The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-03-30
BRYAN TO NEWSPAPER MEN.
A Few Thoughts and Stories Told at
a Press Club Dinner.

/ William Jennings Bryan, editor Of
the Commoner OF Nebraska, and some
time Democratic candidate for presi-
| Dental honors, was entertained at a
! smoker given by the Press club last
/ night. 1t was the first time in several
months that Mr.. Bryan has been a
/ guest at any public gathering.
Two hundred men listened 10 his re-
marks. which were judiciOusly divided
/ between the jocOse and the grave he
I touched upon his newspaper expert
! ences and also upon his last campaign.
| William Cullen Bryant, the president
/ of the club, introduced him. Mr.. Bryan
said, in part:
| AS you all know, am myself in the
/ newspaper business now. I cant say
/ that 1 took it up voluntarily. There
/ were certain circumstances. none Of
which need be mentioned here, that
| led up to it.
must say that 1 find it very con-
| genial work-that is. the branch of it
in which I am engaged. In the past
I've had no time to write much, but L
have had two opportunities to test my
abilities as a speaker. I spoke for
some time, as you all know, but it
seems I was not able 10 convince a ma
jority of the people as TO the merits of
my doctrines.
When 1 was nominated in 80, we'll
known Republican said TO me: If you
stay at home you'll be defeated, but not
disgraced. If you go out and work
you'll be defeated, anyhow, but theTe'N
be more modification attached to it.
Now, another Republican told me
story some time agO-I did nOt tell this
in the campaign. OaughteT).
could identify him, he was taken to
the morgue. Well. a man came up
and identified the dead man as his ia
Their. An undertaken was got and ar
rangements were made for a decent
burial. The corpse was put into cas-
keu and dressed. A napkin was tucked
under his chin. The son arrived to take
q last look at his father, and in fixing
the napkin under the chin of the corpse
the dead mans mouth opened and a set
of false teeth fell to the floor.
The man who had identified the dead
set up a howl that he didnt know the
man now because his father never had
false teeth. The corpse was thrown
into the corner and the WOuid-be
claimant went over and addressed II
thus: IF y'd kept yer mouth closed,
yer stiff, I'd a got a decent burial
Laughter).
I've heard a great many remarks
about my mouth. complimentary and
otherwise. I was speaking once in
country town and I noticed during my
speech q small man sitting in front
who watched me very intently. When
] had finished he sta!ked up to me,
grasped my hand and said in a loud
voice:
''bIr Bryan. I've listened TO and
watched a great many speakers but
you're the only man I've heard speak
where I could see his back teeth all
the time loud laughter}.
I'm glad TO be with the newspaper /
men tonight. because think a more
practical, useful and COmmon-sense 2
BODY OF men cannot be found in any
sphere of life. One thing in the news /
paper business impresses me more /
strongly than anything else, and that /
is the great responsibility Of the work. ]
I believe that newspaper men, Wheth- |
er they write editorials or chronicle I
news. should present all the facts-not I
a part OF a fraction-but an the facts. 4
7 believe that If a man only gives q /
part Of a fact. that man is doing an 1
injustice to his newspaper, the person /
whom be quotes and himself. a part /
OF a fact is misleading and il may be, {
and IN many cases IS, a comp lete con- B
tradiction of the meaning which the /
original utterance conveyed.
1 have no objection to criticism, 4
whether It be abusive or not. Even !
cartoons I favor-I think they should (
not be suppressed If the cartoon mis- /
represents a man it doesn't hurt him; I
If il represents him he can't complain. 4
enjoy cartoons
Mr.. Bryan also said that truth need /
not fear the light, and shat conuover-
sy ought TO be encouraged If a gov i
eminent was good government II 4
wanted its errors pointed out; If not
it was the very kind of a government /
whose errors should be pointed out I
and that" said he. lis where you 4
men come in You point
them out, and vigorously" Laugh-
teri.
This was his last word about news
paners. If our papers gave US arti-
cIes by men Of thought and conviction,
men whose words could be weighed
carefully and whose names are known
then our papers would be more potent
than they are"