The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-07-15
Mr.. Bryan Permitted to Make a
ted for Republican Meeting.
MONEY QUESTION DISCUSSED
AND THE POSITION OF THE TWO
LEADING PARTIES MIssTATED.
How the Candidate and His Wife
Told by Reminiscent Citizens.

CENTRALIA. ILL.,, July H.-For some
reason the ovation that was TO have been
given to William j. Bryan here tonight
was almost a failure. Scarcely 500 people
all told were at the station when the train
bearing Mr.. Bryan and his wife pulled in
A club of Democratic voters arrived from
Nashville. with a band. about $780, and a
few minutes later one came in from Fair
field. but they added scarcely 200 people to
the crowd. To make matters worse the
place selected for Mr.. Bryan to meet the
crowd was at the City Park, which had al
ready been engaged by William E. Mason,
a Republican candidate for the United
States Senate from this State. On this
account Mr.. Bryan and his friends had to
vacate before o'clock. The big majority
of the crowd that came to the park ap-
peared to be Republicans, who had ex-
pected to listen to Mr.. Mason talk. There
were frequent cheers for Mckinley. and
then the friends of Democracy would shout
for Bryan, Altgeld and free silver. Gov.
ernor Altgeld was not there and does not
seem to have been invited, though it was
announced he was coming.
1t was originally intended by Mr.. Bryan
and his wife to quietly visit this place.
where Mr.. Bryan has many relations.
There was to have been a sort of reunion
Of the Bryan family of Marion county. 1t
was, however. decided by Mr.. Bryan 10
give the visit and reunion up. The people
here had heard that he was coming and
he was urged not to disappoint them. The
train which brought MIR. Bryan here ar
rived at 5:45 o'clock. Mr.. and Mrs. Bryan
were hurried through the crowd to car
riage in waiting. Capt. S. l.. d. Dwight
hon tn hfc
Mrs. Dwight is cousin of MIR. Bryan.
At the home of Captain Dwight there was
an informal reception to the ladies of Gen.
tralia. who were presented to the nominee
and his wife. There were several hundred
women there and the affair was decidedly
pleasant.
The visiting party was then taken to the
City Park. Preceding the carriage in which
Mr. and Mrs. Bryan rode was brass
band, and following were several hundred
citizens on foot. The procession increased
in size as it neared the park, and on the
arrival of the carriage at the pavilion in
the center there were nearly thousand
! people there. The stand had been draped
with flags and bunting for the Mason
meeting. 1t was announced by Captain
Dwight that Mr.. Bryan would not at
tempt to talk, as he had so little time.
This did not please the crowd, Dut When
1t became known that Mr.. Bryan was 60
ing to stand at the foot of the pavilion
to greet the multitude there was quiet,
and everybody began TO crowd forward to
shake hands with the distinguished visitor.
Nominee Bryan's Speech.
AS time went by the Bryan clubs from
Nashville and Fairfield arrived and then
the ciamor for a speech was renewed 1t
became so loud that Mr.. Bryan at length
gave way to his first intentions and spoke.
| He said:
Ladies and Gentlemen-I did not come
| ly opened yet. But. coming back TO Ma
| rion county TO attend to some business
which had to be attended TO before L re-
| turned to my Nebraska home. l was glad
| 10 accept an invitation TO spend two or
three hours with my relatives In this city
| and while here to meet again the citizens
and friends i knew before
I'VE are entering upon a memorable cam
paign and the issues are being drawn for
the two great parties. or the two leading
parties, have already adopted their plat
forms and have already nominated their
| candidates for President and Vice Presi-
| dent of the United States. and in a short
time the campaign will be open fully. and
| you will be making up your minds to
| which ticket you will support
| Il trust that the issues involved in this
| campaign will be clearly understood and
1 careIully StuOieU. fdTtltS are not MADE 10
be worshiped. They are merely the in
| struments by which We serve our country
| The people are made. not for parties, but
| parties made for the people. and parties
! can only claim the s"2port OF the people
| when the parties are efficient instruments
in the hands OF the people OF accomplish
| ing good. Those who are called on 10 vote
| have a right consider the platform ut
| terances or policies advocated by the var
ious parties. as we'll as the character of
| the candidates who are nomina ted. In this
| campaign. / believe, there viii be less of
| personalities and more OF principles than
| in any campaign which nave known in
! recent years The people are thinking about
/ the great public questions. You must not
expect that any platform will contain all
any platform an expression of everything
| in which they believe Nor must you ex-
pect that any platform win be free from
sonlc objections. We select our party We
select our platform. not in the hope OF
| something that is absolutely in accord with
our opinion, but which gives the fullest
| preston Of all of our hopes and aspira-
| TONS and we take that platform and join
tnat party which for the time being prom
| the most important questions.
THE MONEY QUESTION.
I'm this campaign IL is conceded on all
| sides that the greatest and most important
! issue is the money question Ii matters
| not whether you believe in the restora-
| ton of silver or in a gold standard You
| must admit that the settlement of the
| money question is of the first and greatest
Importance. When that Is done other
| things can be considered. On the money
question the two great parties have taken
positions directly opposite to each other
Four years ago the positions taken By the
| Republican and Democratic parties on the
money question were identical. The Re-
| publican party said the American people,
from tradition and interest are In favor
Of bimetallism. and the Democratic party
| said: we hold to the use OF gold and ST.
ver as the standard money OF the country