The herald and news. (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, July 17, 1908, Image 3
I?-?-0"?0?0"*-?">?-e"0"*-?,*0?0#'0-*-C'?'C
I The Early Lif
? icickick*66*6
<> foMca ite^znz***
Hi* Blr1h|
^ i?Q*o*o*o^o*040*{KP40*^m
By RODBRTUS LOVE.
[Copyright, 1903, by RobortuB Ixjvo.J
'WW ES has spolceu face to faco to
F1 I yond nil question to ino
^ J[ hejirers than hus any oth
man In the world's history
L says one who traveled with WlUia
& Jennings Bryan during tho preside
? tlnl campaigns of 189G and 1900, ai
there Is no doubt as to the truth of tl
statement.
The purpose of this article Is brlel
to sketch the life of Mr. Bryan up
the age of thirty-six, when ho w
nominated by the Democratic party f
the presidency of the United States.
Is a life possible only to American pi
I1 ltlcs, rind, whether or not Mr. Bryi
Khali reach the presidency, It Is an 1
foresting chapter In United States p
lltlciil history.
The town of Salem, 111., Is the blrt
place of Bryan. Judge Silas L. Brya
(a substantial, Intellectual settler fro
Vlrglula, was his father. Maria Kllz
beth Jennings was his mother's maldt
name. The child was born March 1
1800. Judge Bryan lived on a far
^ near the edge of towu. He had nli
children, of whom William Jcnninj
is the fourth. The boy grew up ou
doors, drinking the dally medicine <
sunshine nnd tho open air. Ills phy
ical constitution, a marvel of robus
ness and energy, came by inherltan
!>
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, FRO
and was nurtured by wholesome a
healthful environment in boyhot
Bryan attended the public schools
Salem until he was fifteen, when
entered Whipple academy at. Jacks<
vllle, 111. Two years later ho matrl<
lated In Illinois college, In tho sai
city, from which Institution ho w
graduated with honors at tho ago
twenty-one. During his college coui
his oratorical abilities made him pro
lnent in middle western collegiate 11
lie won the honor of representing 1
school In tho state contest of colic
orators. lie won that contcst and r<
resented Illinois In 1881 at tho lnt
state oratorical contest, held at Gal
burg, 111., where he uchieved seco
honors. lie was class orator at grat
atlon.
Jacksonville has a female semlna
In that school Miss Mary 13. Balrd v
a student while young Bryan was
Illinois college. She was from Per
111., and was ol' excellent family a
an ambitious student. A blight you
man and a bright young woman
tending college In the same town son
times emphasize tho aphorism that II
attracts like. Perhaps, that oxplal
why Bryan, after attending the Uni
Law college in Chicago and read!
law at the same time in the oillco
Judge Lyman Trumbull, the colebral
associate of Abraham Lincoln,
turned to Jacksonville to begin t
practice of his profession. Bryan a
Miss Balrd were married shortly afi
his return. Mrs. Bryan studied law
order to assist her husband In his p
fesslonal work. After tho Bryans
moved to Lincoln, Neb., in 1887 M
Bryan was admitted to the bar. A
Bryan becamo junior partner in t
law firm of Talbot & Bryan. He 1
lieved there was more opportunity i
a rising young lawyer In a new stah
a bollef assuredly well grounded in 1
own caste.
Bryan plunged Into politics in t
spring of 188S, and that became his 1
vocation Instead of tho law. lie w
elected a delegate lo the Demoera
state convention at Omaha, where
made a speech strongly fulvoeatl
free trade; also he mado a reputatl
as a speaker. IIo was only tweni
eight years old, yet tho very next y?
e of W J. Bryan j
journa||,m ?
il?M, III. V
(the pnrty leaders offered him the nomination
for tbo lieutenant governorship
ie- of Nebraska. lie declined the offer,
re but niado u stumping campaign for tho
er ticket throughout the state.
The next year, 1890, the young Dem
mocrncy thrust upon the young Dcu
mosthenes from Illinois the nomination
id for congressman from the First distie
trlct. J. Sterling Morton, who in his
time was father of Arbor day and a
ly member of President Cleveland's cabto
Inet, had been defeated in the race for
us congress from that district In 1888 by
or a Republican majority of more than
It 8.000 votes. Scarcely anybody expect>1
ed young Bryan to win. lie was not
in so very sanguine himself, but he made
n- an oratorical campaign and defeated
io- Congressman Council by nearly 7,000
votes. In Omaha, where Council lived,
h- Bryan was sneered at as "that Lincoln
n, boy." It was the reaction against the
m now McKinley tariff that elected Brya
an?that and the silver tongue of the
2ii Lineolniau lad.
