The San Francisco call., 1897-08-21
Red Bluff Learns the News
and Now It's the
Worlds.
THE CONDUCTOR WHO TOLD.
And 1t Was Such a Little Pass
for Big Man,
Too.
SOME BETS NOT QUITE MADE.
4 Delicate Distinction Between the
Pass That Is Free and the
One That Isn't.

Admirers of William J. Bryan are slow
to admit that while in this State the
Nebraskan rode on a pass issued by the
Southern Pacific. II forced TO adm it
they make distinction between a pass
and free pass-a distinction so delicate
as to be credit to their powers of dis
cernment, and calls to mind the Justly
celebrated difference 'twixt tweedledum
and tweediedee.
The secret leaked out at Red Bluff.
where Mr. BRYAN was up to his usual
standard OF eIoquence in denouncing cor
porations, particularly railway corpora
tions, more particularly the railway cor
poration on whose lines he had been rid
ing, aided and aoetted in the process by
possession of a pass. Little wonder the
Red Bluff Populists grew rudy with
fervOr as they made denial; little wonder
they offered to bet their money that it
wasn't so. They didn't bet, however.
Their faith was strong, but betting is
wrong; and besides, people had been
known before now TO accept railroad
passes with one hand and denounce the
railroad with the other, as il were. And
Bryan-even his friends admit it-Bryan,
viewed IN the fierce light that usually
beats pom the place where he happ, ms to
be, is only human. So the Populists and
the Dem ocrats didn't bet. No. Now they
are glad of 1t.
There are warm Bryan partisans in Red
Bluff, and there are partisans just as
warm the other way. When the charge
that Bryan had ridden on pass first be-
gan TO circulate there were sounds OF con-
tention by night and by day. They have
about died away now. The plain facts
came out and silence seemed the most
natura consequence. the story was un-
folded in this manner. The night of July
Mr.. Bryan left Sacramento for Red
Bluff. He spoke IN the latter city on the
d ay following. It was known to the con-
ductor In charge of the tran from Sacra-
menlo tc Red Bluff hat Bryan was riding
on PISS issued IN San Francisco The
conductor in charge of the train from
Red Bluff TO Ashland came into posses
sion Of the secret and on his return to
Red Bluff disclosed the fact in conhdenc ce
to a Republican friend. resident of
Red Bluff who is now in this City yester-
day gave this version of the disclosure.
During the last campaign 1 was an
active supporter of Mckinley. ami got
INTO many hot disputes with my Popu-
llstic and Democratic neigh bors Another
stanch supporter of Mckinley was rail
road conductor, and we exchanged notes
during the campaign. One day, shortly
alter Bryan's recent journey by rail from
Red Bluff to Ashland, the conductor
called me aside and told me he had
knowledge that Bryan rode on pass be-
tween the points named. [ expressed my
doubt He assured me that there was no
mistake-that he had positive proof to
sustain the statement in the form of an
entry giving the date of the pass, the
name of the officer by whom it was issued
and the name of the person to whom it
was granted. l replied, Say nothing
about IT, and the next time l hear the
praises of the great orator sounded in Red
Baff / will make the assertion that he ac-
cepts favors from the corporations while
protesting to plead the cause of the people
against the trusts and the corporate ty.
rants of the country.
"In a short time thereafter l happened
to meet an ardent Populist, a great ad-
lnirer OF the silver tongued statesman
His admiration that day was at high tide
and he spoke OF Bryan as a man like
Abraham Lincoln, who had been raised
up to plead for the people against the
tyranny of wealth and the oppression OF
corporations. I remarked to him that 1t
was singular that man Of such high and
lofty principles should denounce corpora
tions on the stump and then accept free
passes from the corporations so de-
nourced. My Populistic neighbor beca me
exceedingly angry, and cha-acterizing
the statement that Bryan had accepted
pass from the railroad company as
downright fasehood he offered to bet me
$3.50 that it was lie. | took his bet and
demanded that he should put up his
morey, but the coin was not produced.
This caused a general discussion OF the
story.
The Democrats and Populists were IN
dignant and persisted in challenging proof
OF the accusation. Republicans were not
too confident, fearing that the story could
not be confirmed, so the editor of the Red
Bluff Sentinel was urged 10 write 10 w.
II. Mills and inquire if the statement was
true that pass had been issued TO Will
liam J. Bryan on advertising account OF
the Omaha World Herald. The editor
wrote as requested and received in reply
a letter stating that such a pass had been
issued to Mr. Bryan. Mr.. Mills, however,
declined 10 give the editor permission to
nublish the letter. There is no doubt that
Bryan rode on a pass. saw the entry on