The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-12
BRYAN IN WEST VIRGINIA.
Democratic Leader Ia Given Ovation Ii
 Wheeling.

OemOcraIc Lea0er IA Given Ovation I'm Wheeling.
 Wheeling. W. Va, Sept. 11.-wiliam J. Bryan. the Democratic candidate for President this afternoon and tonight was West Virginia's guest. royal welcome was accorded him as his private car. "Olivette," contain ing himself and party and a big re- ception committee crossed the Ohio river and entered this city. The river front was a mass of humanity and as the Democratic leader stepped on West Virginia soil he was cheered to the echo. His car was stopped directly in front of the hotel but so great was the crowd that even the combined efforts of the police could not prevent him from being forced to struggle his way through.
 Speaking tonight to a multitude of persons on the very shore of the river itself and with the State Of Ohio directly opposite. MT. Bryan pointed out the differences in the two plat forms and made a plea for Democratic support. He made frequent reference to Mir. Taft and told his audience that the Republican candidate was conduct ing his campaign on a platform so obnoxious to him that he was forced to continually patch 1t up with amend ments of his own.
 Much stress was laid on the labor and anti-injunction blanks of the Dem- ocratic platform. his remarks on this subject being applaudec by many un- employed workmen from the Ohio steel | plants in this vicinity.
 The visit to Wheeling was the eli max of an uneventful day in Ohio. | the native State of MT. Taft From the time the Democratic candidate left Columbus. early in the morning. until he crossed the Ohio river into West Virginia. the crowds which gathered along the line of travel made insistent demands for his appearance and to talk to us a little.
 At Steubenville a large crowd gath cred and from a railroad truck beside | the track. while his car was being shifted to another train Mir Bryan ad- dressed them. As he had done at other points in the State. he hurled shafts | of ridicule at MT. Taft. whose speeches he declared. had darkened rather than illuminated the subjects which com pose the Republican platform.
 Mir. Bryan put to his audience these questions:
 How many of you believe that Uni ted States Senators should be elected by direct vote of the people? How many of you believe that we ought to
 have publication of campaign con
 tributions that is, above a reasonable
 minimum before election?"
 A sea of hands went up
 Now" said Mir. Bryan. by your votes you have declared that you stand on the Democratic platform instead of on the Republican platform" l Altogether the receptions of the | Democratic candidate in Ohio and ir this city were among the notable hap | nenings of the campaign.
 In his address here tonight, MT.
 Bryan referred to the fact that his | third nomination for the Presidency
 had significance that could not be
 overlooked either by Republicans or | Democrats.
 Tn former campaigns l suffered de-
 feat" he said. and those defeats
 would have been sufficient to have | eliminated me from politics if my claim
 to public attention was based upon
 personal merit. But, my friend. | have not been vain enough to believe l that any large part of the interest fell
 iu me, of the confidence expressed ir
 me, of the affection felt toward