9, So at thirty Bryan was chosen to the
in national house of representatives. He
ie delivered his first speech in the house
58 the 12th of March, 1892, on the subject
it- of free wool. Senator Burrows of
of Michigan, temporary chairman of this
s- year's Republican national convention,
it- declared that it was the best speech on
co tho tariff he ever bad heard. News'5K
' ;
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M HIS LATEST PHOTOGRAPH.
nd papers of all political persuasions called
it a masterpiece. The chairman of
h? the ways and means committee was
he William M. Springer of Illinois. Spring>n
er was so delighted with Bryan's fret
-u- wool talk that he procured the appointee
ment of the young Nebraskan on his
committee. Old graybeards have sat In
of tho house for a generation without
achieving that coveted honor. Here
m- was a youngster member so honored in
fe- his first term. And when Bryan was
ll,H returned to congress for a second term
!g? he was continued on that most imporaP"
taut coimnittee.
or" In the Interim the Nebraska districts
ea" had been reapportioned so that Omaha
?nd was eliminated from the First district.
lu* Tho district in its new shape was conceded
to be Republican by about 3,BuO.
ry* Judge Allen W. Field of Lincoln, one
'as of the ablest and most popular Repubin
licans in tho state, was nominated to
ry, run against Bryan. lie resigned from
nd the bench, so sanguine of success was
ng lie, but Bryan beat him by 1-10 votes,
ttt- When President Cleveland called an
rie" extra session of congress In the sumike
mer of 1893 to push through the repeal
ins of the Sherman silver bullion purchason
ing act of 1890, the Democratic prosing
dent of the old school unwittingly gave
of to the man of destiny in the new school
:ed of Democracy an ultltudiuous stepping
re- stone toward tin? presidency. Bryan of
he Nebraska, aged thirty-three, delivered
nd in tfn? house on the 10th of August a
ler speech against the repeal of the pur n
chasing clause of the Sherman act.
ro- The whole house and most of the senre
ate heard It. When Bryan ceased
rs. speaking ho was picked up by enemies
Jr. and friends alike and borne around the
ho hail on the shoulders of enthusiasts
who liked a ripping fine oration when
or they heard It regardless as to whether
>? It suited their politics. Nobody dlslis
puted that it was tho greatest speech!
of tho extra session.
ho Bryan declined a renom(nation for
Ife congress In 1891 and becamo editor of
as the Omaha World-Herald. He wanted
tie to go to the T'nlfed Stales senate. The
ho World-Herald business ofiico made a
ug contract to run dally on tho editorial
on page two columns of "stuff," paid for'
ty- by Republicans, which was Inimical to
av Bryan's proupects. Bryan resigned tho
editorship after a ilorco legal fig!
against tho advertising contract, I
was nominated for tho senate by tl
unanimous vote of tho state eonvo
tion. despite the fact that many <
them disagreed with him on the silv
coinage issue. With John M. Thui
ton, the leading Ueptfbllean Candida
for tlie senate, Bryan engaged In tv
Joint debates, having challenged Thui
ton. The forensic duels took place
Lincoln and Omaha. The tariff wi
the Hole topic of discussion. Bryt
defended the Wilson tariff, which as
member of the ways and means coi
ill it tee he had helped to create, i
Lincoln tlie enthusiasm was such th
Bryan was carried from tlie platfor
outside and down into the street, whe
howling uiobs of "overflow" admire
awaited him. Thurston was elected 1
MRS. WITjIJIAM II. LEAVITT.
the legislature. Mr. Bryan remained
private citizen. lie had ehallengi
William McKinloy also to a Joint d
bato on the tariff, but tho Ohio tar
builder declined. Mr. McKinley w
destined to meet the Nebraskan in
broader contest a little later.
In the meantime Mr. Bryan w
happy at home with his little famil
the helpful wife and three ehildrr
The children now are grown up. Ku
is Mrs. William 11. Leavllt and h
made her father a grandfather. W
liam junior is eighteen, and Miss <?ra
is a budding belle of seventeen years
\oung Mrs. Leavitt herself is son
thing of a politician. She has be
elected a delegate to the Democrai
state convention in Colorado, her hoi
being In' Denver. Young William Is
| student in tlie Nebraska State unlv<
; sity at Lincoln. Miss CJrace, who
| the event of her father's election
the presidency will become "the youi
lady of the \ybite House," is at hoi
with her estimable mother on t
Bryan farm near Lincoln, known
"Fairview," where the head of \
family some yours ago 6uii{ a Iiai
some residence. Prior to that the fa
il.v had occupied a modest cottago
Lincoln, wliere Mr. Bryan returned
his law practice after his unsuecessl
campaign for the senatorshlp.
