© 2006–2017
All Rights Reserved
William G. Thomas
Copyright Statement
The democracy that stands up for W.J. Bryan had things its own way last night. Exposition hall was crowded to the doors when Chairman C.J. Smyth called the meeting to order and named Hon. John D. Howe as the presiding officer.
In accepting the position Mr. Howe said that he was breaking the record of twenty years, as it had been that length of time since he had appeared before a political audience. The time had arrived, added Mr. Howe, when it was a question whether Wall street should or should not govern Nebraska. He had nothing to say against corporations and trusts so long as they did not abuse their powers, but when they did abuse the powers given them it was time to crush them as one would crush and[sic] egg shell. They said that laboring men should not form themselves into unions, but, notwithstanding that, these same corporations would band together and declare that the laboring men, 70,000,000 of them, were their meat.
Paying his respects to the so-called Business Men's association, Mr. Howe went through the list of subscribers, showing that a majority of them were bankers, and corporation agents, spurred on by the railroads in an attempt to coerce and control the vote of Nebraska. The idea was to bring distruction[sic] to the poor, and in doing so, these men were masquerading behind the Business Men's association. By the power of money these bankers had called in their money, strewed the country with business wrecks and brought sorrow to the homes of their victims, and it was time to show the bankers that they could not run the county. Two years ago the ruin that the banks sought to bring upon the people was brought to their own doors and thousands of them went down, while even some in Omaha tottered and shook.
It was a well known fact, continued Mr. Howe, that the banks preferred to have dishonest men in office in the state, county and city, for the reason that they could be handled and made to pull the string.
Looking into the horoscope, Mr. Howe said that he could see Czar Holdrege pulling the string, the other end of which was attached to a man in the Nebraska National bank. Czar Holdrege gave the string a pull and exclaimed, "Yatzey, Yatzey, come to time, or get off the perch." The man in the bank, the speaker said, got off the perch and started out to work for Tom Majors. Not only did he do this, but he discharged a young man in that bank who had manhood enough to say that he would vote for Judge Holcomb. (Cheers.) It was time for the people to declare themselves and decide whether they would vote for an honest man. Judge Silas A. Holcomb-(cheers)-or a man whose reputation was as black as the devil, known as "Tattooed Tom."
"Whom do you want to represent you as governor of this state-(cries of Holcomb)-an honest man, and able man, or one who is the tool of railroads, corporations and Wall street."
"One of these men is Judge Silas A. Holcomb and the other is Tom Majors, which will you take?"
"Holcomb, Holcomb," cried the great audience, which had been worked up to the boiling point. A letter was read from Senator Allen, in which he urged all voters to support the democratic nominees for the legislature. Then the audience broke loose again, cheering and crying, "Good for Allen."
Mr. Howe paid a glowing tribute to all of the democratic candidates, declaring that they were all men who would keep in the middle of the road.
A number of the legislative candidates were introduced and pledged their support to W.J. Bryan for United States senator. This experience meeting having closed, Mr. Bryan was presented, who said that he appeared for the purpose of helping to organize a Business Men's association. The association, he said, was to be conducted upon general business principles. He thought that there was no particular need to go into the state saving business, but the association should be composed of men taking an interest in politics and who intended to vote their honest convictions next Tuesday. Parties should adopt platforms for the reason that platforms governed the men elected.
Touching upon the subject of convict made goods, Mr. Bryan said that he did not think that they should come in competition with free labor made goods, nor did he think that they should be allowed to be transported from one state to another. He said that he believed in arbitration and believed that that was the proper way to settle all differences between labor and capital. If this was done there would be no necessity for increasing the standing army.
In closing, Mr. Bryan urged the democrats to vote for Judge Holcomb, telling them that if they did so his election would be sure, the majority being purely a matter of indifference.
In nominating Judge Holcomb in the Omaha convention Mr. Bryan said that he did right and he was glad that he took that step, notwithstanding the fact that it had made him many enemies in the ranks of the democracy of the state.
W.S. Oldham of Kearney closed up the speechmaking by saying that out in the western part of the state, when the democrats were going to vote for the populists there would be a crowning victory for Judge Holcomb and all of the fusion ticket. Mr. Oldham knew Judge Holcomb as a neighbor and a business man and knew that he was as true as the needle to the pole, in striking contrast with the branded candidate of the Burlington road. Judge Holcomb was nominated to rescue the state from the rings, railroads and corporations which had reigned supreme in the state house for more than twenty years.
Regarding the circular sent out by the so-called Business Men's association, Mr. Oldham said that out in the western part of the state it was regarded as a foreign invasion by 50,000 consumers, who had made ugly resolves, which they proposed to carry out. The real inwardness of the Business Men's association was merely the howl of a pack of coyotes, who would run around in a circle, making an unearthly noise, doing but little harm.
© 2006–2017
All Rights Reserved
William G. Thomas
Copyright Statement