The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-09-02
He Addressed 10000 People at
Ohio's Capital. 4
SPOKE IN CAPITOL SQUARE
Greatest Outpouring OF Citizens
Nver Known.
INTRODUCED BY Mr.. THURMAN
Not More Than One Tenth OF the ire
mendous Crowd Gould Hear
What the Speaker Was
Saving.

Saying.
Columbus. o., Sept THE free sill
yer campaign in Ohio attained MS nlgn-
water mark in Cleveland last nlght,
hut the outpouring of people to see
and hear the Democratic preslden0,at
candidate at the State capital tonight
was greater in proportion TO the SIZE
.of 4he CITY than that in the northern
,,,atronolis had been. Mr.. Bryan had
4be State capitol grounds for his forum
ana the memory of local politicians
contains no such part inhabitants
saw that no other attraction mas ever
drawn so strongly in Columbus.
4 roofed and fiag-draped platform
faced the eastern front of the capitol
building and as Mr.. Bryan looked down
from its height twenty feet above the
r,1ain of faces. he saw the steps and
Terraces hacked in solid rows with the
oloomy stone wall for the background
while about the other three sides OF
the stage across the lawn of several
acres to the street beyond stood regi-
~.,arte of which an accurate estimate
was an impossibility and which care
fnl guess would place at thirty thou
sand. Looking down from the roof OF
candidates arrival. one saw the Whole
nlsee about its four sides swarmlng
with men. women and children, large
part of the city's population reinforced
nv visitors to the State Fair now in pro-
gress. They jostled and pushed about
fhe grounds and poured through the
corridors of the building in kaleido-
seopic currents, cheering the sky rock
cts which popped in the air and the
brass hands stationed on the steps for
their entertainment.
From the Chit+enden hotel, half
mffe away,r Mr.. Bryan came to the
capitol in a barouche drawn by four
white horses and under the escort of
several free silver clubs of Columbus
and neighboring towns, enlivened by
bands and unique campaign devices IN
which mammoth silver dollars shared
conspicuously.
A shrill cheer marked his progress
along the street and, multiplied in it's
intensity, announced his arrival al the
platform. 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 a tenth OF the people
could hear him.
He was introduced by Hon. Allen g.
Thurman, son of the ''0ld Roman" who
has been fighting for free silver in
Ohio for several years, and after the
candidates speech, the Democratic
nominee for Congress in the Columbus
district. Hon. John j. Lentz, addressed
the remains of the crowd.
MR.. BRYAN's SPEECH.
Mr.. Bryan said:
Ladies and Gentlemen: This is the
largest audience to which / have ever
tried to speak. I have had occasion to
talk where the audience filled the
house, but / never had occasion to talk
where the audience filled all out of
doors. If you all vote as you are now
shouting, / don't see how there can be
any question about the triumph of
free silver in the State of Ohio.
eve have entered upon a campaign
which means much to the American
people. IF our opponents speak truly
when they describe what will, in their
Judgment, be the effect of free coinage,
then the success of the Chicago tick
ct would certainly be a calamity to
the country. If ON the other hand,
we speak the truth when we describe
to vcu the effects if the gold standard
is continued, then the maintenance of
the gold standard until foreign nations
come to our relief, is an evil which
cannot be contemplated by those who
love their country. We have begun an
unceasing wargare against the gold
standard. The Republican party, with
out declaring the gold standard is a
good thing, has declared that the gold
standard must be maintained. 1 call
your attention to the fact that no party
in the history of this country has ever
in a Nationa lconvention commended
the gold standard. It's effects are SO
bad that no party had dared to uphold
it,
Here Mr.. Bryan went from the front
OF the platform to the side, first excus-
ing himself to the audience in front as
follows:
Excuse me for a moment, and per-
maps by making them hear me on the
-other side ! will be able to bring order
out OF confusion. If you people who
are here viii be as still as YOU are now
for 2 little while / will come back to
you"
GOLD is A COWARD.
Mr.. Bryan then spoke from the side
of the platform, saying:
y desire to impress upon your
minds the fact that the enemy we are
flghting in this campaign is an enemy
which has never gone into an omen
battle. The advocates of the gold
standard have never dared to submit
the gold standard to the arbitrament
ot ballot. Every step that has been
taken has been taken bv stealth and
. without The approval of the American