The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1907-12-31
IS BRYAN'S RECEIPTS
FROM LECTURES
Draws Bigger Audiences
and Bigger Receipts
Than Any Other Speaker.
The Demand for Him
Growing--His Success
Told by Lyceum Sec
retary.

|
retary.
Washington, Dec. 27.--According to
the report of his agents, william
Jennings Bryan Is making about $50..
900 year from his lectures. Charles
l.. Wagner, secretary of the Slayton
Lyceum Bureau. which manages his
lecture tours, tells me that he has
filled LIS dates during the year 1907
and that his receipts for the season
have averaged more than 5000 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
| appearance.
"Mr. Bryan's regular charge at
Chautauquas," said Mr.. Wagner. "l1
the first $3.50 taken at the gate and
half of all of the receipts over $500,
not including season tickets. He is
the only man who can make such a
liberal contract. For evening lee
lures In a course he charges $500
cash as q guarantee and half OF all
the receipts at the door. For single
evening lectures not in a regular
course he asks half the gross receipts.
His average for the season under
these terms has been more than $500
a lecture. and he has probably filed
175 dates under our management
without including his political speech
es. He started out on the 9Th of Jan
uary last and spoke almost every day
until Sept. 10, frequently twice a day.
and once during the summer three
times. morning, afternoon and even
Ing in three different towns In Iowa
In addition to these he has made a
large number OF political cpeechcs
during the year; no has spoken at
conventions. banquets. college com.
mencements, Y. M. c. A. and church
meetings. and on other occasions
without a fee. OF which I have no rec.
ord.
"Mr. Bryan uses a special form OF
contract prepared by himself, which
differs In terms from the contracts of
all other lecturers. The chief fea-
lures of his contracts are the stipula.
ton that the general admission TO hts
lectures shall not exceed so cents:
that he will not lecture under individ.
ual management or where the profits
go to individuals. The contract
reads: 1t is further expressly un.
derstood and agreed that this engage
ment Is given under the auspices OF
some church. Young Mems Christian
Association. lecture course, literary,
educational. fraternal or charitable In
stitution, and all profits realized from
this lecture shall be used for the
benefit OF said auspices under which
said lecture is given. II is further
understood that should this lecture
be given under the auspices OF
lecture course there shall be not less
than two other lecturers advertised TO
appear on said course OF entertain.
ment.'
"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 summer he spoke at
least once. and usually twice. for
some church. some Y. M. @. A. or
some college. He always likes to visit
small colleges and help them. do
not know what he charges for politl-
cal speeches or what arrangements
he makes. I have never had any
thing to do with them.
"We advertise three lectures for
him. The Prince OF Peace he likes
the best himself, and II is the most
popular with the people. II is a eulo.
gy OF Jesus Christ and His teachings,
and his description OF the cruclfixion
is one OF the most eloquent word. |
paintings ever heard by human ears, |
He has delivered that lecture at least |
900 times aud never varies word In |
delivery. His memory Is so accurate |
that he never makes mistake. The
Value OF an Ideal is an older lecture, |
and although II is not delivered so
often these days 1t has probably been
heard quite as many times as thu
other. The Old World and Its Ways
Is his new lecture and is the result Of
his recent tour around the world. He
delivered that at many Chautauquas
last summer and probably $50 times
altogether during the past year.