Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-29
! MAKING $4,000 AYEAR
BRYAN in Great Demand as a
Lecturer.
MANY REQUESTS ON FILE
! Abandons the Platform Until After
the Campaign.
OTHER POPULAR SPEAKERS
Maud Ballington Booth Receives
Much Money for Speaking-ob-
iections to Senator Tillman.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.


Herald.
According to the report of his agents
Mr.. William Jennings Bryan is making
about $4,000 a year from his lectures.
MIR. Charles L. Wagner secretary Of the
Slayton lyceum bureau, which manages
his lecture tours, tells me that he has
filled 175 dates during the year 1907, and
, that his receipts Cor the season have aver
aged more than $500 for each appearance.
Mr.. Bryan stands at the head of the list OF
platform speakers today. for the size Of
his audiences, for the receipts at the box
office and for the demands for his appear
ance.
Mr.. Bryan's regular charge at chau-
tauauas," said Mr.. Wagner. lis the first
$3.50 taken at the gate and half of all the
receipts over $780, not including season
tickets He is the only man who can make
such liberal contract. For evening lee
lures in a course he charges 500 cash
as a guarantee and half of all the recelpts
at the door. For single evening lectures
rot in a regular course ne asks nan the
gross receipts.
His average for the season under these
terms has been more than $500 a lecture,
and he has probably filled 11o dates under
political speeches. He started out on the
9Th of January last and spoke almost
every day until September 10, frequently
twice a day, and once during the summer
three times, morning, afternoon ana eVen-
ing. in three different towns in Iowa. In
addition to these he has made large
number of political speeches during the
year; he has spoken at conventions. pam
quets, college commandments. Y. Nd. C. A.
and church meetings. and on other occa-
sions without fee, of which nave Kept
no record.
Bryan's Conditions.
Mr. Bryan uses a special form Of con-
tract. prepared by himself, which differs
in terms from the contracts of all other
lecturers. The chief features of his con-
tracts are the stipulation that the general
admission to his lectures shall not exceed
fifty cents; that he will not lecture under
individual management or where the
profits go to individuals. The contract
reads: Tt is further expressly understood
and agreed that this engagement Is given
under the auspices of some church, Young
Mems Christian Association. lecture
course, literary, educational, frafernal OF
charitable institution, and all profits real
lied from this lecture shall be used for the
benefit of said auspices under which said
lecture Is given. 1t Is further understood
that should this lecture be given under
the auspices of a lecture course. there
shall be not less than two other lecturers
advertised to appear on said course OF
entertainment
Mr.. Bryan never speaks for money on
Sunday, except at chautauquas where an
admission fee is charged. He prefers to
speak to free audiences on that day, and
nearly every Sunday during the last sum-
mer he spoke at least once, and usually
twice, for some church, some Y. NJ. c. A.
or some college. He always likes to visit
small colleges\ and help them. 1 do not
know what he charges for political
speeches or what arrangements he makes.
/ have never had anything to do with
them
Bryan's Three Lectures.
-G:;we advertised three lectures for him,
NE Prince of Peace he likes the best
hitAsS3{, and 1t As the most popular with
the Heople. 1t As eulogy of Jesus Christ
and His teachings. and his description Of
1he oAlcifxion is one of the most elo-
duent %ord-paintings ever heard by hu-
man ears. He has delivered that lecture
at least 900 times and never varies word
that he eDevef makes mistake. The
Value OF an Ideal is an older lecture.
a ND although it Is not delivered SO often
these days 1t has probably been heard
quite as many times as the other. The
-lecture and - the result of his recent
Dur around the world. He delivered this
az many chautauquas last summer, and
probably $50 times altogether during the
past year.
The greatest indoor audience Mr..
Bryan ever had was at Seattle last
january. where he delivered The Prince
OF Peaeesto 5000 people. and his receipts
he ever addressed at a chautauqna was
at Carthage, Mo, where II 600 people
gathered to hear him.
He closed his tour for 1907 on the 10th
of September with the exception of few
political engagements in the south.
wanted him to give me one lecture in
Chicago in a course that we had adver-
tlsed there, but he declined because 1t
would be a violation of his rule not to
speak for the profits of individuals"
Did Mr.. Bryan deliver any lectures
sbroad?''
Quoted Low in London.
When he started on his tour around
the world he asked me to have our Lon
don representative arrange a few dates
for him in England. The latter replied
he feared it would be impossible. He ex-
planned that Mr.. Bryan was not popular
in England. and he did not think the
public would pay to hear him speak The
British people did not take any interest
in American politics and did not have
much respect for American politicians,
while Mr.. Bryan personally was prnci-
pally known in England because of his
sympathy for the Beers during the South
African war. The writer closed his let
ter by saying that he did not think Mr.
Bryan would draw three shillings in
London. j sent this letter to Mr.. Bryan
and he read it at Franklin, Ohio, imme-
diately after the lecture that brought
him the largest receipts of that summer
1t appealed to his sense of humor and he
replied that 1t came just In time to keep
him from getting 'chesty.' He said that
he intended to frame 1t as a reminder.
month later, while he was in our offic in
month later. while he was in our office in
agent In London stating that he had an
offer of pounds for one lecture from
Bryan In that city and asked me to cable
then remarked: That isn't a bad in
crease; he has raised the quotations for
my lectures from shillngs to 5 pounds
In three weeks. Just watch the market.
and when the bids reach a reasona BILE
figure take a few dates
Mr.. Bryan did not lecture in London
Tor money, and Mr.. Wagner. HE spoke
for the American Society on the Fourth
or July. and at the International peace
congress, where he made a great sensa
tlon.
Popular Call for Bryan.
Mr.. Bryan has a standing offer from,
Winnipeg for two nights for a thousand
dollars night. The mana gers of the
lecture course there explain that thew
could not accommodate all who want IN
hear him at a single lecture and insist
that he shall give them two nights but
he has not accepted. We have on file more
than 100 applications for the present