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The Commoner.
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. VOLUME 6, fNUMBER 34
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THE HOME-COMING OF MR. BRYAN
"NEBRASKA HOME FOLKS"
On Friday, August 24, a special train bear
ing upwards of one hundred Nebraskans left
Omaha for Now York to welcome Mr. Bryan upon
his return from his foreign tour. From the start
-the- excursionists were known as "Nebraska Homo
Folks'," and they were everywhere greeted cor
dially and enthusiastically. Tho party was head
ed by Mayor Frank W. Brown of Lincoln, and
Mayor James C. Dahlman of Omaha- and eight
other democratic mayors, and it was given out
vociferously that tho Nebraskans were going to
bo tho first to greet their fellow Nebraskan upon
his arrival within sight of American shores. This
determination was carried out to , the letter.
Mayor Dahlman, who acquired tho sobriquet of
"the cowboy mayor" by reason of long residence
In tho cattle country during the early history of
Nebraska, said that Mr. Bryan would first have to
come aboard the tug occupied by the Nebraskans
"if I have to rope him and pull him aboard." Be
cause of their energy and western push the Ne
braskans drew alongside the Princess Irene in a
chartered tug ahead of all other vessels, save the
yacht "Illinl'ofccupied by Mayor Brown and party,
and In accordance with his declaration Mayor
Dahlman swung his lasso and the loop settled
down over the shoulders of Mr. Bryan. It was not
necessary, however, to drag Mr. Bryan aboard
the tug. He climbed down the ladder to tho Ne
braskans' tug and was enthusiastically greeted
by the "home folks."
"The sight of you is good for soro eyes," ex
claimed Mr. Bryan as he shook the hands of his
near neighbors and acknowledged their friendly
greetings.
' From the tug Mr. Bryan went aboard the
private yacht, "Illini," owned by Edward F. Gol
tra of St. Louis, where he was received by other
friends. After several hours on the Illini" Mr.
Brmn was taken to Lewis F. Nixon's houseboat
whore he was entertained at luncheon, then re
turning to the "Illini" he xemained. until Thursday
afternoon, when he landed and was immediately,
' deep in the monster reception prepared for hin.
. Late "Wednesday forenoon, August- '29, the
"Princess Irene', cryinj?. the. Sryan party, was
sighted ott Fire Island and the notice was imme
diately followed by a race down the harbor to1
be the first alongside the big steamship, It re
quired two tugs to carry the Nebraska party and
the race between them for the honor of being
first alongside the "Princess Irene" was an ex
citing one. As the tugs nearod the steamship the
"home folks" caught sight of Mr. and Mrs. Bryan
leaning over the rail, and instantly the cheering'
began. Hats and handkerchiefs were waved, and
Mr. and Mrs. Bryan, their- faces wreathed in
.smiles, responded from the steamer. Huge
,.. boxes of flowers were immediately sent over the
steamer's side for Mrs. Bryan, and as soon as the
planks could be lowered both Mr. and Mrs. Bryan
went aboard the flrst tug. It was raining, but
this fact did not lessen the pleasure felt by the
"homo folks" nor those whom they had traveled
1,G00 miles to welcome. As soon as those aboard
the first tug had greoted the guests they were
handed aboard tho Second tug and tho welcoming
scenes were repeated, in response to loud de
Vmands for a speech Mr. Bryan said:
"The United States is tho best country in
the world. Nebraska is the best state in the
country, and Lincoln is tho best city in Nebraska,
but Fairview is better. I was coming to Lincoln
to see you, but I find that you have come to New
York to see me. I don't know how to tell you how
glad I am to see you, and to bo homo again."
In response to inquiries as to how he felt,
Mr. Bryan replied:
"If any of you can express himself in words
better than mine I'll give him a month's wages
to express how good I feel."
"Wo are here on a special train," said a mem
ber of the party, "and want you to go back home
with us. We'll wait until you are ready. Will
you come with us?"
When Mr. Bryan said he would be delighted
to do so tho cheering broke out again. Mr. and
Mrs. Bryan then returned aboard the "Princess
Trone" to await the usual quarantine inspectlpn.
