The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-09-07
MR.. BRYAN AT CLARKsBURG.
He Shows the Republican Claim of General
Prosperity Unsound.
(By the Associated Press


Clarksburg, W. Va, September g.
tanning the Democratic Presidential
candidate for a few hours today. The
county fair of this (Harrison) county,
is in progress and Mr.. Bryan was re-
ceived at the fair grounds. The
announcement of his coming had been
made throughout this entire section
of the country, and as consequence
his admirers had come from far and
near to see and hear him. The crowd
was large, and the enthusiasm man
Tested upon the appearance of the
candidate was regarded as an excel
lent indication of the favor in which
he is held in the community. The
train was an hour late, but the crowd
awaited Br. Bryan's arrival with pa
thence and good will. The coming
was greeted with cheers, throngs be-
ing present at the railroad station
to grasp the candidate by the hand
and escort him to the meeting place
The town was in holiday attire. The
accommodations at Clarksburg were
poor and the meeting badly managed
There were no press accommodations
and the representatives of the news
papers apparently regarded as suspl-
cious characters. They occupied seats
on the ground and wrote upon their
knees. The meeting was held in nay
mont Grove. near the fair grounds.
The crowd faced Mr.. Bryan from a
high hillside fronting the speakers
stand, located at the foot of the hill.
The community has a tendency to-
wards Republicanism and Mr.. Bry-
ans speech was an appeal to Repub-
Leans to investigate party questions.
"You can't always tell the charac-
ter of an egg from the outside APP
pearance," he said, land ] want YOU
Republicans to examine the inside of
your egg and see whether it is as
fresh as it may seem to be on the
outside" He thought many men too
much inclined to follow the party
platform without giving the subject
any independent thought of their
own, and he was sure that sufficient
investigation would convince them of
the insincerity and inconsistency of
the Republican party. They would
find this to be true on the financial,
trust and foreign and military ques-
tons. When asked to explain their
positions they would invariably fall.
back on the plea of prosperity.
With the Republicans prosperity like
charity covers a multitude of sins.
As for the prosperity of which we
hear so much it was like the milk
sickness of the old time; it was al
ways in the next country.
Mr.. Bryan again instanced the re-
ports of his big Oat crop and used
them as an illustration of the falla
cious reports of the prosperous con-
dition of the country. He declared
that his farm had received so much
advertising that ii he could turn the
farm into soan he would be sure of
greater fortune out of it than he
was under the present conditions.
He again elaborated the statement
that the cost of necessary articles of
consumption had increased out of pro-
portion to the increase in the cost
of labor, and he quoted the reports
that commercial failures were grow
ing more and more frequent.
Speaking of Imperialism, Mr.. Bry-.
an said the question had not yet been
passed upon by the people, who were
now to have their first opportunity
to record their views upon the sub
iect. The President only had taken
position; the judiciary and Con-
gress had done nothing; hence the
Importance of due consideration of
the subject before it was too late.
He instanced the Porto Rican bill as
an illustration of what the Republican
party would do in other cases. In
that case the party had assumed
itself superior to the Constitution,
and the President endorsed this posi-
ton.
The meeting closed few minutes
past twelve o'clock and Mr.. Bryan
left shortly afterwards for Parkers-
burg, where he is to speak this after
noon.