Kansas City daily journal., 1896-11-06
FIGHT JUST BEGUN.
SO WILLIAM J. BRYAN ANNOUNCED
LAST NIGHT.
HE WILL ISSUE AN ADDRESS.
WILL CONTINUE THE CHAMPAIGN OF
EDUCATION."
Surrendered the Last Faint Hope of
Election at $500 Last Night-He
Wns Prepared for the News
Tint His Presidential
Jig Was Up.
Nov. 5.-"The fight has

Lincoln, Neb.. Nov. s.-"The fight has
just commenced"
Thus spoke William j. Bryan tonight
when asked if he considered that the result
of the election had been i serious blow to
the cause of bimetallism.
He had just sent a message to Major Nc
Kiniey, conceding his election and tender
ing his concentrations.
Mr.. Bryan surrendered at SO o'clock. He
had just received the signal and responded
within the next ten minutes with tele-
gram to his successful rival. This signal
was brief message from Senator Jones.
chairman of the Democratic national com
mittee. informing him that he did not con-
slider it wise longer TO withhold the con-
cession of Mckinleys election.
This message was received by Mr.. Bryan
a few minutes after he had returned with
his wife from an evening stroll. and in the
presence of a dozen callers gathered in the
parlor and reading room of their unpreten-
tious residence. The receipt of the tele-
gram created no scene whatever, and one
unacquainted with the facts would never
have suspected from the surface indica-
tions the Importance of the occasion. or
that the chief actor in the drama had more
than a passing interest in it. He handed
the. telegram to Mrs Bryan, who was
standing near him. and without a word,
except to explain the purport of the mes
sage, sat down at his desk and penned the
following telegram:
Lincoln. Neb.. Nov. 5.
Hon. William Mckinley. Jr.. Canton. o.
t,tst tv,fn na1 ma
that the returns indicate your election. and
1 hasten to extend my congratulations. We
have submitted the issue to the people and
their will is law. W. ]. BRYAN"
This message was first submitted to Mrs.
Bryan and then. after being amended in
some slight particulars, so as to conform
to suggestions made by her, was given to
the press. While writing the message, and
after 1t was completed. Mr.. Bryan chatted
pleasantly with the newspaper correspond
ents who surrounded him, indicating by
his manner that he felt relieevd to have
the matter definitely determined. even
though the result was against him.
He also showed very plainly that Sena-
tor Jones message was no surprise to him,
as it, indeed, was not, for, as those who
have been in his confidence knew. he had
considered the battle as practically lost
|. ever since the first night after the election.
He has, however, felt that 1t would be both
discourteous and unwise to give out any
intimation to this effect until the national
committee had spoken.
Mr.. Bryan announced that he would to-
morrow issue an address, but he declined
to make any statement tonight or to SUBJ
init to an interview further than to say
that the fight for silver had just begun.
1t is known to be his purpose to devote
much of his time in the future to educating
the people to the acceptance OF his views
on the financial question. and it is his in
tention to sound the keynote in the paper
which he will issue tomorrow. He will
dwell upon the effects of a single gold
standard and will urge the advocates of
bimetallism to maintain their organizations
and use the utmost endeavors in behalf of
this cause until 1t wins at the polls.
Mr.. Bryan also declined to outline his
future plans or to give his opinion as to the
causes which led to his defeat. 1t is quite
certain. however, that he will be tempted
by none of the flattering offers which are
coming to him to leave Lincoln.
He will remain about his home for the
next few weeks recuperating, for, while in
no way exhausted by the duties of the
campaign, he confesses to a feeling Of lam
guor as result of the arduous labor of
the past four months. 1t is also believed
that Mr. Bryan considers that the result
of the election has in it much to encourage
the advocates of independent action by
this country on the question of free coin
age of silver.
as much composure as did her husband.
She had never felt the same confidence of
success that he felt, and has. from the
first. while not without hope. been pre-
pared for the news which Senator Jones'
brief message of tonight brought.