THE ARRIVAL IN NEW YORK CITY.
The following are extracts from the Associat
ed Press report of Mr. Bryan's arrival in New
York Gity:
Greeted by nearly every prominent democrat
in tho country and accompanied by them, Mr.
Bryan was driven from the yacht landing at the
Battery to the Victoria hotel. He was constant
ly cheered by those on the crowded sidewalks.
unce at ine notei no was lainy moDDea Dy thou
sands of his admirers, was called upon for an
impromptu speech and then shook hands for more
than an hour with an apparently never ending line
of citizens.
He dined with his family and friends and was
then driven in an automobile to Madison Stquare
garden, where his welcome home was made com
plete in a series of remarkable demonstrations.
The garden meeting was presided over by Mayor
Tom L. Johnson of Cleveland. There wdrd brief
addresses by Governor Joseph W. Folk of Mis
souri, Augustus Thomas, the playwright; Harry
W. Walker of tho commercial travelers' anti-trust
league, under whose auspices the reception was
given, and Mr. Johnson.
Mr. Bryan also addressed an overflow meet
ing outside the garden. He was then driven to his
hotel, where he was personally greeted by Wil
liam R. Hearst, who had been loudly cheered as
lie sat in a- box at the garden.
Mr. Bryan's entry into New York this after
noon was a series of ovations beginning with his
landing at the Battery at 4 o'clock and, reaching
an early climax when he arrived at the Victoria
hotel, Twenty-seventh and Broadway, an hour and
fifteen minutes later. Here the home-coming Ne
braskan was fairly mobbed by the thousands of
persons who had gathered outside the hotel en
trances and the hundreds who had forced their
way Into the corridors. Finally an entrance was
effected by the police and Mr. Bryan reached the
lobby stairs. He was halted and called upon for
a speech and as the crowd surged about him,
cheering lustily all the while, Mr. Bryan lifted
his hand -and secured silence.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, "I believe
that later this evening is the time for me to make
a speech and you must not expect one nowTO&en
a man is in difficulty, he has auBgiifto call upon
his friends for assistance. T"um in difficulty now.
1 fiySs'SSC'Home, but I have been traveling
,:rTaiucii of late that for the life of me I can
hardly tell where home is."
"In Washington," called an enthusiastic
auditor.
"The White-House," "shouted another.
"And we're going to put you there," yelled a
third. ' "
Then everyone cheered. Mr. Bryan smiled
Indulgently. ,.
"I thought home was in Nebraska," ho con
tinued. "Only until 1908," shouted the crowd.
"Some said it was in Missouri," added Mr.
Bryan, amid laughter. "I've about come to the
conclusion that if I find friends like this every
where I don't care where home is. $oon I am
going to take a course in college, for at a recent
gathering In London where several languages
were spoken I felt "constrained to make excuses
because I could speak but one. But I would have
to know every language in the world to tell you
how much I thank you."
Mr. Bryan shook hands with' a few personal
friends. This was the signal for a general rush
and the 'Nebraskan was almost swept out of the
Twenty-seventh street entrance of the hotel be
fore the police could stem the tide. Finally order
was established and the impromptu reception
proceeded.
Several thousand persons passed in line and
Mr. Bryan shook hands with all. Distinguished
men of the democratic party, visiting governors,
United States senators and representatives, na
tional committeemen and legislators, mingled
with the New Yorkers. The reception lasted for
more than an hour.
Mr. Bryan then retired to his apartments and
had dinner with his family and a few intimate
friends. Ho then took a brief rest before proceed
ing to Madison Square garden for the feature
event of his stay in New York.
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN MEETING
Following aye extracts from the Associated
Press report of tho Madison Square Garden
meeting:
The doors of Madison Square garden were
opened at 5:30 o'clock and by that time hun
dreds of ticket holders were clamoring for ad
. mittance. Police lines had been formed for three
blocks from all entrances. In this way the -early
comers were all handled. Tho immense audlto
- rium, with its tiers of balconies and galleries, ris
ing to the- great glass roof began to fill up so
quickly that the ushers and policemen had diffi
culty in-adhering to the seating arrangements. It
was a gay-spirited, big-natured " audience which
had a cheer for every one.. There were calls and
counter-calls from the various state delegations.
