The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-10-24
Gov. Roosevelt Replies to Col.
Bryan's Speech
Made to COIOred People in West
Virginia.
INSINCERITY.
1ates to Do Tt but He Can't
Avoid 1t.
Third Day Canvass Of the En-
pire State.

Norwich, N. Y, oct. 2A-Governor
Roosevelt in the third day Of his second
electioneering tour Of New York state
began a trip which will take him to
Utica, stopping at Earlsville. Cazen-
ovia, Canastoga, Oneida, and Rome. He
is in good health and suffered but lit
tie from hoarseness. From Utica, where
he win stop two hours this afternoon. ne
viii run to Herkimer for a haif-honr
meeting. returning to Utica for the big
evening demonstration.
At EarleviIe. where the first stop Of the
day was made, the governor took up the
statement OF Mr. Bryan that the peo-
pie Of Porto Rico. particularly tho
blacks, were disfrancnised. He said:
Il challenge Mr.. Bryan because Of his
absurd insincerity as shown in this state
by answers he made to certain questions
and by statements he has made to us.
The other day Mr.. Bryan was asked
how he reconciled his demand FOR self
government for Malay bandits with the
denial Of his party, the denial Of those
who intend to give him electoral votes,
of the right Of self-government to our
fellow citizens OF dusltier skin in North
Carolina, and he answered that every
one was not allowed TO vote In Porto
Rico, that all men OF color were not al
lowed to vote In Porto Rico. Now j say
that answer was utterly insincere; that
using the word dishonest In its largest
sense, it was not an honest answer.
That is a serious thing to say, and
would not say it If 1 could not prove it
by documentary evidence.
Mr.. Bryan either knows. or ought 20
know the qualifications OF the suffrage
in Porto Rico. There IS not in Porto
Rico the slightest restriction on account
Of color Every man is treated on hia
worth as a man. In North Carolina. tha
black man is disenfranchised as such hy
qualifications that apply to him and not
to the white man. In Porto Rico man
is allowed to vote. have got here pa
pers issued by the governor Of Porto
Rico, setting forth the qualifications W
voters. If he either possess any property.
or can read and write. whether he la
white or colored. In Massachusetts llH
has got to be able TO read and write.
that is. there are men who can not vote
In Massachusetts, but who can vote in
Porto Rico. but any man who can vote
in Massachusetts can vote in Porto Rico.
In short, the preseft conditions Of SUE
frage in Porto Rico represent stride
towards enfranchisement."
Gov. Roosevelt took particular de-
light along the route today IN asserting
that Mr.. Bryan was absolutely insincere
as was proved, he alleged, by the fact
that the state Of Nebraska had no labor
laws and that Mr. Bryan, while In con-
gress, never attacked a trust.
GOVERNOR GROWS FACETIOUS
Earleville. n. y, oct 24.-Governor
Roosevelt found "a great gathering Of
people here despite the threatening
weather. When the train arrived Sem
ator Henry J. Coggshan was addressing
the assemblage. In addition to things
the governor had already said he grew
a triiie facetious IN dealing with some
Of Mr.. Bryan's statements lie said In
part:
In a speech two or three weeks ago
Mr. Bryan expressed great resentment
at the fact that certain people took their
families to the seashore and presumably
bathed there. He said only rich people
did it. I wish he could come TO Coney
Island some summer and ne would find
there tens OF thousands Of people whom
he would not call rich. who are enabled
and have been enabled during the past
four years to go down TO the seashore
for a day Off with their wives and their
little ones Now If Mr.. Bryan is elected
IL won't bring to the scashOre one man,
woman or child who does not go. but
it will keep some-I am tempted TO say
hundreds Of thousands-from going who
now go. That is what IL will do. IL
won't give any one a better chance"