The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-09-22
JOINT DEBATE IS OFF
NJ. B-Jan Will Not Meet C-o in
Discussion.
AUDIENCE CONF TO HEAR.
Nr. Bryan Disclaims the Assertion that
He Would Follow the New Yorker in
Debate-lIis Talk Will Come Later
Mr.. Cochran Pays a Compliment to
the Nebraskan.

CHICAGO, Sept. 1G.-The exciting
tween William ]. Bryan and Bourke
Cochrane on trust did not take place.
Central Music hall was packed with
an eager audience, but the people pres
ent had to content themselves without
the oratory of the famous Nebraskan,
who occupied a seat on the platform.
Mr.. Bryan reached the hall early in the
evening. He went to a Don upstairs,
where he was greeted by Chairman
Franklin Head, Congressman Gains
Ralph M. Easley and other members
of the program committee of the Civic
Federation.
Mr.. Bryan declined to speak at the
night session with w. Bourke Coch-
rane, in accordance with the program
previously arranged, Mr.. Bryan eX-
planned that he did not wish to let
the impression go out that he was to
enter into a debate with Mr.. C%ochrane.
For that reason he said he would not
speak at the same session with Mr..
Cochrane. Mr.. Cochrane was sent for
and he and Mr.. Bryan discussed the
situation. The committee withdrew
to allow the two orators to settle the
dispute. Mr.. Bryan asserted that he
never said he would follow Mr..
Cochrane with an address on the
same evening. If the committee got
that impression from the conversation
he had with them by telephone he said
they misunderstood him. Mr.. Cocnrane
wanted to talk at the same session
with the noted Nebraskan and offered
to fit a coin to determine who should
have the privilege of delivering the
closing address.
Then Mr.. Cochrane agreed to appear
at any time the committee desired. The
program a changed, however, to
meet Mr.. Bryan's wishes.
Mr.. Bryan said he was anxious to
address the conference, and repeated
that his only reason for changing the
program was to avoid any indication
of a public discussion with Mr.. COc--
ran. Mr.. Bryan will speak at tomor-
rows session. Though disappointed
in failing to see such a spectacle as
Bryan and Cochran pitted against each
other, the audience nevertheless en-
joyed a rare treat, as Mr.. Cochran was
at his best, and his speech was pune
tuated with frequent and prolonged APP
plause.
When Mr.. Bryan made his appear
ance at the entrance it was the signal
for tumultuous cheering, which lasted
until the Nebraskan had taken his
seat on the stand. Mr.. Foulke Of In
diana, who was in the middle of an
address when the outburst occurred,
put the audience in good humor by re-
marking:
Il guess you came here tonight to
hear somebody else speak, Mr.. Foulke
was followed by Hon. Edward Rose
water of Omaha, whose address re-
ceived close attention. The chair then
introduced Hon. w. Bourke Cochran
of New York.
At the close of his speech the New
Yorker won the hearts of his listeners
by paving Mr.. Bryan a few we'll chosen
compliments, which the democratic
leader blushingly acknowledged. Mr..
Cochran likened Mr.. Bryan to a mo-
nopoly and claimed he was a bigger
monopoly as the leader of the demo-
cratic party than any financial corpo-
ration in the world. Mr.. Cochran spoke
for about two hours, and when he con-
cluded cries for Mr.. Bryan came from
all we the house. Finally MIR. Bryan
arose and said that for the good of the
conference all partisan feeling should
be eliminated from the gathering, and
although he agreed with Mr.. Cochran
in many of his arguments, it was
necessary that his side of the contro-
versy should be given tomorrow.