The Portland daily press., 1896-07-15
Mr.. BRYAN AS A BoLTER.
His Record as a Leader In Nebraska Poll
tics-Why lie is Classed There with the
Populists.

Chicago. July 13-Bryan's political
record in Nebraska makes his nomana-
ton great surprise. He located in the
state less than nine years ago, bat up to
1890, when he was nominated for Con-
gress by the Democrats as forlorn hope,
he had hardly been heard of outside of
Lincoln. Even there he did not rank as
a prominent menu Der of the bar, and. in
the language of his slaw paEtner, he was
"a great talker, but poor lawyer. His
venture into politics came in the midst
of q oyclonio period. The contention that
oyershadowed political issues and party
lines was prohibition. Bryan entered
upon his first campaign in Nebraska
when prohibition and high license were
on the boards, and the whole state was
torn up by the crusade. 1t YVES Bryan's
fortune to have for his antagonist Re-
publican candidate who IN the cam
of free coinage and proved incapable Of
handling the tariff issue. In the tur-
MOL over prohibition and the detection to
populism that year-to which Bryan
catered as much as possibls-the Con-
gressional candidates were lost to sight.
gresham. When he ran for reelection in
1892 the state had bsen reapportioned and
Omaha had been cut out of Bryan's dis
trict, but Bryan managed to run the
gauntlett by the very meagre plurality of
IA votes. At the end Of his second
sea showed rock bottom, and ne wisely
cast an anchor to the windward to catch
Populist gudgeons.
Abandoning his congressional aspira-
tions, Bryan concl uded alliance with
the Populist leaders, with view to cap
turing the United States senatorShip.
He made desperate but futile efforts to
arrange for fusion in all legislative dis
triots in which the combined Democratic
and Populist vote would outnumber the
Republican vote. and to make things
doubly sure he whipped the silver Demo-
Gratis into line for the support OF the en-
tire Populist state ticket. In Omaha,
where be found powerful faction of
Democrats against fusion. he played fast
and loose, supporting James E. BOYD
for Congress against "CleIn" Deayer, the
Populist congressional nominee Before
election day the Situation became ex-
tremely complicated, and when the polls
closed BIyan's legislative delegation was
showed under in Omaha and all over
the state.
Since 1894, Bryan has sought to plaoate
the Populists, and it Is an open secret
that the defeat of free silver ut Chioago
was to have been followed by his formal
entrance into Populist ranks, with "a
great flourish Of trumpsts. There would
really haves been no conversion to the
Populist creed, which in the main has
been publicly avowed and advocated by
Bryan On the stump and in thu press.
Those who are most intimate with him
do not hesitate TO say he is conHum-
mate actor, who plays to she grand
stand, and is one of the few mon who
can play in two rings at the Same time.
While Bryan has always identified him
self with tho Democratic party, his chief
effort within that party has been devoted
to free silver. This is especially true of
his career since his congressional term
expired. In this work he created a
split in the Democracy Of Nebraska,
W hich in 1899 polled about $4,000 votes.
Prior TO that time the discussion of free
silver had been confined almost solely to
the Populist party Of this state, but that
QUICKLY ESStoEs60 ti5S aSsS&fub I'll itS pCWSE
in the election OF 1881, and against ii was
pitted both tho Republicans and sound
money Dem ocrats. 1t failed to elect its
ticket and since that time has shown
evidence OF disiBtegration. It's strength
now is said not to exceed 65. 600 votes.
BY the free silver men and the followers
Of Bryan the prediction is N ade that a
combination Of the Populisss and free
silver Democrats of Nebraska this fall
will give the Republicans close tight.
The unremitting labor of Bryan TO
convert Democrats Of his state to the
doctrine OF free silver laid him liable TO
the charge that he was not q Democrat,
but Populist, and this charge was
given some color OF truth by Mr..
Bryan's action in the Dsnpcratio stats
convention in 1894 in Omaha. In this
convention Mr.. Bryan achieved his first
great triumph within tbs Nebraska
| Democracy. The fight partook on q
smaller soale with the Distinguishing
featuressof that OF the convention this
! week the sound money Democrats stu b
| bornIy resisted the onslaught Of the sill
verites. The whole machine made fight
| for life, bus the silyeri5es proved TO be
too strong, and Mr.. Bryan led them moi
only to the adoption OF q platform favor.
| ing free silver, but in d speeoh before the
convention be endorsed the Populist state
ticket and advised against putting up
state Democratic ticket. Ills leadership