The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1897-01-15
BILL ARP'S LETTER.
PHILOSOPHER HEARS MR.. BRYAN
LECTURE IN ATLANTA.
William Tells How Clever Drummer
Prom Cincinnati Fooled tho People
Along the State Road.

Along the State Road.
Ne was charming spectacle. had been |
iu thr Grand opera house before; bat was ln /
She auditorium with Che rest of the good /
people and had mo- birds-oyo view of my
surroundings bat on thia grand occasion n |
friend secured mo "a seat ON che platform
with the dlgnitahea whore / was near SIR.
Bryan and could view the magnificent scona |
before me. li "a speaker feels pquul t0 the |
occasion, there is nothing more inspiring
THAN the Kind, eXpectuut faces OF "a refined
intellectual audience. OF course. SIR. Bryan
knew that everybody there was hIs friend.
30 ryuics, NO euustic critics. NO uufrIendly
newspaper reporters, no hcartlgHs artists
with HcnriyIug pencils The inspiring
strains of delicious music had already
soothcd us into "a dreamy, heavenly peace Of
mind whom the great Nehrasknu came upon
the crowded platform and received with
grace and mOdesiy the pluudits OF an admir-
ing people. lie would be vain ~ Il were
possible 20 make him go with praise. A
friend asked him az pittshurg how he felt
when standing before thousands who were
shouting pWnns 10 his burning el0qucnee,
and be- smiled as he replied. ~ feel Ike tho
missionary on the Cannlbal islands who
said that whenever hc had them most Affect
ed under his preaching he could not drive
away the apprehension that they would
rather eat him than hear him. Mr. Bryan
had no such feeling here. The ladies. per-
haps would like 20 kiss him, but thew
would not bite. Oh. mol they never bite.
ON Tuesday night when the Western and
Atlantic train came gliding down 10 our
town about a hundred men and some women
had gathered &C the depot 90 see the distin-
guished man and cheer him on his way 70
Atlanta. He was not aboard, but some mis-
chleyous passengers put their heads from
the windows and cried out. "Alr Bryan Is
In the rear ear; call him out" This they
ala M an excited and yoeilerOus manner
and a smOoth-saccd Cincinnati drummer APP
pcared upon the platform and with q graei-
GUS and grateful manner thanked them foI
their distinguished consideration. When
they called for % speech he explained and
apologizcd by saying TINT his contract for
bade him from making speeches en- route.
but that he would with pleasure shake hands
with any who desired &C. Then came the
frantic rush for preference ms the train bel
rang, and the distinguished drummer began
| 10 glide away. A venerable maiden exclaimed.
"Oh, Thought was goiugto kissusl' sus-
| piciOus young silver democrat whispered:
I'm Doe logged II that was Bryan His hand
! didn't shake like IT, Il was clammy and
| cold and never magnetized me n bit-dOg on
! his hide. / believe he was an impostOr "
| over on the Southern line and that this same
| drummer had played of on the people at
! every station. IL Is now difficult 20 find
/ man or a woman who was M the depot.
But Mr.. Bryans subject, "The Ancient
! Landmarks was not one to provoke any
! strains Of elOqucnce OF 10 illustrate his emil
| nent gifts as an orator. What he said about
! government as it was established by our
! fOrefathers was intended TO impress and
! teach and linger with MS and make us more
! mindful o. our duty as good citizens OF
! good government; our duty 10 our children
| and our chidren's children tOproserve il and
! perpetuate it I'm its pristine purity. The in
| difference of the best people TO take an In
| tCrest i'm politics was the greatest danger our
! institutions had 20 apprehend. We all felt
| guilty of this indifference for we abandon
the field and let corrupt politicians occupy
| il and are never aroused until the corrupt
! work Is done. THE late campaign he
| said, "has been a campaign OF education
and the people have thought more. studied
| more upon the great political questions than
they have done for half a century. I was
! defeated, but feel that q wonderful work
has been done by both sides i'm discussing
the great issues that are still unsettled. Both
parties are guilty Of the corrupt use OF
money ia carrying elections, and this is q
growing evil and will not stop until the bet
ter element of our citizenship takes deeper
interest in politics and puts the seal of CON
demnaton upon it.
Mr.. Bryan's earnestness and manifest sim
cerity are his strongest characteristics He
is a great and good man. If the people be-
fore whom he is to stand will not expect too
much of him as an orator, but will listen to
him as a teacher, his mission will be q last
ing success. | heard many say next day and
since that he told us nothing new-nothing
that we had not heard or thought before, but
we are more deeply impressed with these
truths than ever before One man said; 81
have often neglected to vote, but am salts
fed that it is better to vote, even If you vote
wrong, than not to vote at all"
After the lecture many OF us went forward
to be introduced and to take the great man
by the hand. 1t was privilege to do so and
his hand was warm and moist and welcome
There is a good deal Of character in the
grasp of the hand.
Our Hal Lewis introduced the speaker in
a most fitting and eloquent manner l can.
not imagine how it could have been better
done. Mr.. Bryan was affected by it ant
saId II handicapped him. for he felt that the
audience had drank on more eloquence anC
oratory from Mr. Lewis than they would ge
from him. The fact is that Mr. Lewis hat
, the best subject, for he had Bryan and Bryan
had not hero, but theory-a philosoph,
as solemn and serious as that of Plato O
Seneca. Let him go on and scatter seeds o
virtue and patriotism all over this broa
land. We can afford to pay him for it, 70
we do not i've for ourselves, but for on
children. Indeed, a state or a nation coul
, not spend money more wisely than to emplo
a number of great and good men to teac
the people by popular lectures. Some year
2 ogo I heard Professor Proctor the grea
astronomer, deliver three lectures on astror
: omy and have had far more respect for tn
science than l ever had before.
> The Christmas holidays are here and W
have gathered our boys from New York
Mexico and our happiness is only MARIE
by the thought that they are soon to leave L
for their distant homes and we may not sc
them any more in the land Of thelivint
But the Lords will be done.
Once more must do what . can to help
poor old soldier who wants to find some of