Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-07-18
WM. J. BRYAN.
How the Free Coinage
Champion Rose to
National Prom
inence.
HIS REMARKABLE CAREER.
Only Eight Years Since
He First Went into
the Political
Arena.
HIS REMARKABLE CAREER.
TWICE ELECTED TO CONGRESS-.

Made his Debut i'm n Speech for
Tariff Reform and Ended His
Congressional Career as an
Out-and-Out Silver Advocate.
Viewed as Presidential candidate,
the most remarkable thing about Will
liam Jennings Bryan is his extreme
youth. BY the Constitution a man
may not he President unless he is 80
years old. BRYAN is only SO.
Another remarkable thing about
this boy orator of the great West is
the extreme brevity of the political
career that has put him at the head
and front of his party. 1t is only
eight years ago that he first went into
politics, and it is only four years since
he attained national reputation by a
sensational speech on tariff reform in
the House of Representatives.
But in that short time this remark
able young man has put to rout many
able veterans who were in political
harness before he was born. On the
floor of the House. in public debate.
on the stump and in convention his
voice and torceful methods have ever
carried him to the front and made him
leader in every struggle in which lie
has engaged.
II was March 10, 1860, that Mr..
Bryan was horn, at Salem, in Marion
County, ILL., His father, Silas l..
Bryan. was u lawyer OF standing and
integrity. who served his district eight
years in the Illinois Senate aud was
afterward twelve wears Circuit Court
Judge.
The Brvans lived IN IL farm ust
outside the corporation limits, aud it
was there that the boy now national
candidate passed his early youth.
From the public schools he went 10
Whipple Academy, at jacksonville,
III, at the age of Is. ami two years
later entered the Freshman Class of
Illinois College, in the same city.
FAVORED ny FORTUNE.
Fortune smiled upon young Bryan
even in those early days, for when he
was graduated in June 1881 il was
with the highest honors While at
college he began to develop his orator.
ical ability, and in his senior year
represented his college in an intercol-
legiate oratolical contest at Galesburg.
In this he took second prize, but his
effort there earned him the honor OF
being chosen class orator on gradua-
ton day.
Leaving jacksonville, Mr.. Bryan
entered Union Law College, in Chica-
go, having chosen to follow in his
fathers profession. AT the same time
he became connected with the law
office of Senator Lyman Trumbull, so
that when he was graduated from the
law college he was experienced not
only in the theory, but in the practical
workings of the law Ii was double
work Tor him for two years, but he
made little of that, rs he did through
his later life, all his acts being marked
by ceaseless activity and indomitable
energy.
Whatever Mr.. Bryan did he did
with all his might.
When il came time to hang out his
shingle he returned to Jacksonville,
where he had passed 50 many years in
study. There was in jacksonville a
young woman who had been student
in a seminary there while young
Bryan WAS at college, and no one
doubted that it was she who attracted
him back to familiar scenes, for a
year later they were married
In the Fall of 1887 business called
Mr.. Bryan to Nebraska, and while
there he became impressed with the
greater opportunities which the newer
and more rapidly developing West
offered a young man. He opened a
law Office in Lincoln, the capital of
the State, and in less than half year
he had made his first plunge into pol
itics
FIRST POLITICAL EFFORT
1t is interesting to note the success
that attended his first political effort.
He was delegate 10 the Democratic
State Convention which met IN Omaha
in May, 1888, t" ch"ose delegates to
the national convention at It. Louis
During an interlude in the proceed
ing some of his admirers called upon
him for speech.
Ii was not as favorable an occasion
as might have been wished, but young
BRYAN made the most OF it, He soon
had the whole convention captive
Devoting himself exclusively to the
tariff, then an all.absorbing issue with
the Nebraska people, he brought the
vast audience to its feet with respon-
sive cheer after cheer The strength
It his logic aud arguments, combined
with his brialliancy and eloquence,
u.o ,rras.ss.Ila .uI l,a tka., ,,,I ,lo,,