The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-07-19
OF THE COMMON PEOPLE.
Mr.. and Mrs. Bryan as Viewed by Their
Neighbors at Lincoln Neb.

Mr.. and Mrs. Bryan are both con
sistant members of the First Presby-
terrain church, in the affairs of which
| they take lively interest. Mr.. Bry-
an was n trustee up to the time he left
| for WASHINGTON to enter Congress, and
both were teachers in the Sunday
School The organs live quietly, with
out pretensions of any kind. 1t is Mr..
Brvan's pride that he is of the com
mon people. His dress and habits are
notable for their simplicity. He us
ualIv wears black cutaway coat and
an old-fashioned low-cut vest, and
when travelling he wears soft felt hat.
He does not use tobacco or intoxicants
of any kind
The only enemies Mr.. Bryan has are
those who disagree with him politi-
callv and those members of his own
party whose jealousy has been aroused
by the phenomenal rapidity of his adj
vancement. No man in public life in
this State has a higher reputation for
integrity. His character has never
been assailed. He is everywhere re-
oarded as a clean. honest man. He
is radical in his beliefs and expression,
and the most common accusation a.
gainst him is that he is a demagogue.
He is accused of Improperly pandering
to socialstic sentiment. Hard money
Democrats delight to call him Popu-
list Mr.. Bryan's answer to his ac-
cusers is that he has never made
statement he did not believe to be
true; that he has not sought to win the
approval of any class or party; that
he has always been. and would always
remain a Democrat. but he believed
the common people had rights that
all parties were bound to respect.
Four years ago he made up his mind
that free coinage of silver would be
the coming issue, and. with the excep-
ton of the incidental attention he
bestowed on the question of an income
tax, he has concentrated every energy
and all his ability on this one subject.
He has eagerly met every antagonist,
and through the columns of his news
paper and on the stump has kept up a
running fire of free silver arguments
that has kept the sound-money people
busy. Not long ago he challenged
Secretary Carlisle to joint debate on
his great hobby, and within a few
weeks he debated with Edward Rose
water of the Omaha Bee, in Omaha
and Kansas City.
Sound money people always say that
Mr.. Bryan does not argue the silver
question. They say he deals in inuen-
do and demagogy, but his bitterest
opponent is ready to admit that he is
the most pleasing finished speaker in
the State. As a matter of fact Bryan
is wonderfully gifted in the graces of
oratory. He is agile, facile, with wit
that is discomftting tossaa serious
minded adversary He excels in badin-
| age. He can take up a chance remark
from the audience and turn it to his
own advantage every time. He speaks
with the appearance of perfect candor
and sincerity. His smile is famous and
| he uses it with much effect Bryan is
a handsome man, with clear cut feat
ures and smooth shaver face, and he is
| always striking figure on the plat
form. That he has magnetism was
demonstrated in the Chicago conven-
ton Thursday.
Mr.. Bryan has many admirers a.
mong the Republicans. He has Guilt
waited the enemy. He knows, personal
~, nearly every young man of any
prominence in Southeastern Nebras-
lla, and he has a way of making his
friends feel that he takes personal in
terest in their welfare When he was
in Congress he maintained a very large
correspondence with men of all par
| ties at home. He read the Nebraska
| papers closely. When he saw that any
acquaintance of his had been pro-
NOTED or married, or had won distinc-
| ton of any sort, he Immediately wrote
| friendly letter of congratulation.
| In case of affection he wrote consol-
| ingly. Then when he came home and
met the people on the street he never
| failed to grasp their hands warmly
and make personal inquiry as to their
welfare. Bryan never passes a friend
without suitable recognition. This has
been very effective in giving him a
| hold on the people.
| Another thing that has contributed
TO his popularity is his good nature He
| has come in for a good deal of criti-
| cism, but he has never lost his tenn
| per. He has met abuse with smiles
| He has sought to piacate, to conciliate
| He gets close to people. He is gifted
with the consummate politicians
| highest art. 1t is difficult to make
people outside of Lincoln and Nebras-
! lka understand his remarkable per-
sonal popularity here. Bryan claims
! the credit of the authorship of the
nhrase. "The free and unlimited coin
| age of silver at the ratio OF 10 to ],
| without waiting for aid or consent OF
any nation on earth" He predicted
that this phrase would be embodied
in the platform. Mr. Bryan lives very
economically. and is thought to have
saved some money.-New York Sun.