The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-09-29
A NAN OF THE MASSES.
Julian Hawthorne Describes the PeopIs'.
Love for Bryan.

Love tor Bryan
Julian Hawthorne, writing from
Pittsburg. gives the following account
of the journey: At Crestline, where
we stopped half an hour, I had my
first opportunity of estimating Mr..
Bryan's oratory. He had, indeed, ever
since leaving Chicago, appeared at each
stop on the steps of his car, and had
often spoken a few words of greeting
and acknowledgement. But there was
no opportunity for action in these
brevities, though they suficed to indi.
cate that the man needed a large can
vass to do himself justice.
But at Crestline the people we're to
be numbered by the thousands instead
of hundreds, and there was a brass
band, flags and a decorated stand for
Bryan to speak from. He left his car,
and as he assembled the platform was
greeted with roars Of applause. Half
a dozen cannons had been fired al the
train rolled into the station. In his
short sack coat, his head barred, and
standing solidly on both feet, he began
to speak.
His is an ideal figure for an orator.
His stalwart, broad shouLdered pr, S
sence fills and satisfies the eyes; his
face, with its black eye brow, and
strong features, shows the expression
afar off; indeed. Bryan reminds n at
times both of Edwin Booth and of John
cCullough. It is an expression at
once of poignancy and breadth, such
as must needs belong to a great actor,
but only occasionally falls to the lot of
a statesman.
Standing square, with an easy swing
of the shoulders and a graceful action
of both arms, alternately or in an
unison, Bryan made a short but power
full address, every centence of which
was punctuated with applause. His
voice is of admirable quality, deep,
clear, resonant and of great carrying
power. He brought out word aftor
word with deliberate emphas!9, and
the more important phrases were de-
livered With immense energy, involving
not merely the arms, but the head and
the whole body. He seemed, in these
imprisoned moments, to be actuated
by a force greater than his own, yet
which found in him a perfect instru
ment.
In point of action, Bryan recalls the
greatest of living orators, Gladstone,
There is the same ease, harmony and
vanity. But Gladstone had also a
gentle, half playful, colloquial vein,
which he often employed in the Houc9
with great effect. Bryan, in this short
speech, had no time for ~playfulness.
He hammered his tt utbs into the audi
ence with stroke ca of Thor's hammer,
and they responded with roars and
shrieks of depreciation. Whatre5ources
he may hold in rC 3rve for other moods
and occasions, I have yet to learn, but
I am already confident that he can hold
his New York audience, and perhaps
produce results more vital than any
responsible prophet dare e9 yet fore
tell.
His greatest triumph of all was per
haps in Canton, the home of Mckinley.
The latter gentleman himself did not
show at the depot, but most of his fell
low townspe 0ple did, and no crowd
along the routo hes Keen more enthusi-
astic or more Intelligent. A great
many of them were welllooking and
well-to do, aud there was a great mum
Der of pretty girls, who wore Bryan
~favors, and risked stuff cating in the
effort to see him. An entarprising
photographer climbed with his machine
to the roof of the depot and tcok snap
shots at Bryan addressing the crowd
from the platform of a freight car. The
band played, and the che bring Yves al
most continuous. The Republican
nominee must have heard it, and it
may have set him thin king.
Meanwhile the heat is terrific, and
the question arises, how long can Bryan
hold out9 Were he a fresh man - day,
the task which confronts him between
now and Thursday morhing is enough
to daunt a strong man, but the Nebras
kan seems made of iron, and he has
shown no signs of succumbinS. Be
sides success such as his gees far to
ward renewing tagging energies.
confess I was not myself prepared
for the unm:stakable sincerity and al
most passionate enthusiasm which have
met Mr.. Bryan at every town and vii
lage along u route. The demons:ra
4ion honan of the Chicago raiIwau sto.