New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-07

Bryan As AN ADVOCATE.
PREACHING UNADULTERATED PoPU1AsM BEFORE
THE SVPREME COURT.

THE SUPREME COURT.
Washington. April (SpeciaD.-The scenes of yes
terday In and near the room in which the Supreme
Court of the United States holds its sittings were
re-enacted to-day on a somewhat larger scale-'ha'
is TO saw the crowd of persons who were curious 10
see William j. Bryan. late POpOcratc candidate for
the Presidency, and hear from his own lips his
ideas In regard what he considered sound law. was
somewhat bigger than on yesterday. They were
formed In two lines. instead Of one. to-day and pa
tientlv awaited the coming Of the conquered hero
He was prompt and his smile was. II possible. even
more expansive than usual lie had visited the
White House earlier in the day and oeen honored
with ffteen-minutes audience by the President.
When Mr. Bryan arose and addressed the Court
for the first time in his life 1t Is sadthe room
crowded. and probably a hundred persons were out
side unable to gain admission. II there were those
who expected TO hear either an outburst such as
that which electrified the Chicago Convention or the
! cogent and coherent argument of a sound lawyer
and able advocate they were doomed 10 disap-
pointment. The chief merit Of the speech that
/ 1t was only forty minutes long. He began In a low
/ tone and for time rambled and foundered like an
unfortunate pupil who had been mperfectly coached
or had forgotten part OF his lesson. Thus he con-
tinued for some twenty minutes. And then all OF
Mr.. Bryans wonted assurance and confidence sud
denly returned and he immt dately warmed 10 his
work. He laid down some legal propositions for the
guidance OF the Court which must have sounded
enforced his doctrines with all his wonted fire and
| energy Populists who heard him must have
toiced that such a Daniel had come to Judgment
for pure. unauthorized Popusm what he
preached only once did he hesitate or fater He
had been arguing that reasonable railroad freight
rates were such as would yield fair return on the
present value OF tho railroad without regard 10 the
original cost OF the same the rights OF persons
who had Invested their money In the bonds OF the
railroad company. They talk OF innocent pur-
chasers and innocent holders Of bonds" he ex-
claimed, and then went 10 declare that there
were such innocent purchasers or owners OF
bonds that they had invested their money with their
eyes open, or should have done So and that II they
] had VA. finn ,boiv
fortune and the patrons OF the railroad could not he
| held responsible and 40 on. until Justice jray
quietly asked:
! by present value do you mean what the RAILROAD
would now sell for or what It would now cost TO
| build the rairoad?'
Mr.. Bryan thus suddenly brought 10 earth faliered.
but after a moments hesitation replied that he
meant what 1t would now cost to build the railroad
Justice Gray kindly RETAINED from asking whether
! the maximum rates fixed by the Commissioners were
based upon accurate computation showing what
| IL would cost rebuild the railroads ~ Ne
| braska, and again Mr. Bryan scared into the higher
| realms Of Fopullstc oratory As soon as he had
| finished there was a stampede Of spectators, who
eager TO get out rs they had been to get in