The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-08-22

PoSlllou TO ndnole the crowd with the
least possible confuSeon: In case OF
rain or threatening weather the crowd
as well as the speaker will be protect
ed from the elements and hundreds of
people will attend the meeting who
would not attempt to make the trip
to the fair grounds.
Candidates Object.
Relative to the change of the place
OF holding the meeting, r. B. Simms.
candidate for sheriff on the Demo-
cratic ticket, said: by all means the
meeting should be held at the Audi
torium, which is easy Of access and
where the speaker and audience alike
will be protected in case of Indictment
weather. Bryan would draw a crowd
OF people to the fair grounds who
would want to hear him. but he un-
doubted1y wants to have a crowd
there Is a difference"
J; H. Ulsh: candidate for county
clerk, said: 'Tt seems to me that the
meeting should be held at the Audi
torium. especially as it is to be night
meeting. Then there Is the uncer-
tainty of the weather conditions and
the street car service to be taken
into consideration, besides the long
walk through the fair grounds which
must be made in the night time by
women and children"
0. S. Allen. candidate for probate
judge. said: 1.-THE auditorium Of
fers number of advantages for
night meeting and 1t seems to me that
arrangements should be made for Mr.
Bryan to speak there. In the first
place it will be hard for a large audi
ence to hear Mr.. Bryan II he speaks
out of doors; again the auditorium is
centrally located and easy of access;
and the unsettled weather conditions
make an indoor meeting seem the
best for this reason If no other,
though I understand that the COM
mittee which selected the fair grounds
have made arrangements for the audi
torium in case that the weather con-
ditions are such as to make an out
of door meeting undesirable
DIR. c. M. England, candidate for
coroner, said: 81 am in favor Of hold
ing the meeting at the auditorium
without regard to the weather con-
this way there will be no misunder-
standings and everyone will know
where the meeting is to be held"
L. NJ. Penwell, candidate for repre-
sentative, said: "I cannot understand
why the committee ever selected the
| fair grounds. There is no reason on
| earth for 1t as far as I can see. The
| auditorium was built for Just such
| occasions as this one and under the
most favorable conditions the fair
grounds is a bad place for a gather
ing such as this Bryan meeting will
| be-
| Thomas Blames Kemper.
| A meeting has been called for Mon
day afternoon, the Gath, at $3.50 p. m,
at which the matter of entertaining
Mr.. Bryan will be discussed and ar
| Irangements made and committees ap-
pointed. Chairman Frank S. Thomas
made the following statement:
| "It is unfortunate that Mr.. Kemper
| attempting to act under the wing of
the Bryan club should have assumed
| so much authority as he apparently
has, when the entire management is
pre- eminently the business of the
Democratic county central committee
fcomposed of precinct committeeman
| from every precinct in the county duly
elected under the law and the only
Illegally constituted authority i'm all po-
litical matters of every name and ma
| ture pertaining to the Democratic
party. The same, of course, is true
| of the legally constituted committees
of all parties.
| 1.-THE objection to the fair grounds
| to my mind is. that it is a low, damp
and muddy place. 1t rains nearly ev-
cry night and it is always a muddy
place at the fair grounds gates. and
| the distance from there to the grand
stand is nearly one-half mile through
the mud and inasmuch as a great
many ladies desire to hear Mr.. Bryan
| the Inconvenience, to say nothing
| about the crush incident to getting
\ back and forth on crowded cars is
great. 1t is my humble opinion that
the auditorium is the only and logical
| place for Mr. Bryan to speak He is
| Just entering upon great campaign
and outdoor speaking is very injurious
\ to a public speakers voice. So far as
Democrats are concerned they would
go five miles to hear him. but their
votes are safe; it is the independent
voters we are after. The very class
| of people we want Mr.. Bryan to talk
| to. are just the class of people that
| will want to go to the auditorium, and
| they are the class of people, that gen.
| orally speaking, will not go to the fair
grounds. Street car expense is a lit
| tie item, of course, but SO far as the
street car company is concerned, they
will bring just as many people into
| the city to the auditorium and prob
ably more than to the fair grounds,
| and the ladies and good many men
prefer paved streets instead of long
stretch of muddy ground to tramp
| over. Just before the meeting closes
| the exodus for the cars will begin, If
| it is held at the fair grounds. and the
crush at that muddy point. the fair
| grounds gate, will make it most un-
pleasant for a great many people. who
will even go to the fair grounds. In
the event that it should happen to
! rain after the crowd had assembled 1t
| would be most unpleasant. and If in
the evening there is an appearance OF
rain, a great many people will not
take the chances of getting wet, but
would of course. go to the auditorium
| where they could hear Mr.. Bryan and
be safe from the weather.
Disputes the Authority.
| s'I do not consider that Mr.. Kemper has
| any authority whatever and is extensively
| presumptuous to proceed he has; the
| matter of the meeting will be brought be-
fore our Democratic county central com
| nittee next Monday, and whatever they
| say, in my humble opinion, will go. 1t is
| purely up to the county central commit
, tee and those 40 or 80 gentlemen alone
are vested with all authority in the mat
ter That's why the law created them
| So far as our Bryan club is concerned
/ we are all members. but the club OF