The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-12
BRYAN AS A RINGMASTER.
From the Times-Herald.

Lincoln, Neb., July 26-The enthusi-
astic glee with which Mr.. Bryan has
exploited his nomination is a good deal
like the noisy vociferation of the small
boy with new top. The manner in
which the youngest man who was ever
nominated for president has conduct
ed himself since his return home has
impressed upon his neighbors certain
characteristics which were not so con-
spicuous before the melodramatic feat
in Chicago. For six or seven years the
people who have known Mr.. Bryan
have recognized in him a consummate
actor His star engagement of one day
unsettled him, and now for a couple of
weeks he has been exposed to view in
his true light. In all the hubbub and
hurry since the singular gathering in
Chicago Mr.. Bryan has not thought of
rehearsing. He has been too excited to
think of hiding himself under the cloak
of art. He has appeared as he Is.
Mr.. Bryan in his new role, realism
itself, Is interesting and to certain ex-
tent attractive. Youthful enthusiasm
and vigor when exhibited in any whole
some form are always attractive. 1t is
q pleasure to witness the small boy tOot
for the first time his new horn, or hold
at arms length in admiring contempla-
ton his new top, gaudy with color. One
of the first things the boy does when he
gets new horn or new top is to call
in his friends or go out and find them
and tell them all about how he got the
bauble and what a fine thing it is and
what he is going to do with it, and this
is pleasant to witness also. for there is
youthfullness and righteousness in the
spectacle. But Mr.. Bryan in showing
his youth has shown his bald immatur-
ity. His immaturity as exhibited in the
last two weeks Is deep and expansive.
If he is the youngest man ever nominat-
ed for president he is also the most i'm
pulsive, restless, freakish, uncertain,
undignified man ever named for the
high office Of president by great po-
litical party. All of the boyish traits
and fidgety instincts of youth uniformed
are retained in this candidate, who in
law, reached mans estate fifteen years
ago. There Is one element which great
men possess in common-that of re-
pose. Mr. Bryan is singularly lacking
in this quality. He does not impress
people with the idea that there is re-
serve force back of his nervous energy.
He seems to be man of little self-re-
straint. He decides, but does not de-
liberate. The fleeting thought or the
moment Is his rule of action. His brain
is active and the product Is released at
once for gratuitous distribution. Mr.
T.,
but it has never been said that he Is
cautious or conservative.
Not many months ago some society
people in Omaha gave an amateur cir
Gus performance in the great Coliseum
in that city. Mr.. Bryan was asked to
take the snowy part of ringmaster, and
he consented. For two nights he ap-
peared before the wealth and beauty of
Omaha in the traditional top boots and
high hat of the master of the ring. and
he cracked his whip in way that made
teamsters on the back seats salute him.
He was an excellent ringmaster Be-
sides standing on platform and crack
ing his whip he. made jokes, and he
cracked his jokes with the same facility
that he cracked his whip. People said
Mr.. Bryan alone was worth the price
of admission. He was happy then, and
all smiles. and when the people ap-
plauded his sallies he was almost as
pleased as he is now when the crowds
cheer him. He entered into the circus
project in the same headlong manner
that he has started in the race for the
presidency. He cared nothing for dig
nifty or the fitness of things then. He
cares nothing for these now. His OBJ
ject was to create an effect then. That
Is his object now. Close observers can
not see that there is much difference in
the way he conducted the circus and