The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-10-13
'DON'THIDE" SAID BRYAN
And Told of Disqualified Voters in
Porto Rico.
THE MAN SAID HE DIDN'T BELIEVE HIM
This Sample Republican Argument Bryan An
swered by Producing Proofs. The Great
est Republican Argument Against
His EIpclion is He ic Hnnesf.
His Election is He is Honest.
(By the Associated Press. !


Portsmouth, Ohio. Oct. 12.-Mr. Bryan
concluded the first day of his Ohio cam
paign in this city tonight. He was met
at the depot by torch light procession
and escorted to a square in the center of
the city, where he spoke from platform
in the open air. The meeting was by far
the largest of the day, and it was thor
oughly enthusiastic. The Republicans
also held torch light procession in the
city tonight, with speeches in a public
hall by Senator Spooner and ex-Congress-
man w. d. Bynum. AS a consequence the
city was full of red fire and political en-
thusiasm. A majority of the meetings
during the day were not so largely at
tended nor so demonstrative as those of
the Indiana and Illinois tour of last week.
Rain threatened during the greater part
of the day
Springfield some enthusiastic auditor in
the crowd shouted: ''Hurrah for the
farmer President" The exclamation at
tracted Mr.. Bryan'se attention and he
said: 81 don't want to be elected under
an agriculturalist, you know the difference
between them. A farmer is man who
makes his money out on the farm and
spends it in town, while an agricultural
ist is man who makes his money in town
and spends it on the farm
At Greenfield Mr.. Bryan was interrupted
by an elderly man in the crowd who asked
a question about race discrimination in
ox,1 mi; ;o11x
peared behind other people standing near
him. The inquiry seemed to stir Mr..
Bryan considerably and he replied with
some warmth, saying:
Don't hide. / want you to stand
where l can see you whenever answer
your question Now let me tell you that
an educational qualification has been i'm
posed upon Porto Rico by the Republican
administration which disqualifies SO per
cent of the colored men of voting age
in that territory"
The old gentleman retorted that he
did not believe the statement, whereupon
Mr. Bryan continued:
well, l can show you a bulletin is
sued by your own Administration as re-
Gently as the 29th of last August in which
it is stated that S3 per cent. of the col
crod nnpulation cannot read and write.
And this educational requirement de-
prives that per centage of the people
there of the right of franchise Do you
'-now what ner centago is affected by the
North Carolina law? I can tell you that
II is good deal smaller per cent. than
that affected by the Porto Rican restric-
tfon. Don't you think you had better
reprove your own administration for its
acts in Porto Rico before you complain
of North Carolina?
Mr.. Bryan began his speech at Ports
mouth at o'clock, and he had no sooner
commenced than bugle call was sound
ed on house top across the street.
There were other noisy demonstrations
and it looked for a time as if there were
t. be unfriendly interruptions. Mr.. Bryan
caught the situation promptly and he
said
Perhaps this is simply a touch of mill
itarism.
This turned the laugh of the crowd
upon the bugler and he was heard no
more for time. though he sounded his
horn at intervals during the evening