The Commoner.
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Mr. Bryan's Welcome Home
Mr. Bryan arrived at Lincoln Friday morning,
July Gth and was given a big- ovation by his
neighbors, regardless of politics. Referring to
this reception tho Lincoln Journal said:
William J. Bryan returned homo from tho
democratic national convention yesterday and
aftor being tendered an enthusiastic ovation
by his friends and noighbors, left on an after
noon train for a trip which will keep him away
from the city for some time. Ho was met at
tho Burlington station by a band and several
hundrod citizens. Aftor being escorted to an
automobile by Governor Aldrich, Fred Shep
herd and other mombers.of the reception com
mittee, ho was taken to tho Llndoll hotel. At
tho lattor place ho delivered an address of nearly
an hour's- length, speaking mainly of tho events
of tho big gathering in which he led tho pro
gressive forces to a democratic convention vic
tory. Tho Lincoln Evonlng Nows said: William Jen
nings Bryan, democratic leador and citizen of
Lincoln and of Nobraska, returned unto his own
today. Met at tho train by hundreds of- his'
noighbors and friends ho was conveyed to tho
Llndell hotel by a band and a long parade of
citizens on foot and in automobiles. Tho crowd
was not wildly demonstrative, but respectful,
and while it did not fail to cheer heartily when
his auto passed it preferred to look upon him
as a man who had fought .and who had won
a great battle over forces led by men of the
groatest political acumen actuated by hostility
of tho bitterest kind. ,
A largo crowd congregated early on the depot
platform and overflowed Inside tho gates. As
tho train drew In tho crowd swarmed about tho
roar coach, cheering as in company with his
wifo, Mr. Bryan left tho train, and began to
ehako hands with Governor Aldrich and mem
bora of tho reception committee.
With the band playing national airs, Mr. and
Mrs. Bryan were escorted to tho waiting auto,
tho aides being Governor Aldrich and Fred
Shepherd. With the band loading and tho
triumphal auto directly behind, tho slow march
was taken up while tho great crowd, falling into
double column, followed. After the crowd came
tho automobiles containing dignitaries.
At tho Lindell hotel a larger crowd awaited
and when tho auto containing Mr. and Mrs.
Bryan drew up in front, the demonstration be
gan. C. M. Branson, climbing onto the fender
of tho car, led tho cheering until he was replaced
by Mr.. Bryan himself who proposed cheers for
Wilson and Marshall.
Although It was hoped by the committee on
arrangements that Mr. Bryan could be pre
vailed upon to remain hero long enough to de
liver an addross, either tonight or Saturday
night at the state house grounds, this was found
to bo impossible in view of the fact that Mr.
Bryan had to leave the city early in the after
noon. Mr. Bryan explained this to the crowd to
which he spoko, declaring that he extended his
remarks becauso he would not again soon have
tho opportunity of talking to his friends and
neighbors. Ho loft for Kansas on an afternoon
train. His plans for the immediate future were
somewhat indefinite but it was not thought that
ho would bo In the city for some time.
Many who listened to tho speech declared
that It was tho greatest that Bryan ever de
livered. A number of republicans mado this
Btatomont. Bryan seemed to feel deeply that he
was among friends Irrespective of political affili
ation. Ho lot himself out, so to speak, and laid
'bare tho burden that was upon his heart. His
Teforences to Mrs. Bryan and tho great help
that she had been to him, and how as he grew
oldor ho dependod on her more and more, was
received with hoarty applause.
In every tone and In every inflection of his
voice tho speaker gave clear-cut evidence of
tho fact that ho felt that his audience was with
Jiira. When ho intlniatod that ho had talked
too long, cries of "go on, we want to hear
more," were heard.
' "I thought he only talked fifteen minutes',"
cald one enthusiast, but Bryan actually spoke
about an hour.
