Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-19
Object Of Mr.. Bryan's Retirement in
New York State.
ARRANGING HIS SPEAKING PROGRAM
Republican Efforts to Capture
Gold Democrats.
CURRENT TPOLITICAL MATTERS

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
UPPER RED HOOK, N. Y, August 10
Candidate William J. Bryan is studying
the situation for himself before returning
to Nebraska. He discovered the feeling as
to free silver in the metropolis. He is now
testing it in rural New York before. plan
ming further campaigns. Perhaps he is
giving some time to his letter of accept
ance, but the appearances do not indicate
it. The villages OF Dutchess county afford
plenty of solitude for the man who likes
isolation, yet distinguished visitor is not
apt to have much leisure. There are the
numberless drives, of them to Gov.
Morton's dairy farm at Ellerslie. the trip
to the CatskiiIs, the fishing In the lakes
and the rummag ging over historic ground.
Then there are the Oldest inhabitants to
be listened to while they tell about La
fayette's visit to Chancellor Livingstone:
TIE summer boarders who want to see the
candidate: the autographic fiends, who
want his handW riting: the kodak faddists,
VINO cause him to make daily announce
Inents that no more photographs shall be
taken: the bicyclsts, who pedal the post
read from Albany to New York which
runs by Host Perrines house and the local
litterateurs who know more about the
legends of the Hudson than Washington
Irving did.
Enjoying Themselves.
Both Mr.. Bryan and Mrs. Bryan are en-
joying their surroundings. They are get
ting the rest which will be helpful in the
long campaign that is ahead. The hosp-
tality of rural New York is courteous al
most to obtrusiveness. Their active spirits
enable them to enter into il.
His host and his hosts neighbors are re-
publicans.
They tell him that the democrats are
mostly waiting for dec!ara ton from SEN
of l<a
they study the subject, as Mr.. BRYAN re-
quests them TO do, ii is generally in the
columns of the New York papers, which
are against free silver.
The Star correspondent was told that SO
per cent OF the democrats in Dutchess coun-
~ were for free silver. but If this Is so they
are Keeping pretty quiet about it. My land
lord is a democrat who says he has voted
the republican ticket only once IN twenty
years. He dislkes the thought Of voting
Tor Mckinley, but if Mr.. Bryan does not
give him a satisfactory explanation of the
way silver can be kept at parity with gold
he IS going to support Mckinley. He names
other democrats who hold the same posi-
tion, but says frankly that the larger per
ccntaSe of his friends for free silver,
and that Mr.. Bryan will receive from 50
to 81 per cent of the regular party vote
he knows no republicans who are for free
silver Or " no Will fail to vote for Mckinley.
Mr. Bryan's Speeches.
Since Dutchess county is admittedly not
the best ground for forming d Judgment,
Mr.. Bryan may he justified in assuming
that there is a smothered silver sentiment
In New York. He has certainly determined
TO give 1t a chance for utterance. The
writer has travelled in Mr. Bryan's COM
pany siice the Chicago nomination, and
has heard nearly ali his speeches. 1t is
not easy to remember them an hour a fter
delivery. But they please these for whom
they are made, and that is the object of
Mr.. Bryan. He strokes the fur the right
way. dispels EreJrdice and helps to per-
Suade those who willing to be per-
suaded. While his self confidence lays him
open to criticism by friends and party man
ayers, his instinct regarding his own
speechmaking IS truer than that of the
politicians.
During his stay in Red Hook Mr. Bryan
finds some things to confirm his belief that
there is really a latent silver sentiment
in the east. He is a keen student Of news
papers. and he does not think that his own
personality as a presidential candidate is
commanding enough to interest people in
definitely. All the great newspapers which
are hostile to him and 10 free silver, nave
their trained correspondents with him.
He has learned from these correspondents
that 1t Is his speeches, and not the pass
ing gossip of his doings, that concerns
them. Mr.. Bryan argues from this that
the people Of the east want to read his
speeches or else the newspapers would not
be at such pains to print them.
All this strengthens his determination
that on his part it shall be a speaking CAM
paign. Beyond the circulation Of free sill
yer literature, he shows astonishing Indif-
ference to the management of the cam
paign He seems to think that organiza-
ton is the least part of the battle. Per-
haps one reason for his apparent indiffer-
ence IS the knowledge that the National
B,metallic Union has taken charge of the
canvass on the Pacific coast and in the
mountain states. If Senator Teller and his
Staf
can do little to supplement them by
speeches. or otherwise. But in the middle
west, the south and the east ne thinks
that he give the discussion a trial
which will be beneficial to the free silver
cause.
Bryan Kept Informed
Since he has been in New York Mr. Bryan
has been kept fully informed of the pro-
gress of fusion in the western states. He
evidently thinks that in consequence of the
fusion movement the republicans will be
kept very busy in that section and that
Mr.. Mckinley will be forced to take the
stump. This would be immensely graft
flying to Mr.. Bryan. He would like to be
in the east while his opponent is in the
to take in the New England campaign
after the Maine election will probably
dwindle down to half dozen speeches.
and the rest of the time he puts in after
more likely be in New York and New Jer-
sey.
The sound money convention at Indian
apolis is seemingly watched by Mr.. Bryan
with more curiosity than concern. While
he has not been able to discover pro-
nounced free silver sentiment in New York,
he has found that many of the democrats
engaged in the movement are fearful that it
will fall far short of expectations. Mr..
Bryan will be making his speech of ac-
ceptance to the silver notification commit
tee at Lincoln about the time the Indian
apolis convention gets down to work.
UPPER RED HOOK, N. Y, August 49,
William Jennings Bryan has determined to
make pretty thorough canvass of the
state of New York, and for the first time
since the days of Martin Van Buren,, a
presidential candidate, will make an ad-
dress in nearly every important city. He
will first go to Albany, the home of David
B. Hill. He will visit each big city along
the New York Central road. Speaking of
his trip today he said
Z I've shall leave Upper Red Hook at 6o6
o'clock on Tuesday, the 18th, reaching
Albany $50 pm. We will leave there about
10 pm. and go to Syracuse, reaching there
at 2:O5 am. and remain there until II M,
and then reach Rochester at 2:25 pm, and
stop at Rochester one hour, arriving at
Buffalo about 4:45 p.m. Then we take the
first train for Erie, Pa, arriving there be-