When in ISOd the Kepubllcan conv<
tion which nominated McKinley 1
president met in St. Louis, Williinn
Bi,\an held no ollice whatever. ]
still had a connection with the Oma
paper, and lie went to St. Louis a.?
press correspondent.. At the iManti
hotel the clerk looked over the pinli
garbed young man who signed "W.
Bryan on the register and made li
pay in advance. The cleric put 15r\
in a room with seven Republicans. 1
dor date of June Id a correspondent
the Now York Tribune sent to his
per from St. Louis this highly lnt
estlng paragraph:
Ex-Con^ressinan William J. Hryan
loader of tho free silver winy of the' 2
'ornska democracy, whs one of yest
clay h arrivals. Tho apponranco of ]
Bryan in a hotel corridor In consultat
with several Republicans from freo sil
states of tho far west excltcd much c<
mont. In response to a question conce
ing his mission Mr. l.irynn remarked
have nothing to say now except t
these gentlemen and I will bo found n
November voting the samo ticket."
Senator Henry M. Teller of Color;
and othoi's wore tho free silver
publican leaders indicated by the Ti
une correspondent. It was nil accur
! V"- v /
MISS OI?ACE TinYAN.
prediction by Mr. Bryan that ti.
would be voting the same ticket w
him in November, for they walked <
of the Republican national conventl
when the gold standard platform u
adopted and aligned themselves w
tho free silver Democracy.
But neither tho New York cor
spondont nor tho freo silver secedt
nor the Nebraska correspondent a
free silver leader himself could fo
tell thai, (lie seceders would vole \
William Jennings Bryan as the pro
dential candidate on tho ticket whi
was to bo nominated at Chlcugo u f(
weeks later.
EI Bryan and tti
cr I y AkAA ' **
5 i "Cross of Gold :
? a and Crown of l|p ^&
aa o Thorns"-How ^Blg^
1,1 9 a Wonderful ^Bp||
u. ? Speech Won a
v] I Presidential ..
m A Nomination
ru Y Mm. WIUUct
r3 gfO'Cwnwnj'O'O-O'O'O'O'O
>y
By ROBERTU9 LOVE.
(Copyright, 1908. by RobortuB L?ovo.]
WHEN tho Domocratlc national
convention met at Chicago in
1SD0 one of tho delegate.*)
from Nebraska was William
Jennings Iiryau, a young man of thirty-six,
a private citizen of tho city of
Lincoln. Ills prior political career
comprised two terms In congress, lie
i had been his party nominee for a Unlti
ed States senutorshlp in a Republican
1 legislature.
Tho national Democracy had broken
I away from (irover Cleveland, whom it I
j had elected president twice and who I
f was then In olliee. The split was on
f the money question. Cleveland had
called a special session of congress to
repeal the sliver bullion purchasing
act. The mass of the party stood for
tho free coinage of silver, chlelly at
the ratio ol' 1(1 to 1. The Cleveland
wing stood for the single gold stand|jl
J
no i
.is u ifr /'
no
j10 WILLIAM J. RKYAN IN lflOG.
"You shall nut press clown upon tho
brow of labor this crown of thorns. You
lj9 slmjl O^t crucify mankind upon u cross j
id- or Bold.1r - \ |
!l" ai\t. Tho mighty chasm widened at 1
'n tlio convention. Congressman Richard ;
/? 1'. Hland of Missouri, "Silver Dick," |
tho old war horse of the free silver
coinage movement, was the logical and
*n" apparently tho Inevitable candidate for
^or the presidency, ills nomination seemed
to be a certainty until a thing hap'1?
pened hitherto unprecedented In Amer',!l
lean polities.
1 a r.ryan of Nebraska, known as "the
urs silver tongned orator" and "tho boy
^.v orator of the 1'latle," mounted Hie plat*'
form and delivered a brief but bold
1 and masterful speech. Ills vibrant
an voice rang out over the heads of tin.'
^n* lo.UMt) persons In the vast hall, penetratlng
with clarion Intonation to the
l>:1" farthest corners. The customary up<?r"
roar of r\ great political convention,
which tho strongest of oratorical lungs,
tl>? as a rule, cannot quell entirely, was
hushed Into unbreathlng awe. No such
\'ir, eloquence ever before had been hoard
ion In a national convention. The man
vor and the occasion had met, and the man
'"n~ had mnstcrexl tho occasion. The ad"l
dress was an Impassioned appeal for
hat bimetallism and an exalted glorlticaeXt
tion of the new Democratic financial
ide <^<)C^1''ne- When the orator closed with
his epoch making metaphor of "the
^ cross of gold and crown of thorns"
' tho enthusiastic approbation of his
t e
sentiments and ot tho man himself
was indicated by a whirlwind of applause
beyond description.
