Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1896-07-30

WILLIAM JE
sories OF oratory. Nature richly lowered
him with rare grace. He rs happy in at
titude and pose. His gestures are on
Hogarth' IS line of beauty. Mellif1uous is
the word that most aptly describes his
voice. 1t is strong enough to be heard
| by thousands; it is sweet enough to
charm those least inclined to music. 1t
is so medulated as not to vex the ear
with monotony, and can be stern or pa
thetic, fierce or gentle, serious or hu-
morous with the varying emotions Of
its master.
There is evidence in every word he
utters that in his youth Bryan had care
full elocutionary training. He enriches
his speeches with illustrations from the
classics or from the common occurrences
of everyday life with equal felicity
and facility. Some passages from his
orations are gems and are being used as
declamations by boys at school. But his
crowning gift as an orator is his evident
sincerity He is candor incarnate and
self
The personnel Of the young Nebraska
statesman is most happily adapted to
his position as leader in the councils
of his party and in public debates with
opponents Of his political doctrines He
is of medium build, square shouldered
and Of generally athletic proportions.
He is the embodiment of physical
health his square head rests firmly on
his shoulders and his firm, massive face,
neither flushed nor pallid, makes an at
tractive mark for all eyes
His hair is black and recalcitrant
rather than docile, defies brush and
comb, and tumbles and tosses with a
method Of its own. No beard, no mus
tache, has the freedom of Bryan's vis-
age. Every trace is carefully moved
away with the light of each new day.
The Manners Of the Man.
In manner he is what is called mag
netie. Men like him He is pleasant to
the eye, to the ear, and soothes by his
presence and never troubles No man
ever saw him in a passion. He is cool
and of fiawless temper. He is of good
poise and his emotions sit steadily, as
becomes the emotions Of one who, with
care for himself, eats thrice day, SCOTS
at dyspepsia and sleeps soundly of
nights.
Bryan is well, even highly, educated
He has dug through books and trun-
neled learning equal with any dusty,
musty college professor of them all
More than books, he has studied men,
and their lives have been his lessons
He has memory like wax, and all he
has heard or read or seen abides with
him.
He is not SO profound as quick, and,
with an intellect rather military than
philosophical, he makes weapons of all
he knows, and every scrap Of learning
belonging to him is at prompt and ready
hand to be either defensive or offensive,
as his swift genius for combat may de-
eide.
When Bryan made his famous can
vass of his state, in 1890, the old time
politicians took no interest in the bat
outset. and they were more than mig
gardly in furnishing the sinews of war.
But the younger Democrats were more
than jealous. and by their vigorous eff
forts fully made up for the lack Of cam
paign funds.
Mr.. Bryan was then, as now, com
paratively poor man, and his campaign
fed 70. Ices kba
But the greatest interest was aroused,
and Mr.. Bryan's tour became one long
ovation. The Republicans had submit
ted prohibition amendment to the
state constitution, and the Democrats,
in their platform, had declared against
prohibition. Lincoln and Omaha, the
largest cities in the state, were in the
district, and in them the Republicans
lost heavily on the temperance issue
A striking feature of the campaign
was the challenge issued by the Demo
cratic committee to Connell to discuss
the issues of the day in joint debate
with Mr.. Bryan. They did not really
expect that Connell would be rash
enough to accept, but hoped to make
nell, however, fattered by former sue
cesses in haranguing helpless juries,
accepted the challenge
Mr. Bryan then showed that he was
not only his adversary's superior in ora
tory, but also his master i'll matters of
fact. Thoroughly familiar with the sub
jects to be discussed. he was equipped
with statistical and historical informa-
ton and was ever ready to meet the
points of his opponent on economic as
well as political grounds.
From the outset his advantage was so
marked that Connell's friends recon-
mended him to find some excuse to draw
out Of the contest, but with more per-
sistence than discretion he refused TO
hearken to their advice, and when the
votes We're counted it was found that he
had been showed under by majority of
nearly 1000.
Bryan, an obscure, struggling lawyer
in a small Nebraska town, with small
income and gloomy prospects, came to
congress with the overwhelming Demo
cratic majority which recorded the
conntry's 8 rebuke Of McKinleyism.
OF the hundred and more young mem
bers who then appeared in congress he
was among the youngest. A few months
previous be had celebrated his thirty
first birthday.