The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-10-18

votes into the ballot box, and / have
a suspicion that we lost Kentucky il
1896, because a great many votes were
put into the ballot box that had no in
| dividuals entitled to vote behind them
| (Applause) / know that the contest it
which we were engaged was a great con
tesla contest where victory was sc
important to the great aggregation OF
wealth that they contributed to cam
paign fund the most magnificent ever
used in amy campaign in the United
States. Victory was so important to
them that they raised a fund which,
think | may safely say, was larger than
all the campaign funds used by the Re-
publican party from the day that Fire
mont ran to the day when Hanna took
charge of the organization. Men who
feeel that victory is so important to
them financially will bring to bear all
the influences they can to control the
action of the people, and i am afraid
that in a very close place they might be
able to manufacture votes if necessary.
(Applause.) When such pressure is
brought to bear upon those who stand
in authority, | would rather have a
tons than a Republican Governor. 1t
has been suggested to me that the bolt
ing convention endorsed me for the
Presidency. | appreciate the good will
and confidence thus expressed but, my
friends, | would be unworthy of the
confidence expressed by those boiling
Democrats if l did not place the principle
involved above a personal compliment.
(Applause). | have right to believe
that the Democrats in this State will
vote in 1900 for any Democrat they
please, that they will want a Democrat
who is true to the principles in which
they believe, and one who can advance
the cause to which they are welded. Ii
| am that man, | shall be entitled to
vote, but | would not deserve your con-
fdence if | would stay in Nebraska and
aid the boiling Democrats to elect a
Republican Governor in Kentucky.
In this very building in June
or July, 1895, a year before there
was a Chicago platform, | stood upon
the floor and defended the free and UNI
limited coinage of gold and silver at
the ratio of IS to /. (Applause). /
stand today where | stood then. ZAP
plause). Some have criticised the mem
bers of the National committee for TAX
ing part in this contest. | received
telegram this morning from st. Louis.
Let me read it to you"
Mr.. Bryan then read the telegram
from Chairman Jones and others, which
he read in his Frankfort speech. He
continued:
IF there are reasons in this State
that make it necessary for you to elect
a Republican Governor and Republican
Senator, then give your reasons and do
not put it on the ground that you are
trying to help nominate me i'll 1900 Do
not put it on the ground that you are
trying to save the cause of free silver
| know those men who have been fight
ing for free silver | have come in con-
tact with them. | know their character
and zeal, and | know what they have
done for Democracy, and / would rath-
er trust the judgment of such men as
Stone and Jones and Wetmore and john
son, as to what is best for Democracy
than the Judgment of the railroads.
The railroads have been in politics be-
fore. We have them in Nebraska, and
[ know in 1896 nearly every railroad in
he State was hauling men to Canton,
Ohio, to uphold the Nations financial
policy. (Applause). am not willing to
believe that they are especially interested
n the triumph of the Chicago platform,
which declared in favor of arbitration of
differences between labor and capital
and opposed Government by injunction.
want to leave you with the suggestion
hat while every citizen owes it to HIM
self, his country and his God to vote
to his conscience, yet every
intelligent citizen is responsible for the
of his act. If every cam
iidate on the boiling ticket was my
brother, / would not advise any one to
yote the ticket, and thus aid in the cleo
ion of a Republican Governor"