"The Nebraska Bryans home folks" arrived in a
body and were given seats just back of the
speakers stand, at the Twenty-seventh Btreet side
of the garden.
Before the meeting was called to order a
J)and played merrily. When the. first -strains of
"Dixie" were sounded the thousands of Bryan wel
comers Were on their feet in an instant and the
cheers completely drowned the band!
As each notable democrat entered the hall and
was recognized his name was called and the cheer
ingwas renewed. Twelve thousand persons, many
of them women, were seated by 7 o'clock and an
hour later not a vacant seat was to be seen. Hun
dreds of policemen and fifty firemen were on duty
in the giant structure.
At 8 o'clock when Mr. Bryan had not yet ar
rived, Harry W. Walker, on behalf of the Com
mercial Travelers' Anti-Trust league, called tho
assemblage to order. He said: "Ladies and Gen
tlemen, Fellow Citizens From all Over this Broad
Land: On behalf of the . Commercial Travelers'
Anti-Trust league, I have the great honor of ask
ing this home-coming welcome to come to order.
The league welcomes back Mr. Bryan fresh from
his triumphs in the old world as the most, dis
tinguished and best beloved private citizen on
earth. It is my real pleasure to. introduce to you
the chairman of the reception committee, Mis
souri's governor, Hon. Joseph W. Folk."
Governor Folk was given an ovation and It
was several minutes before he could speak. .
GOVERNOR FOLK'S ADDRESS
The mention of Mr. Bryan's name called forth
renewed cheering. Then, when quiet had been
restored, Governor Folk proceeded.
"What we say here may count for little;,
our words may be of only passing moment, and
soon forgotten. But those ideals that bring us here
will remain; when those present at this assembly
shall have passed away. We come not of ourselves
alone to welcome home the distinguished Ameri
can in whose honor we gather, but to voice the
love and faith of millions In tfie great leader who
has again set foot upon his native land millions
who loye him because his hands, are clean, his
heart is pure, and his soul has not been touched
nor tainted with the scars of unearned gold. Nor
in him alone do we place our trust,, nor in aught
that is human, but rather in those eternal truths
which he has loved and served so well.
"We are on the threshold of the greatest po
litical awakening this nation has ever known. It
marks the beginning of a new age. The next few
years will be distinguished as the time in which
industrial problems are 'solved, the reign of the
special privilege brought to an end, and the doc
trine of equal rights fixed in national policies and
in the conscience of mankind. Things are not
tolerated for a moment now that not long ago
were submitted to in silence. Only a few years
past bribery was considered merely conventional.
Legislative halls were made dens of thieves, and
the touch1 of the unclean dollar of privileges was
over all. Dishonesty in public life was either
unnoticed or regarded with despair. Then a dor
mant public conscience was aroused to the ne
cessity of stamping out the offense that strikes
at the heart of free government, and of making
the government representative in fact as well as
in name.
"The energies of this public conscience have
has been extended from the domain of tie "public
wrong-doer to that of the private wrong
doer, and are probing into the - workings
of rascals of every kind. The insurance. Investi
gations have sent forth their messages, rebates
revelations have been seen and heard, and in
numerable grand juries have been drawn aside,
and revealed to the startled gaze of the people
the anarchy of corruption,, and greed in their
bachanal of avarice.
"This awakening that has resulted from the
revelations of wrongs, is the spirit of true pat
riotism. This word has almost ceased to haye
meaning, and was often used as synonymous in
the war. We are now learning that there may,
be as much patriotism in giving ones- time
to the betterment of civic conditions and
in getting good men into office as in.
baring one's breast to the bullets of a
public enemy in time of war. The people
are commencing to appreciate the fact that the
government of city, state and nation belongs to
them, and that they can take the government
into their own hands whenever they wish. No
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