Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1896-09-18
Bryan and tho Illinois rarmer

bryAu anu tno ltl1nOlS t0rm0r.
In one Of Mr.. Bryun's speeches to the
farmers of New York, August %, he
delivered himself Of the following
sentimental wall over the condition
of farmers in his native State. II
met farmer in Illinois. He was q
schoolmate of mine in college--a col
lege graduate. He is man o. exem-
plary habits. honest. frugal and indus
trious. He had his three children With
him in the room, and the tears rolled
down his cheeks US he told me that IL
conditions remained as they were It
was the saddest thing he had to con-
template that he could not give to those
children the education and advantages
he wanted to-"
1t happens that the name of this
farmer is known, and the sequel will
detract largely from Mr.. Bryan's jer-
emiad. The gentleman to whom he re-
fers is William Conover, who lives on
his mothers farm near Virginia, Caas
County, illinois, He has a brother
who has written letter concerning
this particular case to the Illinois State
Journal. Mr.. Oscar Conover is a Re-
publican, and he says that his parents
were well-to-do farmers. who had ac-
cumulated sufficient property to ena-
BILE them to give to each of their sons
and daughters when they started out
in life for themselves, either q good
farm worth ten thousand dollars, or
its equivalent in money. His brother
William, Mr.. Bryan's friend, did not
like farming. Oscar says that "When
jolly, toddling boy, he had rather
hunt humble bees nests with his fa-
vorite dog than to help make hay"
He took college education, engaged
In pursuits more hazardous than that
of farming, and lost his fortune. The
crime of 1873 was not in any sense re-
sponsible for this loss, nor the Repub-
lican administration, nor the financial
policy Of the government, nor the gold
standard. Mr.. Oscar Conover con-
cludes: I'VE farmers have been very
prosperous until 1898, yet Mr.. Bryan
says these gold men have been corner
ing the market for twenty years, spend
ing money in buying foreign titles for
their daughters, and that the picture
he draws of the Illinois farmer is only
one in ten thousand. All we want IL
Mckinley and protection"
This is a typical case in point. Mr..
Bryan's illustration is about as perti-
nent as most of his other illustrations
and instances. The cry for free and
unlimited coinage of silver comes up
from the unsuccessful in life, most Of
whom have no one to blame for their
misfortunes except their own inca
pacity. They would be equally inca
pable under any financial system. The
idea that they would make money if
money were cheap is an illustration.
They are like certain farmer and
stockdealer in Central Illinois who waa
at one time worth $10O. 900 or more. but
lost 1t by speculation in grain in a
bucket shop. He is now on the street
spending all his spare time, of which
he has great deal, in denouncinp the
crime Of 1873 as the cause of all his had
luck. Mr.. Bryan's picture of the Illi-
nois farmer gives very erroneous inn.
preston Of his actual condition. All
Of Mr.. Conovers brothers and sistera
have added to the fortune left them by
their father except this one, and with
the exception Of William, all of them
are for Mckinley, protection and sound
money.
FOUR