% And William Jennings Hryan was
? nominated for tho presidency of the
I United States.
J Flashed to tho remotest reaches of
the nation, the news was tlie most son#
Rational political titbit that ever took
I the wires. Bryan was but one year
l olxjvo tho minimum ago required by
1 tho constitution of tho United States
for a president. While some of Ills
H speeches In congress a few years he1
fore had given him a momentary repuH
tatlon, be was practically unknown to
|| the nation at large, and particularly
g 1 so to tho great eastern section of the
I country. Never before had a great
| party nominated for president a man
;| living west of tho Mississippi river,
a Never before had so young a man
I boon nominated. Never before had an
| orator won the great prize by a single
I speech. Democrats, Republicans. I'op?
ulists, everybody wondered how the
" newcomer would, conduct himself In
the campaign.
Presently tho wonder turned to
iey amazement. Young Mr. Hryan was a
campaigner?-there was no doubt as to
>u' that Tie injected into American poll'on
tics a presidential campaign such as
'ns tho nation never knew boforo. Men
Ith called It a whirlwind campaign, nnd
such It was. Tho whirlwind road was
re" tho railroad, and It carried the candlirs
date up and down and across the land
M(1 upon an amazing schedule of traveling
and talking. Mr. Ilr.van traveled In
or that campaign more than 18,000 miles
f:'" and delivered considerably more than
<"'1 2,000 speeches. lie made forty-nino
)W speeches In ono day In New York
Btato. Thirty-five addresses, Bhort and 1
0*0?*Q-*0 ? Q-?-0-*C-*-QK>?-OjC>8<>?-C
e Presidency
************ 9
His Renomina- I
^^0 nation In 1900. 6
? The Dominant A
Spirit of the v
Democracy For V
8^ Twelve Years. J
Bryan In 1908 5
k J. W|tA. V
long, wero dolivered by him on seven
days, whllo It was an ordinary thin
for him to address twenty crowds ?i
twenty different towns In t wont
hours. The candidate showed a phi
shine and a voice that stood the tr<
mendous strain with marvelous endui
unco. As the campaign progressed an
the fame of Ilryun spread people
to sitting up all night and traveltn
many miles just to hear the phcnoim
non speak.
Bryan's first appearance In (he ca>
was on (ho 12(li of August, when h
delivered his speech of acceptance v
the nomination. Madison Square ?J:n
den was packed with a sutVoratiu
mass of men and women. though I
was one of (he hottest days ever know
In New York and a dozen persons ha
died from sunstroke during tho da.\
Bryan road that speech from mam
script, a disappointing thing, for It d(
true ted greatly from his oloquonet
Hut the candidate was well aware th;i
great issues hinged upon his utterance
on that important occasion, and ho dl
not care to trust himself to (lie ur
curbed enthusiasm of tho moment
With Arthur Bewail of Maine, th
vice presidential candidate, Bryan wen
down to defeat at the November ele<
tion, though ho had been nominate
also by tho Populist party, wit
Thomas E. Watson of Georgia as th
vice presidential candidate on thu
ticket. McKInley and llobart wen
Into otllce, and there wore those wh
predicted that Hryan was forever olln:
inatcd from the Democracy.
Pour years later at the ]>cmocratl
national convention In Kansas ('it
Mr. Bryan was renominated by aecli
mation. There was absolutely no otlit
candidate suggested for the noinln:
tion. For vice president Adlai 10. St
vonson of Hloomlngton, ill., who ha
been vice president during Cleveland
second term, was named. The w<
with Spnln and our consequent acquis
tion f tho Philippine Inlands hit
brought new Issues into politics, hi
the silver plank was reinserted inl
tho Democratic platform, Mr. llrya
declining to stand for the nominate
without It, It was expressly declan
'Hf \
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V\! ' pf Jlfp
^4! V'T; 3
HEW PICTURE OF
I In that convention 10 the vast thro
j which had walled and sweated a
I fretted all night long .lust to hear h
! a speech which for pathos and pov,
j and thrib no inveterate convention r
lower ever heard equaled. The I >011
era tic ticket, .Judge Alton 11 Pari
of New York and ex-Senator Henry
I>avls of West Virginia, was defeat
in Novemlier Inexpressibly worse th
was Hryan in either of his cainpaigi
The discovery of vast deposits
gold In Alaska and elsewhere since (
free silver campaigns has clitnlnal
I the money Issue from politics.
