The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-10-29
WASHINGTON.
r.om our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 23rd, 1896.

"Bryan VIII DC elected, emphatl- |
cally declared Senator Butler, Chair
man Of the Populist National Com !
mittee "the information received by
me this week has made this absolute
" sure in my mind. The Bryan tide
which started in Michigan and MINI
esota ten days ago and made those
states certain, instead of doubtful,
reached Illinois this week and now
that State can also be put down in
the certain column" This language
is considered very significant in Wash
ington, because Senator Butler has
been so very careful in expressing his
confidence and in making claims that
some over-enthusiastic democrats have
been inclined to accuse HIM of being
lukewarm in the support of Mr.. Bryan.
Mr. Butler is young man and he did
not care to endanger his future politl-
cal prestige by making claims until he
had carefully gone over the field and
ascertained to his own satisfaction
lust what the real situation was. This
he has done, and the result is his an
nouncement that "Bryan will be
elected All the information received
by democrats points to the correct
ness of Senator Buffers announce
ment.
A gentleman who is a democrat as
well as an old personal friend OF Mr..
Bryans said, speaking of the iepubli-
can assertion that the democratic
National Committee made a specific
chargein cash for Mr. Bryans speeches
and that those towns that did not put
up the money were passed by: 81
haven't the slightest hesitation in pro
nouncing that story to be lie, al
though it is entirely probable that
some representative of the National
committee has passed around the hat
among democrats in towns that have
been visited by Mr.. Bryan, as the
committee has had to resort to all
sorts OF schemes to raise money to
keep the campaign going and has at
no time had all that it might have
used legitimately and proftably. In
one southern state visited by Mr..
Bryan the State committee took
charge of him and his party when they
entered the state and while within its
borders would not allow them to spend
cent for anything. Mr. Bryan is a
poor man and were il not for the
personal contributions made direct to
him would probably find himself lack
ing for ready money quite often.
An instance of this sort of contribu-
ton came directly under my notice
when Mr., Bryan came to Washington
several weeks ago to speak. A Wash
ington man who is not wealthy by any
means came to me with a $500 note,
which he asked to have handed to Mr..
Bryan to be used for his personal ex,
penses, without any mention of the
donator."
Mr.. A. II. Plumb, son of the late
Senator Plumb, of Kansas, has just
come from that State, of which he
says: "Kansas will unquestionably
give its electoral vote to Bryan. My
reason for the statement is based on
personal observation gained by ex
tensive travel throughout the State
The fusion of the silver forces will be
kept intact, and there can be no doub,
as to the result. l think that hi:
majority will not be less than 20, 900
and it may reach much higher figures
The middle ofthe-road populists, VINO
have tried to hinder fusion, will eXer
but small influence, and the better
element of the party are solidly fol
Bryan. Business often leads me tc
visit Nebraska, which | am satisfied
can be put down for Bryan as Kansa:
is. The conditions in the two State!
are practically the same, and free
silver is as strong in one as the other.
Things have been very lively around
the Washington headquarters of the
A. p. A., this week, owing to the
numerous and very vigorous protests
which have been sent to the Nationa
officers OF that organization, agains
the distribution of the official A. P. A
circular which attacks Mr.. Bryan and
attempts to array the organization
solidly on the side OF Mckinley. Blu
the circulars are still being sent out
Marx Hanna has bought the goods
and the National officers of the A. P
a. are doing their best to delive
them.
The Democratic Congressiona
Committee is after Postmaster Gen
eral Wilson, and has issued specla
bulletin that must be anything bu
enjoyable to Mr.. Wilson. This
bulletin says: "Hon. William l.. vii
son, who exercises the privilege o
campaigning denied by him to hi
subordinates, has not met with The