The San Francisco call., 1906-08-31
Twenty Thousand Cheer the
Nebraskan at Dinner at
Madison Square Garden
NATIONAL ISSUES
ARE DWELT UPON
Leader Favors Revision of
Tariff and Ownership of
Trunk Lines by People

NEW YORK. Aug. so.-The home
coming Of W. J. Bryan was made COM
plete tonight when he was greeted IN
Madison Square Garden by a throng OF
welcomers numbering more than 2o.-
600. Il was such a welcome as seldom
II ever has been accorded private cit
izen.
Mr.. Bryan's eyes tlled with tears as
he acknowledged the laundering well
come from the 10000 throats. For
eight minutes, while the great building
seemed TO tremble and shake from the
shouts and applause. he strobe nervous
y from side TO side OF the platform
Another demonstration greeted Mr..
Bryan when he told his hearers that
he had been converted to the cause of
government ownership of railroads.
7 favor the control of only the trunk
lines by the national Government" said
mr.. Bryan. and the ownership of all
ether railroads by the state govern.
nen
Tonight's reception. which was given
under the auspices OF the Commercial
Travellers Antf-Trust League. proved
really TO be the sounding of the Dem
ocratic campaign call Mr. Bryan's
.speech was a elear-cut outline of his
ideas as to what the Democratic policy
should be. The election Of United States
Senators by direct vote OF the. people;
regulation Of the trusts by the Gov
.efrEnent; a universal eight-hour day;
st1t+ement OF all international disputes
BY arbitration rather than by resort to
force, and revision of the tariff were his
CHEF points. Mr.. Bryan declared. how
ever: that he was merely expressing his
own opinion and not attempting to
forecast the. policy of his party
The. doors Of Madison Square Garden
were opened at $40 o'clock, and by
. that time hundreds OF ticket-hoIders
were ciamoring for admittance. Police
lines had been formed for three blocks
frem ali entrances In this way the
early: comers were we'll handled The
Immense auditorium, with it's tiers of
balconies and galleries rising to the
great glass, roof. began to: flll up so
quickly that the. usbers and policefnez
had dificnity in adheriHg TO the seat.
ing arrangements. 1t was a gay spir-
sted. good drnatureh> >audience. which had
a cheer for every enc There were calls
and counter =calls from. the: various
state delegations. The Nebraska
.Bryan's. Home. Folks arrived in a body
and were given. seats Just back of the
SPEAKERS stand, at the Twenty-sev-
enth-street side Of the garden. The
han was devoid OF decorations other.
than the bunting and flags placed
about the temporary stage. But each
person: IN the vast audience had been
presented with a flag by the reception
committee. and the waving Of these
made a picture such as the garden has
seldom Witnessed. -
Before the meeting was called TO or
der a. band played melodies of the
South. causing rumllltuous applause.
But when the nrst strains of. Dixie"
were sounded the thousands of Bryan
welconlers were on their feet In an
instant and the cheers completely
drowned the. band.
NOTABLE DEMOCRATS cHEERED-
As. each notable Democrat entered
the hall and. was recognized. hts name.
was called and; the: cheering was re-
pewed f
When Mr. Bryan. entered the hall
the proceedings. which had already be-
gun. were brought to a temporary
pause, while for eight minutes volley
after volley- Of thunderous cheering
rolled through the great building
When Chairman Tom l. Johnson in
his Introduction Of Mr.. Bryan referred
to the guest Of the evening as the
FIRST citizen, II not the first official
OF the land" and Mr.. Bryan rose, the
great gathering broke out IN unres-
trained cheering. while the band played
Hail to the Chief"
So touched was Mr.. Bryan by the
welcome that as he stood waiting for
the cheers to subsfde his eyes filled
with tears and he strode nervousIy
from side to side of the narrow plat
fern
its cheering before now, was now
fairly beside itself The men shouted.
jumped on seats and threw their hats
into the air. The women waved hands
and handkerchiefs and cheered as loud
conffuued nm PAGE 2 CoIumu 4