
nd no man should stand in the attitude
I petitioning for free man to do any
hing but what Is according to his con-
cence, but we come before you standing
pom platform and pledging its enforce
lent if elected, and we beg you to study
he questions preTS2ted by the issues in
olved, and then lot your ballots register
free mans will"
There was tremendous applause when
ir. Bryan ceased speaking Even those
Tho had come to hear Mr.. Mason joined
, the demonstration ofapparent approval
he visitors were then escorted to u car
age and amid the peals Of bands driven
} the railway station where they took tho
ain for Salem
Extensive preparations have been made
II the demonstration at Salem today.
he placards advertising it announce that
overnor Altgeld will be there and speak
behalf Of the national ticket.