The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-03
Bryan Closes His Campaign in
His Home City.
Is Greatly Affected by the
Ovation Accorded Him.
SPEECH NONPARTISAN.
Thanks the Rel ublicans for
Past FaVOrs Shown.
Says He viii Be Content With
the Voters Verdict.


onstration in the history of Lincoln
was given to Mr.. Bryan by his fellow
townsmen last night on his return to
his home city at the close of his cam
paign. Nonpartisan in character it
was participated in by Democrats ans
Republicans alike and the Democrat
candidate was driven through the city
cheered by almost the entire poplation
The reception was rendered to him
as citizen of Lincoln rather
than as a candidate and in his
speech he avoided all reference
to partisan issues. In the parade
the Union Pacific station however.
many political transparencies were car
ried
Mr.. Bryan reached his home city at
$3.50 o'clock on his special train coming
direct from Kansas where he had spent
the day in final whirl of speechmak-
ing. His train was met at the Union
station by tremendous crowd and as
the score of carriages and automobiles
forming his immediate escort started
across the viaduct from the railroad
station the great parade fell In line be-
hind him. The parade moved through
the main street through solid masses
of cheering humanity and after cir
cling through the city returned to the
Lincoln hotel where Mr. BRYAN spoke
A great shout arose from the multi
tude as he appeared He was intro
duced by Fred c. Sheppard. president
of the Bryan club, and spoke for half
an hour. Mr.. Bryan's speech was
greeted with vociferous cheers. The
candidate was moved to tears as he
made an affectionate reference to his
wife and when he closed the demon
stration accorded him was such as he
rarely had experienced in his three
campaigns.
Il believe I am going to be elected"
he said. More than that believe it is
going to be more than a bare victory.
believe that there is a stirring of the
conscience of the American people A
moral awakening an uprising tina
means a sweeping victory. and I will
swear in your presence that no one who
votes for me will ever have occasion to
be ashamed of the vote he casts"
The speech of Mr.. Bryan follows:
Il shall not make a political speech
tonight among my neighbors. AS the
recipient of such a generous welcome
I shall speak to you as a man to those
who live beside him. There are I'M
pleasant features in public life but it's
rewards far outweigh its unpleasant
part and nothing has occurred in my
life that I appreciate more than the
cordial reception that you have given
me in my home city at the close of
this campaign. To have lived among
you with the publicity that attaches to
the presidential campaign and then to
have this evidence of your good will
makes this night memorable in my
life. While II has sometimes been
humiliating to have 1t thrown up to
me in other parts of the country that
my city has never given me a ma
5ority. (voices: We will give 1t to you
this time) while 1 repeat IL has
Inundated me. yet as a matter of
fact I have always had large COM
plimentary vote from the Republicans
of Lincoln. When 1 ran for congress
in 1890 1 was only defeated in this
county by little more than 400 and
when again / ran for congress in
1892. I was only defeated in this
county by little more than 900 and
even IN the heat of the presidential
campaigns 1 have always had a large
number Of votes from men who were
not connected with the political party
or which am a member and if this
fact were known there would not
have been so much criticism because I
have never carried this county with
Its large Republican normal majority
and want to thank the Republicans
VINO IN the past have given me their
votes Without the votes of many
Republicans l would not have been
elected in 1892 for my majority was
only one hundred and forty and with
out that election 1 would not have
been nominated for the presidency in
1896 and 1 feel grateful to the Re
publicans who gave me my start and
whose votes were absolutely neces-
sary to my election on that occasion
And whatever the Republicans of
Lincoln may do in the future they
have done enough in the past by lay
Ing the foundation for my political
career. to make me their debtor while
live.
my friends I am at the end of my
tnird presidential campaign. tomorrow
nfteen million voters will decide
whether l am to occupy the seat that
washington and Jefferson and Jack
9on and Lincoln occupied. You will
nave your part in that victory or in
that defeat 1t may be that the cleo
ton Will turn on Nebraska and 1t may
De that Nebraska will turn on votes
so Tar in number that the city of Lin
coin may decide my fate. II fate de-
crees that l shall be added to the list
Of presidents and Nebraska added to
the list of states that have furnished
president 1 shall rejoice with YOU.
II, on the other hand the election
snail be against me 1 can feel that
have left nothing undone that 1 could
have done to bring success to my
cause And my friends l shall find
private life so full of Joy that 1 shall
not miss the presidency"
Bryan Issues u Statement.
Mr.. Bryan last night issued the fol-
lowing signed statement:
Our fight is won and We await the
verdict with confidence. The people will
not be deceived by the padded straw
votes published by the partisan news
papers, by the sham bets of Wall street
gamblers or the boastings of the panic
stricken Republican leaders.
The Republican candidate has be-
hind him an array of officeholders, trust
magnates. most OF the leading newspa-
pers and an enormous campaign fund
so Tainted that he dare not let the peo-
pie know where II comes from unit
after they have voted and that part oil
It, that Is contributed to the Republi.
can congressional committee will not
be known even then. 1 have behind me
the awakened conscience of the country
and the sentiment in favor of popular
government which demands the cleo
ton of United States senators by direct