The Washington herald., 1910-06-12

though ne was a reporter Ike the rest
of US. he was more concerned In watch
/ ing the nomination of Mckinley than ne
wes in writing Of the event. AS TO money,
! If money really measures certain kinds
Of value, he was making about $S5 q
week TOusled as he looked, dripping with
perspriation, he then expected, as Mr..
! Hitchcock has since informed me, to be
nominated for President the following
month. From then until now, Bryan and
Burkett have been political duelists for
the hOnors of a State. Hitchcock, am
I bilious for promotion to the Senate. this
year takes Bryan's place as principal In
the combat. And Hitchcock, as a ready
orator, is an sble-boded worker himself.
! I asked Senator Burkett about his
famous campaign against Mr.. Bryan in
1884,
II had been nominated for the Senate. -
| he said, "at our State convention. There
had been deadlocks in the legislature and
some talk of outside influence at pre-
vious Senatorial elections, and the Re
publicans thought it wise to choose a
candidate beforehand and thus end both
doubt and agitation. OF the 1856 dele
gates to the convention. 7SS had been in
! structed to vote for me by the counties
/ that sent them. The Democrats did not
name a man at their State convention, but
every one knew that Mr. Bryan would
go to the Senate if the legislature should
be Democratic. Both of US actively cleo
Itioneered all over Nebraska, speaking day
and night
THE Republicans had enacted new and
| necessary revenue laws and thereby had
| increased taxation. Mr.. Bryan. quick to
| see every point in the game Of politics.
/ had much to say about the burden Of
| Republican administration He predicted
/ for instance, that were an assessor 10
come along and find a hen setting on
| eggs in a farmers barn, that he would
return the following week and count the
young chickens. For several days he
| enriched his illustrations with an cpl
sode from his own domestic circle, touch
! ing it here and there with his moving
| eloquence until it was developed into a
rather pathetic picture. 1t concerned
the engagement ring that he had given
to his wife-'the emblem that plighted
our love and made our lives into one.
Well, the assessor, he solemnly iaverred.
had taxed that sacred sign and ornament.
Sentimental persons almost wept and
young men who hoped to give rings
themselves vigorously condemned the
outrage
End of the Ring story.
Il heard of the matter. but made no
answer until spoke IN large town
the following Saturday night. You see,
I wanted reporters 10 be present and my
reply to be printed in the Sunday news
papers. Repeating the pathetic story. as
related by Mr.. Bryan, said that per-
sons who could afford to buy diamonds
| invariably made the loudest complaints
about their taxes. But, I thanked
heaven, the men who we're too poor to
give away diamond engagement rings
were largely in the majority. they were
the common people whom Abraham Lin
coin talked about, and so on and so forth.
! Big headlines in the newspapers the next
morning conveyed the impression that Mr..
Bryan was trying TO dodge his taxes on
a lot of costly jewelry So the ring
story became hot poker, and appeared
no more in his speeches
Part Of the time followed him over
the state and part OF the time he fol-
lowed me. At every town he spoke he
would leave a bunch of questions 10
which I was dared to return my answers
when I happened to come that, way.
Sometimes the questions were printed in
the local newspapers on the days Of my