Bryan Invades Jersey

At his last day of campaigning in New Jersey, William J. Bryan delivers an enthusiastic speech for the Democratic party and “expressed his sorrow” for people who were “compelled to live” under the Republican party’s rule.

Trenton, N.J., Sept. 16 - Pouring hot shot into Mr. Taft and the Republican party at every point where he stopped, William J. Bryan in this city concluded a strenuous day of campaign in New Jersey, following a few hours in Philadelphia, where, in front of a newspaper office and before an enthusiastic throng, he arraigned the Republican organization of that city and expressed his sorrow for people who he said were compelled to live under its rule. Switching into national politics, he asserted that the Republican standard-bearer promised there would be no panics, and that Mr. Roosevelt as Taft’s godfather promised the same. He wanted to know how Mr. Taft could prevent panics, when Mr. Roosevelt already had one on his hands. Only an hour before his arrival in that stronghold of Republicanism Mr. Bryan fired a broadside at Mr. Taft in a statement in which he cited his record on the several matters to which Mr. Taft had challenged him to declare himself. Mr. Bryan’s reception in New Jersey was a demonstrative one. At Washington park, on the Jersey side of the Delaware river, below Philadelphia, he addressed more than 35,000 persons, his audience according him an ovation. His speech of over an hour was continually interrupted by cheers and hand-clapping. A statement by him that his nomination for a third time after two defeats, and with no president to help him with his patronage, was due to the growth of the ideas for which he stood, provoked the wildest enthusiasm. His every utterance, almost, was directed at Mr. Taft, whom he charged with running on the record of President Roosevelt. Enroute here Mr. Bryan spoke at Camden and Burlington to great crowds and shook hands with many hundreds of persons. Standing on the rear platform of his car in Camden, the Democratic candidate assured his heared that the voters were studying the issues of the campaign. He declared that in every state the changed where in the direction of the Democratic party, and that there was no place in the United States where the changes were from that party. Incidentally he again attacked T. Coleman Dupont, of the Republican executive committee, reiterating his former charge that Mr. Dupont, as a trust magnate, was unfit to occupy the position of attempting to institute reforms. Along the line of travel from Camden here minute stops were made at a dozen places, at all of which large crowds turned out and gave him and enthusiastic welcome.

“Bryan Invades Jersey,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed December 11, 2025, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/720.