The San Francisco call., 1896-11-03
Parade Republican Foreground

81 anna They were not the men who
talk of torches ana dynamite in as ia
miliar manner as workingman speaks
of his tools.
The whole of the eleven divisions were
dominated by the spirit of i76, and it is no
exaggeration to say that the majority of
those in line regard the advent of Bryan
ism as menace no less dangerous than
that which confronted the Republic in the
year OF its birth.
The whole day was given up to Repub-
licanism. 1t was Alameda County Nc
Kihley day. Enthusiasm seemed to burst
over the country ulaneously with the
bursting of the sunshine through the
misty clouds that hung over the bay cities
in the early morning. Long before noon
it was seen that Oakland had decided to
make the day q general holiday. The
business houses were open as usual, but
no business was done. Those employing
clerks early saw that it was to be day on
which the great issue before the Nation
was to be considered paramount to every
thing else and acted accordingly.
On he sidewalks were thousands of
people wearing bright yellow Mckinley
badges, and several times during The day
the supply was totally inadequate for the
demand at the parade headquarters. All
the yellow ribbon in town was bought up
and still there was none left to give four
inches apiece to every body that wanted to
be in the parade.
Although the largest crowds naturally
gathered in the center of the city, the en-
thusiasm was not confined to Broad way.
1t reached into the adjacent cities the
suburos, the outlying tow s, the distant
hamlets and the Isolated ranches in the
most remote parts of the county. Toward
noon il verify seemed as if all roads led TO
Oakland. Notwithstanding the fact that
many thousands went to the racetrack in
the middle of the day to hear Hon. Thomas
B. Reed, the crowd IN the center of the
city was not appreciably diminished.
They gathered from every quarter, and
Oakland never looked so lively as it has
done throughout the day.
1t was good day for peddlers Of cam
paign paraphernalia. Mckinley sticks
with heads OF the next Pr dent suffi-
ciently large and heavy to justify an arrest
Tor carrying deadly weapon were numer-
Gus; Mckinley dollars big as cartwheeis;
Mckinley badges, bright as the sun that
shone upon them; Mckinley buttons,
Mckinley hats, Mckinley pins; little
black cotfins, into which the vendor
politely suggested that the purchaser
might have the pleasure of placing Bryan
| next Wednesday, were also offered. These
were all for sale, and the little fellows ap-
peared to reap golden harvest. But
without doubt the most beautiful EN- blem
seen, and which was worn by men and
women alike, and which was fittingly
selected as the only decoration in connec-
ton with the National colors for adorning
the carriage in which Mr.. Reed was driven
through the streets. was the golden chrys-
| anthemun. So great was the demand for
them that curly-headed specimen
which under ordinary circumstances is
well paid for with a nickel was to-day
worth three times that amount.
After all, the preparation for the emon-
stration would have looked dull and faded
and the hoprs OF all those who had worked
so hard 10 insure success would have been
somewhat downcast had not nature her
self decided to honor the day. From the
moment that the brilliant sun, which
somehow seemed to shed more golden
rays than usual, decided to dispel the
Ieaden mantle that overhung the city ur-
til the time when she disappeared below
the western horizon not little speck OF
cloud was to be seen in the brightest OF
blue skies. Her disappearance, however,
was not the signal of darkness, for before
her light was entirely withdrawn initial
features of the great demonstration were
in evidence. and for several hours the I'M.
preston was created that the day had
been carried without intermission to the
very dawn of the morning on which the
great battle was to be finally decided.
The parade occupied one hour and
twenty-five minutes in passing given
point, and was not discharged till nearly
midnight
One OF the features of the parade was
the large locomotive float sent by the Oak
land Iron Works. 1t was built on TWO
wagons, and was followed by very en-
thusiastic line of railroad men.
The only inharmonious feature OF the
parade was the attempt of few Populists
TO create disorder at Eighth and Broad
way as the various divisions were dis
banding. The Populist Zouaves, about
twenty in number, tried TO march through
the procession. Many Of them were In