The Irish standard., 1896-07-25
SKETCH 1 CONT NAN
ACjear-c Cut Account g w. Bryan
rs Il. arlo.,s III
AVS. ss)s
80.
u ALMOST AH IDEAL cHARAg7ER
He Made Himself and Stands Upon
His own Rec
7tss ord. 59S

New York, July 2O.-Alfred Henry
Lewis, the we'll known Washington COR
respondent writes the Journal as follows:
..The country is about to hear vast
deal Of William Jennings Bryan. He
stands today on the threshold of national
advertisement. No apology is needed as
preliminary to telling all one knows of
him..
My first glimpse of Bryan was during
the II speakership fight, when Crisp won
over Mills. December, 1891, and was given
the house gavel in the F'ifty-second con-
gress.8 Bryan had been elected from one
of the middle districts Of Nebraska. He
made his advent in Washington about
two weeks before congress convened. AT
once he attached himself to the Springer
boom for the speakership. It wasnt
much Of a, BOOM but it was big enough
for Bryan, and he voted for Springer to
the bitter end.
There were five candidates at the start:
Mills. Crisp, Hatch, Springer and McM1l-
lin. It came finally to two--Mills ana
Crisp. Springer, as he sank from sight
as "a possible speaker, cast his own vote
for Crisp. Bryan, whose name on the
caucus list was called earlier than Spring
er's, had already voted for the Illinois
statesman, and he let it stand. Bryan
never voted for Crisp.
Bryan was given position on the ways
and means, a coign of legislative vantage
for which all house members struggle.
Bryans elevation by Crisp to this eminent
house perch was due to two matters
geography and Springer. Bryan was on
the. right spot on the map Aside from
that when Springer agreed to bring his
people to Crisp, it was distinctly specifi-
cation that Springer's friends were to be
cared for. The deal was made in the
house lobby.
eff you are ever going to do anything
for Crisp said O'Ferrall, now governor
Of Virginia, then one of Crisp's three chief
Observation-Disclosures Cochran and Gen.
Tom Catchings were the others-'ff you
are ever going to the aid Of Crisp" re-
peated O'Ferrall, speaking to Springer
rived. It is now or never
gs "Can you ,win?' asked Springer, anx-
iously. eff I bring you the few friends
who are left to me, can you elect your
man? I don't ask on my own account.
But I've held these men of mine in a
slaughter pen for two days. [ won't lead
them to another
eve can elect Crisp if you will help us, -
declared O'Ferrall, "and every friend of
yours will be looked after"
II ask nothing for myself" said Spring.
'er, "but / want these men who have stood
with me through heat and trouble taken
care Of .5.,-
"It shall be done,'' said O'Ferrall. "My
word and honor on it" r..
That was the deal which made Crisp
speaker. and which proved the tap root
Of Bryan's nomination five years later at
Chicago O'Ferrall and Springer little
thought as they conferred in the house
lobby that they were selecting a Demo-
cratic candidate for the presidency five
they were 1t elected Crisp to the chair,
placed Bryan on the ways and means
with Springer chairman, and opened an
avenue to house prominence for the young
Nebraskan that proved his political be-
ginning in national way.
81 The Fifty-second congress, which fol-
lowed the overthrow Of McKinleyism.
prominent Of these Were three from
Massac husetts-Andrew, George Fred
Williams and Sherman Hoar. These
were about Bryan's age. They We're
early in meeting the boy from the Platte
and they visibly felicitated themselves
on their-as they took it-superiority over
him. AS day drifted in the wake Of day,
this superiority they enjoyed in was
found to be imaginary, not real.
I Bryan is in person of middle height,
strongly, and without giving any one a
fatty impression, stocl<ily. built. His
shoulders are broad enough to excite the
approval of Morse viking; his chest
is as deep as that of a race horse. Nor
is he overa bundant about the waist, and
he looks what he is-a man of perfect
health and immense physical power.
Mounted on Bryan's square shoulders
is square head. Ills hair is black;
and recalcitrant rather than docile, de-
fes brush and comb, and tumbles and
losses with a method of its own. This
wayward black hair, coarse as a pony's,
would give Bryan a shaggy effect were
it not for the relief he brings the situation
by completely shaving his face. No
beard, no mustache has the freedom Of
Bryan's visage. Every trace is carefully
moved away with the light of each new
day, and when the world meets the
young statesman he's as SNUG and
smooth as pulpiteer y
There is nothing soft, yielding or eff
Terminate about Bryan; nothing of the
willow His eye is dark, his complexion
swarthy, with the British, not the Span
isll swarthiness; his nose an emphatic
curve his mouth well Widened and firm,
and the whole face founded on jaw, the
very seat of power, and as square l1ewn
and iladomitable as IL cut from the living
rock. ID
\. 1t is a mistake to call Bryan a "Popu-
1istic blatherskite, 2 as paper with more
Of billingsgate than brains recently did.
Bryan's whole instinct is conservative.
He goes not easily to the new. Like. all
well balanced, all well-built men, Bryan
is "a creature Of his own environment. He
is for low tariff; yes. He is for an in
come tax, an anticipation bill a free silver
dollar; yes. He is forsall Of these. Why?
Because they are as naturally a Nebras-
ka1, product OF principle as corn is a nat
iral Nebra skan product Of the soil.
There would be neither sense nor Justice
in alarming an east, not much acquainted
Withatl man at best, by picturing Bryan
as some Danton or some Robespierre; the
chaos with blood. Bryanis nothing of the
sort. He is wise, he is faithful to a trust;
honest, with the probity Of the sun; NOR.
ally as we'll as physically brave, and,
above all, as much the patriot as any
whoFat our country's beginning suffered
a Valley Forge to rejoice at York
town.
1T skills not, aids not, yields nothing to-
the comfort or glory of the gold or any
other cause to belle this man. Give him
his due and tell Of him the truth as one
would have done had he arrived from
Massachusetts instead Of Nebraska, Or
in his political upcome been able to show
a railroad or thank in his pedigree His.
honesty, his sincere patriotism are not
to be impugned. What he asks for ma!
tionally may be proper subject of debate,
and perchance refusal, but the man him
self is no more to be corroded than gold =
no more to be corrupted than diamond.
Personally, BRYAN will win all who ap-
proach him. AS q man, none who know