The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1908-09-16
BRYAN SAYS HE'S
WORTH $4,000
And Not 100000 AS
Reported.
LIE TO CANNONS STATEMENT
Explains His Wealth and De-
mandS to Know Where
Speaker Got His.

olney, ILL.,, Sept. 1O.-Giving a de-
tailed statement Of the amount of
property owned by him, which he
placed at $4,000 at the outside, Will
liam J.Bryan, Democratic candidate
for President, in a speech here to-
day, declared as false the accusation
Of Speaker Joseph G. Cannon, made
yesterday in Springfield, ILL.,, that he
was worth 100000, and called up
ON the Speaker TO be frank in making
known 20 the world the amount Of his
own earthly possessions.
| In the course OF his remarks Speak
err Cannon is credited with saying that
Mr.. Bryan had accumulated 81 100000
selling wind and ink to the public.
The Democratic candidate referred TO
Speaker Cannon as the third man in
| ir fluence in the Government, 'if not
even above the Vice President, in his
power to influence legislation" and
said that it was only fair that the
Speaker should apply to himself the
same rule that he applies to Mr. Bryan
and take the public into his con-
fidence. or Mr.. Cannon, Mr.. Bry-
an said:
Mr.. Cannon, in his speech before
the Republican State Convention yes
terday, has this to say of me:
"'How about Bryan-a man of the
cries. a man who has breaking-out
of the mouth, man who agreed with
the Populists only a dozen years ago
6hat no man could honestly earn
81 200, 900, and THAT when any man
had that, he was a plutccrat. But
man dominating the Democratic
party, and the greatest advertising
agent ON earth, through his papers,
through is books, and through his
lectures, is, am informed, Worth
more than 100000
"A little later in his speech he drop
the qualifying phrase and says, as II
stands the Democratic candidate, a
successful ohautauqua lecturer VIII
has made 100000 selling wind
and ink to the public.
MANY exaggerated statements have
been made in regard to my earthly
possessions, but this is the first
/ H.. .n.o oto4on,o,t hoe haan mazda nv
any man of polictical standing or
responsibility, / think ] am justi-
lied therefore in speaking of this sub
ject which might otherwise be con-
sidered too personal matter nor
public discussion.
Il was worth about $4,000 when |
was elected to Congress. ! served four
years and by careful economy saved
between $4,000 and $4,000, or about
81 900 a year, 50 that when ! went
out Of Congress in the spring of 1895
was worth about $4,000 or $1,000.
During the period that elapsed be-
tween the end of my congressional
term and my nomination for the Pres
idency- about a year and four months
Il was engaged in speaking and lee
turing and added but a small sum to
my savings. After the election in
1896 my earning power as a lecturer
was largely enhanced by the promi-
nence which the campaign had Civ
en- me-
my book, The First Battle
brought me $4,000, and gave an
equal amount of the profits to the va
rious committees that had carried on
the campaign of 1896. My lectures
have been profitable and my writ
ings have paid me well, but no one
attends the lectures unless he wants
TO do SO and no one buys what write
unless he is interested in reading it.
More than half of my time since
1896 has been given to gratuitous
work and yet / have been able 10
support myself and accumulate prop
erty which / would estimate at about
$4,000, but as one can never accu-
rately say what property is worth
until he sells 1t, l will fix $780,
900 as the outside limit, the maxi
mum of my wealth and am willing
TO leave the public to determine
whether that is more than ought
! to have earned or whether l have
earned 1t honestly.
I, "And now. having answered the
criticism of Mr.. Cannon and shown