Evening star., 1907-11-16
COSTS HIM FRIENDS
Bryan's Speech Disappoints
Southern Admirers.
"FROST" AT CHARLOTTE
Will Get the Convention Delegates
From the State.
NEGRO NOW OUT OF POLITICS
When the "Grandfather Clause Ex-
pires He May Return-Republi-
can Machine Repels Support.
NEGRO NOW OUT OF POLITIC
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Star ana 'he
Chicago Record Herald.

Special Correspondence Of The Star and th'
Chicago Record Herald
CHARLOTTE, n. c.,
November 13, 1907.
Mr.. William Jennings Bryan was here
last month and made speech on ne
Average Man" which cost him a sooo
many friends and disappointed a gooo
many admirers. He came under pay
under a speculative arrangement with a
local merchant Mr.. Bryan got the first
$3.50, the merchant got the second 500
and according to contract. the balance
of the receipts was to have been divided
evenly between them: But there was no
balance The admissions at 80 cents a
head. ba~ely paid $500, which was great
disappointment to the speculator, and
must have been to Mr.. Bryan also, al
though he did not say anything about 1t,
He spoke in the auditorium, which can
accommodate an audience Of 5000, but
four-tifths of the seats were empty.
The merchant induced one of the local
democratic leaders to organize a popular
demonstration to welcome Mr.. Bryan. and
he appointed committee of reception.
consisting of 100 of the most prominent
citizens of the place. The mayor ordered
out the police and fi-e departments, a
band was engaged and paid for by the
management, and a procession was Or
ganized to escort tine peerless one from
the station to the hall. When 1t became
known that Mr.. Bryan was speaking for
pay and not for patriotism the commit
tee of recepc:t>u suddenly dissolved, the
prominent citizens went home and took
off their silk hats and frock coats. and
nearly every body else fell out of line.
The Charlotte Observer. which is an able
and orthodox exponent of democratic
ir1a co
sport of the entire proceeding. Accord
ing to it's account, the procession must
have been a melancholy affair Its re
porters quote one citizen who thought 1t
was the funeral Of a policeman, and an
other says:
Il asked Charley Roberts what had
happened and he said a fireman had died
and they were escorting the body to the
cemetery"
Byan's Strength Not Increased.
Mr. Bryan made four speeches on the
same speculative basis at Charlotte,
Fayetteville, Raleigh and Greensboro. One
of the papers reports that he took $1,000
in sound money out of the state as pay
for a weeks talking. When the demo-
Gratis learned that his tour was money
making scheme they were rather cha
grned. but his admirers are trying to
convince his critics that he has as much
right to talk for money as for votes.
He made the same speech everywhere
he spoke in the state, and also at Rich
mond and other points in Virginia. He
did not discuss government ownership.
but attacked the corporations and advO-
Gated law to license them under federal
authority and supervision He denounced
the rich and decla ed that no man could
make a million dollars honestly, although
it is reported here that he is worth at
least half a million from the profits of
his newspaper and lecture tours. He ac-
cused the newspapers of the country of
corruption and insinCerity. and repeated
the assertion he made In Richmond that
the columns of the metropolitan press
could be bought by any corporation or any
interest that has the price.
Almost everybody | have talked with
here believes Mr. Bryan impaired his
popularity in North Carolina by his recent
visit, but. at the same time, they predict
that he will have the support of the dele
cation from this state in the next presi-
Dental convention, not so much because
the people want him TO- President. but
because there is no other candidate. | am
told that the people generally have lost
interest in national affairs and are dis
couragAd about the fortunes of the demo-
cratic party. Public attention is entirely
absorbed by local issues. and particularly
the prohibition movement and the only
way the opposition to Bryan could he
organized is by putting up a prohibition
candidate before the next democ attic ma
tiOnal convention.