' Every point that 'Bryan scored was liberally
applauded. When lie- made reference to tho
lact that when he was a young politician he was
called a demagogue but now he was no longer
considered Buch, several cried out, "you are
right." When ho stated with sreat feeling that
ho was deeply thankful to be among his old
friends and neighbors again he was given hearty
cheers.
A critical survey of Bryan by some of his old
admirers led to tho statement that tho once
"boy orator of the Platte" had aged greatly in
the last two years. Tho glowing countenance
of tho speaker and tho gleam from his dark and
sparkling eyes did not indicate that the aging
process had made much headway. It was the
same aggressive Bryan of years ago. Perhaps
with a few moro pronounced wrinkles, but tho
possessor of the same dynamic force as then.
A largo and en'husiastic crowd, estimated
from 3,000 to 3,500, heard the speedh. Whilo
tho voice of Bryan indicated the strain that It
had undergone during tho strenuous days of the
convention, it still could be heard clearly even
on tho outskirts of the crowd.
When several of his admirers called out for
him to get upon the hotel balcony, Bryan de
clared that he thought he could do just as well
standing up in tho automobile which had
brought them from the railroad station. He
made a witty reference to the fact that ho did
not like to talk over the heads of an audience.
The speech created a profound impression.
One could not have told a republican from a
democrat, or a standpatter from a progressive.
Every person who listened appeared to he with
the speaker as he described the big fight of tho
progressives in the national convention.
The Lincoln Daily Star said: Lincoln, just
as it has done nearly every four years since
1896, went mad this morning when a man,
wearing baggy trousers and alpaca coat, stepped
from the train, home again from a democratic
convention.
Tho band played, men yelled, auto horns
added to the din and scores of people cheered
the name of Bryan, and welcomed eVen louder,
if possible, the mention of Mrs. Bryan's name.
Had a conquering hero been returning from
a victorious battle, or had the man even been
a candidate for the presidency of the United
States, the ovation would probably not have
been greater nor would the crowd have hung
more closely on his words.
That the presence of Mrs. Taft, wife of the
president of the United States, in the Balti
more convention deterred Mr. Bryan from in
cluding a criticism of the president and of tho
methods employed to secure his nomination was
one of the interesting statements made in Mr.
Bryan s speech. In preparing his famous reso
lution declaring that no man should be nomi
nated who had the support of Wall street in
terests Mr. Bryan included a few words sug
gesting that the interests had controlled the Chi
cago convention that nominated Mr. Taft and
also a criticism as to how the president's nomi
nation had been brought about. At this time
Mr Bryan was taken over to the box occupied
by the president's wife and introduced to her.
After his conversation with Mrs. Taft, Mr. Bryan
decided to expunge the criticism from his reso-
" i.nJU.speaking of tne lncIdent, Mr. Bryan
said "After meeting Mrs. Taft I withheld that
and ?nnlthe rsolution. the resolution
and in my speech no reference to the Chicago
convention or to Mr. Taft was-made, and I am
not sorry that I spared the feelings' of the pres?
dent's wife." This statement was greeted with
applauso and cheering. feieeieu witn
Street car traffic was blocked, hundreds of
men walked uptown behind the Bryan automo
bile, and the business district all but closed itq
SEE thIlG hlroar of welcome followed Ao
party through the streets.
The same Bryan smile greeted the lined side
walks, the same slouch hat waved a recogniUra
the same Bryan, a little balder perhaps moro
rotund but with the undiminished magnetism ol
wh- ,Whfn the ,party reachd the Sell
hotel, the street was jammed.
iaa ?ryans arrived on the Burlington at
JVh010 ?Ui,te a C0Biderable assfmblage
had gathered at the station before the train
pulled in and the band was in readiness As ?he
hour of arrival approached, the crowd increased
5 ??d many a battl scarred repubCn
shaded his eye as he looked down the track
for tho coming train. acK
When the Pullmans swept Into the yard the
crowd mado a dash for the rear car Th hV?,i
Played "Three Cheers for Cr; White aSd
Blue" and as Mr. Bryan jumped down to the
depot platform as sprightly as a boy and as frh
as a daisy, hesitating a momtnt to aid Mr
, VOLUME 12, NUMBER 27
Bryan, the band broke into the stirring notes of
"Away Down South In Dixie."
