Evening journal., 1896-09-24
LABOR eREETs BRYAN.
Enthusiastic Meeting In Brooisiyn at the
Clermont Avenue Rink.


Enthusiastio Meeting In Brooklyn at the
Clermont Avenue Rink.
BROOKLYN, Sept 24.-Thero has per
haps never been such a significant demon
stration for William Jennings Bryan in
the east as that given last night in this
city by the combined labor interests. 1t
has been mooted question whether the
labor people Of the east would respond to
call for a mass meeting In favor Of Mr..
Bryan, but there was no mistake about
the demonstration at the Clermort rink.
The capacity Of the building was osti-
mated at 8. 600, and every available corner
was filled with good natured humanity,
while thousands besieged the doors and
were refused admission. 1t was a typical
labor gathering, and even the women and
children present were filed with the en-
thusiasm Of the occasion. 1t was also
meeting far out of the ordinary in its
method Of procedure. Instead of the form
al introduction nominating a presiding
officer, clean cut man with gray hair
stepped to tho front of the platform short
ly before s o'clock and said, "Will the au-
dience please take from their seats the
song that is there and join in singing It, "
and they responded so heartily that the
thorns upon the toilers brow" rang
against the unpainted rafters and re-
echoed again and again, and when IL was
| finished mighty cheer went up. And so
| it was throughout the meeting and vi e
they were waiting for the arrival Of Mr..
| Bryan.
The meeting was presided over entirely
/ by labor organizations, and the stage con-
/ taned a represen tative from each local
labor organization.
When the meeting was called TO order,
every aisle and each corridor was crowded,
and when letters of regret were read from
Eugene V. Debs and John W. Hayes, sec
retary Of the Knights of Labor, there were
yociferous cheers Debs said In his telo-
gram, "Tho millions arc with Bryan and
will place him in tho chair Lincoln occu-
pied in spite Of British Toryism and cor
poration coercion"
Chicago Convention Indorsed.
Resolutions were adopted commanding
the work of the Chicago convention and
proclaiming;
we believe the present contest to be
much more than struggle between the
Democratic and so called Republican par
ties, more than silver against gold and is
not fight of the poor against the rich,
nor of labor against capital, nor Of the
farmers against the artisan or mechanics,
nor the creditor against the debtor class,
but when sifted and analyzed and stripped
from all sophistry is a battle of the poo
pie against the oligarchy of wealth, found
cd on special privilegesi therefore bo it
% Resolved, That we pledge our services
unreseryedly to the earnest and active
support Of the sole young tribune Of the
people, William jennings Bryan, for prosi-
dent of these United States, and we ask
the support and earnest cooperation of all
the toilers.
The time before the arrival of Mr.
Bryan was whiled away by brief speeches.
Mr.. John Phillips, national secretary Of
| the hatters' union. as chairman, Begin
ming the addresses. He intimated that la
Dor would vote as q unit this year and
was applauded. Secretary Owen Kindelon
said:
" 1 was at the meoting Of Bryan clubs
last week, and every county reported. We
found out that for every gentleman that
deserts the ranks we can count a hundred
soldiers from lab0rs ranks who will sup
port Bryan.
John Brisbon Walker of New York was
the first invited speaker, but St was diff
cult TO hear because of tho tumult IN the
rear Of the hall Mr. Walkor talked OF tho
rights OF labor and tho helplessncss OF tho
voter while the great parties were donli-
mated by bosses He laudcd the candi-
date and closed by saying that labor should
not allow their employers TO intimidate
them, but should vote for Bryan. Joseph
r.. Buchanan of New Jersey was the next
speaker, and his address was altogether
upon labors interests and labor rights
/ He was interrupted several times, once by
tier Of seats I'm the gallery giving away
He said that tho campaign was one Of the
home against the home destroyer. Charles
/ Frederick Adams was called upon for a
speech, bat said that he desired to intro
duoe Miss Anna Dickinson, who was on
tho stage Tho confusion WAS so great
that Miss Dickinson declined 20 speak.
It was somo time after 10 o'clock
when Candidate Bryan appeared, and after
the police had fought a way through the
crowds at the door for him, they had TO
repeat the operation inside the vast as
semblago in the meantime standing upon
the seats and yelling themselves hoarse in
their adulations of the leader Mr.. Bryan
said in part:
1.-THE issue is drawn In this campaign.
The Republican party is in favor Of main
tanning the present gold standard. Let
me suggest two or three things, which you
can consider in weighing this question.
In the first place, If the gold standard is a
I good thing, let me ask you why the Re-
publican platform did not so declare and
promise you TO maintain it forever If
the gold standard is a good thing, the Re
publican party ought to have said so, but
the Repuhlican party pledges you that it
will get rid Of the gold standard as soon
rs IL can and thon asks you to believe
that the gold standard is a good thing.
II the gold standard IS good for the labor
ing man, then why does tho Republican
patty promise to hurt the laboring man
by substituting a double standard for
golGg
IL we have money enough, why should
we want any money from abroadi Is Il
not better TO have our money, instead of
borrowing money from abroad Our OPP
ponerts say that If we have free coinage,
we can't borrow from abroad I reply
that II we have the gold standard, we will
! MAYER hn ahfa IN nav IL hnt we hova nlraaf =