Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-01-12

w. J. Bryan Making $4,000 Year
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ubthtS, MI. Wlllltnl jennings Bryan
Ia" making about $4,000 n year from
his lectures. Mr.. Charles l.. Wagner
secretary of the Slayton lyceum bu-
rcau. which manages his lecture
tours, tells me that he has filled l75
dates during the year 1907, and that
his receipts for the season have aver
aged more than $500 for each appear
alce. Mr. Bryan stands at the head
OF the list of platform speakers to-
day, for the size of his audiences, 70
the receipts at the box Office, and for
the demands for his appearance
writes William t. Curtis, in The Stal
and the Chicago Record Herald.
Mr.. Bryan's regular charge at chan
tauquas.' said Mr.. Wagner, lis the
first $3.50 taken at the gate and hal,
of all the receipts over $500, not in
Guiding season tickets. IIc is the
only man who can make such Il lib
eral contract. For evening lectures
in course he charges 5000 cash as
Il guarantee and half OF all the re-
Ing lectures not in regular cou St
he asks half the gross receipts.
Ills average for the season under
ihese terms has been more than 81
a lecture. and he has probably filled
l75 dates under our management,
without including his politica
speeches. He started out on the 9Th
OF January last and spoke almost
every day until September 10, fire.
quently twice a day. and once during
the summer three times, morning, af-
ternoon and evening, in three different
towns In Iowa. In addition TO these
he has made Il large number of po-
litical speeches during the year; he
has spoken ut conventions, lnnQucts
college coinmenccments. Y. NJ. G.. A
and church meetings, and on other
occasions without fee, of which I
lave kept no record.
6ryan's Conditions.
"Mr. Bryan uses II special form OF
contract, prepared by himself. which
differs in terms from the contracts o.
all other lecturers. The CHIEF feature,
IF his contracts are the stipulation
that the general admission to his lee
lures shall not exceed fifty cents:
that he will not lecture under indi-
vidual management or where the
profits 30 to individuals. The con
tract reads: 1T is further expressi
understood and agreed that this en-.
nasement Is given under the auspice.
o: some church, Young Mems Chris
tian Association, lecture course, liter
DRY, educational. rational or charita-
nie institution. and all profits rcalizet
ficm tMs lecture shall be used for t.
benefit of said auspices under which
l., 4. Il,
Understood That should this lecture
I've given under the auspices of lee
ture conlse, there shall be not les
than two other lecturers advertised
To appear on said course of enter
tainment.'
"Mr. Bryan never speaks for money
on Sunday, except at chautauquas
where an admission fee is charged
lie prefers to speak to free audience.
ON that day, and nearly every Sunday
during the last summer he spoke n
least once, and usually twice. for some
church. some Y. NJ. C. A. or some col.
lege. He always likes to visit small
colleges and help them. | do no
know what he charges for politica
speeches or what arrangements h
makes have never had ANYTHING tc
do with them.
6ryan's Three Lectures.
I'VE advertised three lectures FOL
him, The Prince OF Peace he likes
the hest himself, and it is the mos
popular with the people. 1t is eulog
OF Jesus Christ and His teachings
and his description of the cruciiixior
Is one of the most eloquent word
paintings ever heard by human ears
He has delivered that lecture mt least
GOO times and never varies a word In
delivery. His memory is so accurate
mat he never makes n mistake The
Value of an IDEAL is an older lecture
and although it is not delivered SO
often these days it has probably been
heard quite as many times as the
other. The Old World and Its Ways
Is MS new lecture and Is the resul,
OF his recent tour around the world
Tie delivered this at many chautau
q''as last summer. and probably l5t
times altogether during the past yea
The greatest indoor audience Mr.
Bryan ever had was at Seattle las
January, where he delivered Tho
Prince of Peace to 5000 people, and
his receipts were over $4,000. The
greatest audience he ever addressed
at chauianqua was at Carthage, Mo.
Where 1900 people gathered 10 heal
him.
He closed his tour for 1907 on the
10Th OF September with the excep.
ton of few political enga gements il
the South. | wanted him to give me
one lecture in Chicago in course
that we had advertised there. hat he
declined because 1t would be viola
ton of his rule not to speak for the
profits OF Individuals
Did Mr.. Bryan deliver any lectures
abroad?'
Quoted Low in London.