Governor Aldrich, Frederick 'Shepherd and
others surrounded Mr. Bryan, who apparently
slightly bewildered grabbed his hat from his
head and said smiling:
"Am I promoted?"
Aldrich and Shepherd flanked Mr. Bryan on
either side as they started for the automobile.
Moanwhilo the crowd jammed tighter and moved
toward tho street.
Just as Mr. Bryan reached the exit to the
station an old woman, plainly dressed, but with
the light of good womanhood in her eye, planted
herself firmly in front of Mr. Bryan and ox
tended her hand.
Tho latter grasped it warmly and she stepped
aside to let the avalanche of men flow into tho
street. Seventh street was jammed with auto
mobiles. As they pushed Mr. Bryan and Mrs.
Bryan into Bob Malone's car, the torrent of
sound from the honking auto horns was deafen
ing. Colonel Bills quickly brought order out of
the chaos and the whole party, with the band
leading, followed by a huge flag and the Bryans
and hundreds of citizens on foot, marched up
town.
As tho Bryan car passed the new Stacey fruit
building a group of workmen several storie3 in
the air sent down a cheer. Mr. Bryan's wave to
them was. as warm and appreciative as it was to
the crowd of well dressed men and women in
front of the Lincoln hotel.
Passing up O street, the welcoming continued
undiminished. From high up in the First Na
tional bank building and the Richards block
came cheers, from the sidewalks a storm of
noise.
At the hotel the Bryan automobile was
stopped, and while the crowd gathered around
he started his address. It was puctuated by
applause. When it was over a score of men
and women grasped his hand. Then Mr. and
Mrs. Bryan were rescued from tho crowd and
driven home to Fairview.
It was originally planned that Mr. and Mrs.
Bryan would hold a reception inside tho hotel
rotunda, but when the hotel was reached tho
crowd was so dense that Mr. Bryan decided to
address them from tho auto rather than from
the hotel balcony.
In the beginning of his speech Mr. Bryan
said: "I want to express my gratification and
I speak for my good wife as well as for my
self, at this unexpected reception. I am grate
ful that three cheers were given also for Mrs.
Bryan, as she has stood by me in this, the
greatest of my fights, as well as In all my former
Btruggles. (Applause.) And as t advanco in
years I feel more and more the need of her
support."
The press reports have mutilated an answer
which Mr. Bryan made to one question. A Chi
cago reporter asked him what he had to say of
Watterson's prediction that Govenor Wilson and
SS (,Mr.B,ryan, would fal1 out- Mr- Bryan re
plied: Mr. Watterson's predictions do not all
come true, but if this one does I hope the Lord
win help us to bear the disappointment more
cheerfully than Mr. Watteruon bears his."
w0lrnel attorson boasted a few weeks ago
that Mr. Bryan had included him in the list
of men available for the democratic nomina
tion. He must not use that indorsement any
more. Recommendations, like eggs, depend for
their valuo upon their date.
Colonel Johnson of Texas made a great hit
in his speech against Parker one of the hits of
tlni0nt 2nd there were thirty-nine .other
wB5hlB-i?Sm T?a? wh0 were ready to make
had'htancT ' mWld r P"tIca1' i they
nmkv Ll,?Z leanH Mr- Bryan ha een
2i,3SPfc,0n frtwelv years in tho Clark
tta Oa?L 8haU e expl-ain tte fact t
Sh i at0s ore 8 Profue in their decla
rations of loyalty to Bryan and Bryanism?
WnIdSLarl5.evor W.ritei article on "Mr.
tse platform uritli a telegram; this year tho
cwaidatir ' toflaeu: m th election of tht
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