The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-06-05
BRYAN WAS S0UELCHED.
HCw Mason Won the Great Debate Al
Muscaline, Iowa.
{ From the Chicago Inter Ocean


When Col William J. Bryan was
making one.day and one-night stands
all over the country as the paid orator
of the Bimetallic League, in 1928, he
reached Muscatne, Iowa, on the same
day rs Senator william + Mason, OF
Illinois. Somebody asked Mason If he
would consent TO joint debate with
Bryan on the silver question the next
day. Mason replied that joint debate
at any time or place was always in or
der so far as he was concerned No
matter about the ques,iou-m 1t sill
yer or any other thing they pleased, or
as many things as they pleased what
ever Bryan was willing to talk about
he was willing To- talk back at him.
Bryan was not well disposed at first
toward the contemplated arrangement
The local Democratic committee
thought that Bryan might do great
work in the community with su"h an
opponent rs Mason
Nobody here takes him seriously. -"
said Jockey" Hayes Of Clinton. who
represented that district two terms IN
Congress lyon can make a chopping
block of him. "
Bryan finally consented The debate
lasted two hours aud half, Bryan tax
ing the first hour, Mason the second,
and Bryan using one-half hour IN clos
ing. The shortening Of the progr4 m
grew out Of the nervous agitation Of
BRYAN. In his opening address he went
over the ground he had boon accus'om.
ed to travel in his set speeches lie
made excursions To defend the points Of
his argument most vulnerable to ridi-
Guile against the anticipated attacks +
his opponent He pointed out the ex-
act location Of most Of the Mason jokes.
Mason made no effort to bc scrions.
Mr.. Bryan, he said. had told them lust
where his speech was weak lie had
hoped that Mr. Bryan would leave that
for him to do, but as Bryan had not
the only thing left him was to point
out where the Bryan speech was strong.
Why ." he said with that peculiar
shrug Of the shoulders which gives most
If its effect TO the Mason oratory. Its
stronger than anything | ever heard
The old grecnback party. which cut
some figure in Iowa once, proposed to
issue notes for me NY. They were at
least willing TO promise to pay. What
Mr. Bryan wants to do is TO coin money
of false value had client over in
Chicago not long sgo who had been in.
dicted for counterfeiting. lie owned
up to me that he had done the work
Because. says he, I've heard that
you lawyers fight harder for guilty
man than you do for an innocent one
and lawyer can always lie better
when he is lying than when he is in
doubt about it, / made the queer and
showed it, says he. bat the govern
ment is in the same business. Ny coin
amt hundred cents and neither is
this. he said, taking silver dollar
out of his pockes
You re a Popuilist. said
" L IN not, said he; I've told you
I'm counterfeiter, but that 3 the worst
that can be said OF me-
Il couldn't save him, :" said Mason,
suddenly drawing his neck down into
his shoulders and giving his face a
grimaee as indescribable AZ the drawl
he gave his voice. Hes in Jolics
now l hope my friend Bryan WIZ
take warning from his fate. -
The manner as much as the matter II
this deliverance set the audience in q
roar. Bryan's face alone remained set
1t was plain that the dignity Of the or
ator had been offended, and that he was
making heroic struggle to assert it,
against the crowd As it is q maxim
OF Mason's story telling that tho
story teller Is in honor bound 10
laugh with his audience he had to
wipe his eyes before resRming.
I'm afraid 1 have sacred our young
friend more than iniended, he said
with mock gravity, when his voice
could be heard ale should not take
me TOO seriously at all times. | do not
say that he will ever violate the law
against cOunterfeiting what he wants
to do is to repeal it. "