The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1908-10-24
FROM the CENTER OF THINGS

u6 V6N
LINCOLN, Neb., Oct. 2S.-(Special
ndence.)-Thursiay night of
last week Mr.. Bryan wound up at
Nebraska City-"in the shadow of the
starch trust"-the most enthusiastic
round OF receptions ever rendered to
him in HIS home state. Starting from
Omaha on Tuesday morning, he aI-
dressed an average of $4,000 people
a day for three days. winding up at
Nebraska City with speech that was
remarkable for its incisiveness and
argument.
Eight years ago, while Democratic
attorney general was trying to en-
force the Nebraska antitrust laws
and thus keep Nebraska City's starch
fsctory from falling into the hands
of the starch trust, Mr.. Bryan was
threatened with bodily violence il he
attacked the trust while in Nebraska
City. He did attack 1t, and warned
the people Of Nebraska City that they
had no assurance of their starch fac
tory's continuance If it fell into the
hands of the trust. They laughed at
him, and when Nebraska went Repub-
lican they wrote him hooking letters
asking, isn't the shadow of the starch
factory extending over the whole
state?"
Thursday night Mr.. Bryan, stand
ing within q few blocks of the dis.
mantled factory buildings-now in the
hands of the wrecking crews-asked
his political opponents how far the
shadow of the starch factory extended
these days. He handed the chairman
of his meeting Ave dollar bill to be
given to the Republican committee If
the Republicans would carry in this
years parades the banners they car
ried eight years ago.
The Republicans of Nebraska City
are not asking what Bryan prophecies
have been fulfilled?" They know of 1t
least one. They see the answer in
the huge piles of brick and stone that
once formed the buildings of their
starch works. And 500 people who
once earned fair wages in the starch
works now having little else to do
than ponder over this expensive OBJ
ject lesson in trust busting" under
q Republican administration.
w. A. Woodward, one of the lead
ing business men of Lincoln, a life
long Republican and a member of the
city council elected on the Republi-
can ticket, has publicly announced
that he will vote for Bryan and do
all that he can to bring about the
election of his distinguished fellow
citizen.
Normal precinct, the home of Mr.,
Bryan, Is usually reliably Republican.
Six years ago the Republican State
and congressional committees spent
over $500 in Normal precinct in order
to secure the satisfaction" of carry
Ing Bryan's home precinct against him.
Normal has less than 200 votes. Now
move is on foot, engineered by Nor
nal Republicans, to give Mr.. Bryan
the unanimous vote of the precinct.
All but a dozen or fifteen Republicans
have agreed to help, and pressure is
being brought to bear to induce the
obdurate ones to get in line. The
pressure consists wholly of appeals
to neighborly pride.
A few days ago Mr. Bryan received
an unique and valuable present from
Lincoln admirer. 1t is center
table that was made by Erstine King,
a union printer of Lincoln. 1t is
sample of "parquetry work." and is
made of upwards of 5000 different bits
of wood, hundreds of them being of
almost microscopic size. Mr.. King
started the work twelve years ago,
and has put in his odd moments on
1t. 1t follows 10 to /" design, and
It shows artistic as well as mechanical
talent in high degree. when Bryan
ia inaugurated," said Mr.. King, my
happiness will be complete If that lit
tie table stands by his side and bears
the pitcher of ice water"
There was a pathetic incident at
Tecumseh last week, when Mr.. Bryan
visited that town Mr.. Ross, an aged
citizen, lay upon his death bed. For
days his one wish had been that he
might live until Mr.. Bryan came to
Tecumseh that he might once more
grasp the hand of his hero. Mr.. Ross,
so years old, has been one of Mr..
Bryan's staunchest supporters ever
since 1890, when Mr.. Bryan entered
political life and was elected to con-
gress. The Democratic leader cut his
Tecumseh visit short that he might
hasten to the bedside of his old friend
The old man lay upon his bed near
the front door, surrounded by rela'
tives and friends, waiting for his hero
to come. Mr.. Bryan entered the room
and without word hastened to Mr.
Ross bedside. The dying man could
scarce raise his hand. but smile
fiickered over his wan face as Mr.
Bryan took the wasted hand in his
own strong palm. With few words
of cheer that visibly frightened the
dying man, Mr. Bryan left the house
his eyes glistening with tears. The
people who witnessed the incident