I Hryan has accepted this fact and in
stands upon other Democratic Issn
Despite all opposition, he has doi
I natod the national Democracy I
; twelve years. For several years pi
he has given expression to his vie
in the weekly journal, tho Common
j which lie established at Lincoln. 1
has removed to a line farm near 1,1
coin, built a commodious residence a
i become known throughout the woi
as the great American commonoi
titular successor to llenry Claw 1
has traveled around thu world ai
j written his Impressions for a syndica
j of American newspapers. IIo has hoi
j for years the most popular and hlghc
paid lecturer on the American lyeou
j and Chautauqua circuits. It is sa
: thot his income from lecturing aloj
is as much as $50,000 a year, tho prei
I dent's salary.
j Mr. Hryan is a total abstainer fro
alcohol and tobacco. lie Is a month
; of the Presbyterian church and nov
j works on Sunday, save to deliver a r
llglous address now and (lien. II
Ideal is morality, personal, politic
i eivie. The Hryan of 100H lool
older than the Hryan of 1800, hut lie
no less vigorous and virile than lie wi
when his voice Hashed across the co:
tlnent from tho Chicago convention hal
( ' Again the? great east lashed and
smashed (ho western candidate with
1 demoniac denunciation, though that
? j time thero was a very largo lucroaso
| la personal respect for Mr. Bryan, llo
[ had proved himself to ho by no means .
' the wild visionary, the anarchistic revi
olutionlst, tho dangerous fanatic, which
( tho opposition In his own party had
pictured hltn as being In 18(10. when
1 the Democracy split open and tho less?
j or section thereof nominated a "gold
( I Democratic1' ticket, with General John
: M. Palmer of Illinois and General 81'
j rnon II. Ruck nor of Kentucky as tho
> standard bearers, thus contributing to
t Rryati's defeat In the tlrst campaign.
In tho campaign of 1900 tho Democratic
secedors simply voted tho McI
Kinlcy and Itoosevcit Republican tickit
i |V:-' r** X/v-ffi/*?
-t teailf?* i fi
?. b^<:^r 94km l.\j
(* Mil. lUlVAN IN THIS 1000 CAMl'ATON.
1ot.
A second time Rryau went down
0 to defeat, but gracefully ami with
^ good cheer.
lie was at his home in Lincoln on
,1 election day, ate an early dinner, went
jj upstairs at ahout 0 o'clock and slept:
y soundly until 11, when ho came down
Lt and discovered that ho was badly
beaten. lie smiled to the assembled
? reporters, returned to Ids bed ami slept
soundly until morning. 11 wns said
by those present licit be evinced not
|i; the slightest sign ol' disappointment.
v Mr. Rryau did not seek the noinhutJ.
i lion In IPtil. He was quite willing for
.,.i the disaffected wing of the nomocracy
l( | to name the tleket jn-d to s<m> If that.
... j element eouid do better than tho other.
,1 . He attended the couNculioti in St.
s | I.ouls as a delegate, made an amazing
... tight for a platform upon which ho and
.1 | his supporters could stand and won tho
ul i light by sheer force of brain and
1( I brawn. He arose from hisjicd on tho
l() j early morning of tho last day of the
|(| j convention, though threatened with
| pneumonia, ami Just as the dawn was
breaking over the city ho delivered
J(| i I [|
^ W
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illl MS9m\\
\\
ffiteKS! h
. .'.vciw
MR. AND MRS. BRYAN. J.
n!> in tho platform, however, that impertulUlj
ism was tho paramount issue of tho
i|n campaign Tins I >enioeraoy opposed tho
. ,.. forcible subjugation of the Filipinos
( I and the control of the archipelago In
colonial style of the Hritidi empire,
i Mr. Rryau made another whirlwind
(j campaign, even breaking his own rec|)(j
ord for traveling and spoochmaklng.
i I 1
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, ^' WIT.MAM
J. T1HYAN, JH.
m lie was forty years of ago and in tho
(,r f ti 11 flush of magnificent manhood.
cm' ' During the four years since 1800 ho
0. had done much political speaking and
js writing, ho had lectured many times
a 1 f?" other topics, lie had traveled abroad
c.s and si tidied other governments and
j.j conditions of people; also he had bcls
come f'olonel Rrj'.in, having gono to
!- > camp during tho Spanish war aft colo1.
nel of a Nobraska regiment.
/