Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1908-09-19
MR.. BRYAN DEF|ES
TAFT IN HIS SPEECH
Challenges Opponent to Discuss
the Labor Plank.
WHEELING GIVES HIM
A GREAT OVATION

a uhtAt UthliUN
He Declares Republican Nominee is
Dissatisfied With HIS Platform,
and is Represented In One Part Of
the Country as Another Roosevelt
and in Another Part as Different.
Wheeling, w. Va, Sept. EVIL
liam Jennings Bryan was in West
Virginia yesterday afternoon and last
night. A royal welcome was accord
ed him as his private car, Oliyette,
containing himself and party and a
big reception committee crossed the
Ohio river. and entered this city.
The river front vas a mass of hui
mainly, and as the democratic leader
set foot on West Virginia soil he was
cheered to the echo. His car was
stopped directly in front of the Motel
but so great. was the crowd that the
police could not save him from having
to struggle through.
Speaking last night to a multitude
on the shore of the river, and vita
the state OF Ohio directly opposite,
Mr.. Bryan remarked that the over
s~hadowing issue of the campaign,
from the democratic standpoint, was
shall the people rule" and said
me was sure that his first speech had
some effect, flor ! heard two distinct
echoes, one from Cincinnati and one
from Utica, N. Y"
Did Not Expect Plea Of Guilty.
MIR. Taft, he said, at the first OPP
p%ortuunity, had announced the peo-
pie did rule, and Mr.. Sherman, in
his first speech, had said that that
could not be the issue, because 1t
would be an insult to the people TO
say that they did not rule. Well, my
friends said the democratic candi-
date, amid laughter and cheering, Il
will take you into my confidence, and
tell you that ] did not expect either
Mr.. Taft or Mr.. Sherman to plead
guilty, for, as the republican party
is in power, they could not have ad-
mitted That the people do not rule
without signing their death warrant,
! am grateful for the aid they have
given me, for by asserting that the
people do rule they have impliedly
said that the people Ought to rule"
He charged that the republican
party deliberately and with malice
af~orethought had prevented tine rule
OF the people.
On the subject OF publicity OF cam
paign contributions, Mr.. Bryan
speaking of Mr.. Taft said that "he
read our platform and then he re.
membered his own platform and tried
to jump from his own platform 10
ours, but fell between the two. Way
do ] say fell between the two? Be
cause his platform said nothing on
the subject. Our platform demands
publicity before election, and Mr..
Taft took a halfway position and of
fered to compromise on publicity af-
ter election"
parubI;~ane IL Szxr T,k> uie Nio,s
Mr.. Bryan asserted that nine-tenths
of the republicans agreed with the
democrats on that proposition instead
of agreeing with their own arty, "or
even with Mr.. Taft"
The republican convention held at
Chicago. he said, preferred secrecy in
the matter. Wnen publicity f cam
paign contributions before election
was attained, ne declared, 1t would be
much easier to get control of the gov
eminent, for the great fayor-seeking
corporations have dominated the gov
eminent largely through the aid they
have given in the election Of republi-
al candidates to Office"
Mr.. Bryan poked fun at Mr.. Taft
for asserting that ne was personally
inclined toward the election OF SEN
ators by direct vote OF the people. l
think | ought to say he remarked,
that every man who goes down to
uin is personally inclined to be vir-
tuous, but has MOI moral courage 70
resist temptation He gave his
pledge that If elected he would call
an extra session OF congress imme-
diateiy after Inauguration and among
other things, would ask for election
of senator's by direct vote OF the PEG
pie.
Another Dig at Cannon.
He referred to what he said was
the 3despotic character of the rules
of the house of representatives, as