The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-10-20

will come TO that in moment. but II you
will not hide down there I will stop now
and tell you about it. i will tell you that az
you will examine the conditions prescribed
| by your administration for voter In Porto
Rico. you will find that 50 per cent OF the
colored men of voting age cannot vote in
| Porto Rico under this administrations
qualifications
| This answer brought forth great APP
plause, and one enthusiastic man remarked
/ in a loud tone TO the questicaer: Il guess
| that will hold you for a while.
| Mr. Bryan continued: II do not want
you TO hold me responsible for what Is done
| in North Carolina while you shirk respon-
sibility for what your own President has
i done in Porto Rico
| THE COTTON BALE TRUST.
| Mr.. Bryan then expressed willingness
TO answer any questions that any student
might want to ask. providing his ques-
| toner would stand up and let him see him.
He had scarcely begun his discussion OF
the trust question when some one made an
| inquiry about the cotton bale trust. Mr..
Bryan replied to the effect that the cotton
bale company owned a patent for baling
cotton and that it did not bale one-twen-
tieth of the cotton produced i'm this coun-
about patent that does not bale one
| twentieth of the cotton will vote for a
party that allows a salt trust to control %
per cent. of the salt of the United States
| ries about the cotton bale and does not
| worry about salt is ignorant or dishonest?'
Having replied to this inquiry Mr.. Bryan
himself volunteered to take up the ice trust
question. He said: Now L will stop long
enough for the ice trust man to ask his
question. 1 want to tell you that every
director of THAI trust is Republican. Why
don't you complain about that? / want TO
tell you that the Governor of the State is
| a Republican, that the Legislature is Re-
publican, and if the Governor and Legisla-
| ture would do their duty you would not
have any ice trust in the State of New
| York"
Here there was an interruption from the
| crowd and voice in the outskirts called
| out: How about Croker?"
| Mr.. Bryan turned sharply and said: Mr..
| Croker has no stock in the ice trust But
why are you worried about Croker when
| you are not afraid of Platt?'
He had not finished his reply TO the ques-
| ton about the ice trust when young man
who appeared to be student made an in
| curry about the free coinage of silver, clio
| iting from Mr.. Bryan the following: well,
| my friend, L stand to-day where William
Mckinley used to stand before he bowed
TO the dictation of Wall street, and IL you
VIII defend him for changing his opinion
l will defend myself for not changing my
| opinion. But let me proceed.
From the same voice: Answer the ques-
! tion.
Mr.. Bryan: 81 have replied to you. sir
You do not have to ask questions. Look
| In our platform and you Will find our posi-
ton on every question. You dare not state
yours in a platform or on the stump. Our
platform is our views on every question"
GOT NO DIRECT ANSWER.
The young man insisted upon a further
response and repeated several times,
| Answer, answer"
Mr.. Bryan responded 81 have answered
you. sir. can't give you understanding;
l can simply give you an answer"
There was then let-up in the questions
here and Mr.. Bryan was permitted to go on
with his speech. He attempted to show
that the Republican party was making an
| inconsistent record, and I'm doing so spoke
| of the Porto Rico bill.
Soon afterwards there was a miscel-
laneous assortment of questions hurled al
| Mr.. Bryan in indistinct tones of voice. TAX
ing cognizance of them he said: DO you
think it is fair TO interrupt me with ques-
tions on subject that am not discussing
when l am going TO give you a chance
when l come to it? Haven't / been fair
with you? Haven't sought to answer all
your questions? Don't you think you can
wait until L reach a subject and then ask
me questions concerning it?
Continuing his speech Mr. Bryan said:
81 want TO say to you that the Republican
party has no plank in this campaign on
any subjects that it is prepared to defend
before the American people"
A voice in the crowd: wait till Novenl-
ber."
Mr.. Bryan: '"rhat is no argument at all
to say: Wait till November The question
is, are you willing to think now? Why
| wait till November to do something that
| you ought to do now? Why don't you think
now and not wait until after the election
| to Think
| bearing the inscription, Mckinley Was
! Right" was lowered from window above
| Mr.. Bryan's head and then let fall to the
| ground Seeing the picture floating out into
the air, an old gentleman in the crowd ex-
November.
Mr.. Bryan took notice of the incident
| saying: II do not object to that poster be-
| ing put out. 1t says that Mckinley was
right. but the question is, when was he
right? He has been on both sides of every
question. Now, which side was he on when
he was right?' He proceeded for some
time without any interruption, but at last a
young man standing in the audience. but
separated from the mass of students In
front of Mr. Bryan. asked him for an ex-
| PLANTATION of his attitude in the matter OF
| the ratification of the Paris treaty. Mr.
| Bryan replied: You have asked question
l want to ask you one. i am going to an
swer yours. Will you answer mine? What
| is your plan?"
The young man: 81 have not got any ]
am down here open to conviction. You are
| talking to all of US. You came here espe-
| cially TO convince us.
| MI. Bryan: Yes; and L am mighty glad
| have found a man open TO conviction, and
| hope you are not like the Scotch woman
| who said she was open to conviction, but
added L would like to see the man who car
| convince me- e"
| Mr.. Bryan then gave his customary rea-
son for supporting the treaty and continued
| his speech without further interruption.
| AT Binghamton, where Mr.. Bryan had the
| largest and most enthusiastic audience OF
I the day, he look special notice of the fact
| that some of the manufacturing plants OF
| that town were closed saying: ut Is
| strange to me that il Is necessary for you
people to have an empty and silent tannery
| and match factory in a town in order &c
| know what a trust means and will do.
Bryan Accepts Silver Nomination.