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CHAPTER 74 1896 HE presidential election of 1896 brought no elation to the South, since a Republican succeeded Democrat Grover Cleveland. Governor William McKinley, of Ohio, a gold standard, high tariff man, defeated the eloquent free silver advocate, William Jennings Bryan, of Nebraska. At the same time the race for governor and State House officials in Georgia resulted in the re-election of William Y. Atkinson, Democrat, over the Populist candidate, Seaborn Wright, of Rome, by a vote of 120,827 to 85,832. All State officers were renominated except that William J. Speer, of Atlanta, succeeded Robert U. Hardeman, deceased, as treasurer. Indeed, the campaign of 1896 was the last in which the Populist Party was to be a formidable threat, and during the following decade it gradually faded from the Georgia scene.1 The defeated Democratic standard-bearer, Mr. Bryan, paid a visit to Atlanta in late 1896, where he was enthusiastically received. Bryan was greeted by a crowd of some 3,000 cheering people when he arrived at the Union depot over the Southern Railway from Chicago at 10:55 P.M. on December 22nd. As he alighted from the train he was taken by the arm by W. J. Mallard, Jr., president of the Young Men's Democratic League, and Will H. Black, and escorted to a waiting carriage. Despite loud cries for a speech, he was driven to the Kimball House. Here an impromptu reception awaited him, for as he alighted from the elevator on the third floor, he was surrounded by a score of Atlanta's beautiful young women. Commented the Constitution on this occasion: ". . . Mr. James W. English, Jr., was calling the figures for the Nine o'Clock German, when suddenly the dancers waltzed out of the ballroom— and the band played on. "Cries and shouts came from below, 'Bryan, Bryan! Speech, speech!' they shouted. "But the ladies did not let him go. Nor did he show any inclination to leave the scene while any remained to shake his hand. " 'If I had a hundred votes, I would cast them all for you, Mr. Bryan,' said Mrs. English. " 'You make me a woman suffragist from this moment,' he responded. "He had some pleasantry for every one. He stood there in strong contrast to the dancers in their evening costume, shimmering and bejeweled, while he was just from a long journey, in conventional democratic dress, but with a sincere smile and cordial tone in everything he spoke. There must have been seventy-five or a hundred ladies whom Mr. Mays Ball presented, each with her graceful speech. . . ."2 The next evening, December 23rd, Mr. Bryan faced a large and brilliant audience at the Grand Opera House where, after an introduction by Hal Lewis, who accompanied him to Atlanta, he gave an exceedingly well-received lecture on the subject, "The Ancient Landmarks." The whole speech, in a measure, led up to the keystone in the conclusion—we plant the fruit which we do not expect to enjoy. The fruit to which we referred were certain ideas T THE EIGHTEEN-NINETIES 335 implanted during the last campaign. Some day another may pluck them and enjoy them. Once or twice the speaker made reference to his defeat, but he spoke in a very matter of fact, resigned way. He declared that he believed the campaign would result in the purification of politics.3 After the lecture, Mr. Bryan was entertained at a banquet by the Fulton Club, where his official host was Sam Wilkes, president of the club. Thomas R. R. Cobb and John Temple Graves, in addition to the guest of honor, made brief speeches on this pleasant occasion. The next morning Mr. Bryan left for Chicago.4 Earlier in the year, on February 13th and 14th, Atlanta was host to Eugene V. Debs, head of the American Railway Union, Socialist, and leader of the great Pullman strike of 1894. Debs spent a quiet day at the Kimball House prior to his appearance, on the evening of the 13th, before a large audience at the Columbia Theater, formerly De Give's Opera House on Marietta Street. The labor leader told his audience something of the Pullman strike, and made a plea for organization, saying that he was opposed to strikes and violence . He expressed the belief that the centralization of wealth in the hands of a few was a menace to the country. The speaker had a sympathetic audience. He spoke fluently, without attempts at eloquence...

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