The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-09-02
Ut Was to Talk to 10000 PeO-
pie at Columbus
SO That They Could All Hear
Him.
E ALTERNATELY
From Each Of the Four Sides Of
His Platform.
Is Given Prolonged and Enthu-
siastfc Cheers.

-
but the outpouring of the people to see
and hear the Democratic presidential
candidate at the state capital last
night was greater in proportion to the
size Of the city than that in the north
ern metropolis had been. Mr.. Bryan
had the state capitol grounds for his
forum and the memory of the local
politicians contains no such demonstra-
ton as the one in which he played the
star part Inhabitants say that no
other attraction has ever drawn so
strongly in Columbus except display
OF fireworks in connection with the
state fair on the same grounds two
years ago when fifty per cent more
people we're gathered
A rooted and fag-draped platform
faced the eastern front Of the capitol
building and as Mr.. Bryan looked down
from its height twenty feet above the
street he saw the steps and terraces
packed in solid rows. with gloomy stone
walls for the background while about
the other sides of the stage across the
lawn of several acres to the street be-
yond. stood regiments of which an ae-
curate estimation was impossible and
which a careful guess would place at
10000 Looking down from the roof of
candidate arrived saw the whole place
sWarming with men, women and chill
dren, q large part of the city's popula~
ton, reinforced by visitors to the state
fair now in progress. They jogtled and
pushed about the grounds and poured
through the corridors Of the building
in Kaleidoscope currents, cheering the
sky-rockets which popped in the air
and the brass bands stationed on the
From the Chittenden hotel, half
mile away, Mr.. Bryan came to the cap
itoI in a barOuche, drawn by four white
horses, and under the escort of several
free silver clubs of Columbus and
aeighborfng towns enlivened by bands
and unique campaign devices in which
silver dollars shared conspicuously.
= shriIl cheer marked his progress
along the street and multiplied in its
intensity on his arrival at the platform
and thereafter beating the air in wave
after wave throughout his speech. On
account Of the size of his audience Mr..
Bryan adopted a novel method of
speaking, talking to sections of the
crowd alternately from each of the four
sides of the platform. Even then not
more than one-tenth of the people
could hear him. He was introduced by
Hon Allan Thurman, son of the 'fOld
silver in Ohio for several years and af-
ter the candidates speech, the Demo-
cratic nominee for congress in the Co
lumbus district. Hon. J. L. Lentz, ad~
dressed the remains of the crowd
Mr.. Bryan said: Ladies and gem
tlemen- This is the largest audience
TO which have ever tried TO speak.
have had occasion to talk where the
audience filled all outdoors. If you all
vote as you now shout I don't see how
there can be any question about the
triumph Of free silver in Ohio.
We have entered upon a campaign
which means much to the American
people, if our opponents speak truly
when they describe what viii in their
judgment be the effect of free coinage
which the success of the Chicago tick
ct would certainly bring to the coun-
try IT. on the other hand, we speak
the truth when We describe to you the
effects of the gold standard, then the
maintenance of the gold standard un-
Ill foreign nations come to our relief
is an evil which cannot be contem-
plated by those who love their coun-
try We have begun an unceasing
warfare against the gold standard.
The Republican party, which declares
the gold standard is not a good thing
has declared the gold standard must be
maintained. Its effects are so bad
that no party has dared to uphold it."
Here Mr.. Bryan went from the front
of the platform to the side. first excus-
ing himself to the audience as follows:
Excuse me for one moment and per
haps, by making them hear on the 9TH
er side will be able to bring order out
of confusion If you people here will
be as still as you are now for a little
while, I will come back"
Mr. Bryan then spoke from the side
platform, saying: 7 dare to impress
upon your minds the fact that we are
fighting in this campaign an enemy
who has never gone into an open bat
tie. The advocates of the gold stand
ard have never dared to submit the
the gold standard TO arbitration of
ballot Every step that has been taken
has been taken by stealth and without
the approval of the American people.
When silver was demonetized In 1873
the people had not discussed, and per
sons who were members of congress
and who voted upon the measure have
testified that they did not understand
that the bill demonetized silver. When
the crime was discovered and the
American people attempted to restore
silver to its ancient place by the side
Of gold, the opponents of free coinage
forced the Bland act upon congress as
& compromise and as soon as the Bland
act went into force the enemies of free
silver proceeded to repeal the Bland
act and left nothing in its place But
the silver sentiment grew until 1880
and in that year the opponents of
free coinage, being afraid of the pass
age Of a free coinage bill secured an
other compromise, which was known
rs the Sherman law
They secured the repeal of the Sher-
man law and they pretended that when
they got it out of the way they would
restore silver to its former place. There