The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-10-03
Mr.. BRYAN'S
CHALLENGE.
Willing to Further an InVesti-
cation of the Charge
That He Received Pay For Sill
yer Plank in Platform.
A RESPONSIBLE MAN.
Must Be Found to Back It Up,
However.
Discusses the Subject of Taxa
tiOn at Portage, Wis.
| RESPONSIBLE MAN.

Portage, Wis, Oct. S.-The special car
carrying Presidential Candidate Bryan
and his party ran down here from La
Crosse last night and was side tracked
for half a day. Mr.. Bryan spoke here
at half past ten this morning and left
at 2:20 for Columbus, Wis. He took
breakfast with A F. Warden, chairman
Of the state central committee and
lunch with Mayor Jones of this city
Mr.. Bryan's attention today was called
to a statement made by Mr. Kingman
that he received $15O.OOO for insisting
upon the silver plank of the Kansas
City platform, and he said:
1t is hardly worth while to deny the
charge of a man who hides behind
woman whose name he will not give, but
IN order that the most unScrupulOuS Re-
publican may have no reason for re-
peating the charge, I will say that it is
absolutely false in every particular. No
one ever offered, promised, or gave me
IhaI sum, or any sum, for urging that
plank or any other plank in the Kansas
City platform, or any platform. I do
not know anything of Mr. Kingman,
but it is said that he is a cousin of
Senator Cullom and I do know some
thing Of Senator Cullom. The senator
ought to know whether his cousin is
trustworthy or not and if the senator
will state over his own signature that
he believes what his cousin says and
is willing to represent him in an investi-
cation OF the charge, viii make him a
proposition which Will give him an op-
portunity to produce his evidence"
Mayor Jones presided over the meet
ing here. He first introduced Mr.. Bohn-
rich, the Democratic gubernatorial can
didate who made a strong plea against
the undue increase of the army, based
upon his observation of affairs in Eu-
rope. In introducing Mr.. Bryan Mayor
Jones predicted that five months from
today he would move from the plains of
Nebraska to the executive mansion at
Washington. Whether that happy
prophecy shall be fulfilled will depend
somewhat upon your votes" said Mr.
Bryan But want you to know that
in the language of the song, I am will
ing to leave my happy home for you
He had been received with cheers
when he arose and this sally was re-
ceived with laughter. Mr. Bryan also
took up the question Of taxation, say
ing:
Unjust taxation simply transfers
money from one mans pocket to an
others and is larceny perpetrated by
law and do you know, my friends, as I
have studied government and the pol
icies of government, I have made up
my mind that the stealing done by those
in the penitentiaIy is not so great as the
stealing that is done by unjust law.
You may think that is a strong state
ment, but just remember that the num-
Der of men in the penitentiary is small
compared with the population
Mr.. Bryan continuing said the time
had come to take official steps to pre-
vent stealing When he was a boy he
said the people put rings in the noses
Of the hogs to prevent them from get
ting more than they were worth, while
fattening. He thought the practice had
in it a suggestion which should be profit
ed by in our legislation. The same kind
of striped clothes should be put upon
the big thieves as upon the little ones,
and if this was done he believed the
trusts and private monopolies would
soon be destroyed.
Speaking of putting business men in
Office he said that the most of those
who made this plea wanted to exclude