The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-07-14
IDOL OF NEBRASKANS.
Ex-CongressmaD Bryan, "The Boy
Orator Of the Platte"
His Career and tho Estimate In Which
He IL Held.


! According to his friends william Jen,
hings Bryan Is tho greatest Democratic
orator In the history Of Nebraska. They
call him the idol Of the free silver wing OF
the Nebraska Democracy. Here arc some
renarks they mako about him:
1T was Mr. Bryan who achieved tho
greatest triumph within his party whom.
In the state convention two years ago, by
common consent, he took the leadership.
1t was he who advised his followers to in
dorse the candidacy Of Silas A. Holoomb.
who had been nominated by the Populists
of Nebraska for the Office OF governor. 1t
was also upon Mr.. Bryan's recommends
tion that tho same convention indorsed the
candidacy OF other mon on the Populist
ticket. What he did then gave Nebraska
the first Populist governor and worked the
defeat Of the Republicans, the sole object
sought by Mr.. Bryan and his followers.
The consistent course of Mr.. Bryan as sill
yer advocate and the kindly feeling he has
all along, as o Democrat, evinced for the
Populists Of Nebraska have made him
many friends in the Populist party
throughout the west"
Mr. Bryan was born in Salon, Marion
county, Ills, on Mnrch 10, 1860. At the
age of 10 he entered Whipple academy at
Jacksonville. In 1877 no entered Illinois
college, and graduated valedictorian In
1881. For tho next two years no attended
tho Union Law college, Chicago, studying
In the Office Of Lyman Trumbull After
graduation he began practice at Jackson
Vile.
In 1887 he removed to Lincoln, Neb.,
and became n member Of the law firm OF
Talbot 81 Bryan. He was elected 10 con-
gress in tho First Nebraska district in 1890
over w. j. Connell OF Omaha and was re
elected in 1899 over Allen W. Field Of Lin
coin. In 1894 Mr. Bryan declined a third
nomination and was nominated by the
Democratic state convention for United
States senator by the unanimous. vote OF
the convention. The Republicans, how
ever, had majority in the legislature,
and Bryan was defeated for the senator
ship. Since Mr.. Bryan's congress term
expired he has given his time exclusively
20 spreading the doctrine Of free silver
He first appeared in the political arena
of Nebraska in the campaign of 1888, when
he stumped tho First district for J. Ster-
ling Morton, nominee for congress The
same year no declined nomination for
lieutenant governor On July 80, 1890,
he was nominated for congress and wrote
a platform on which he ran. Nobody but
himself thought he could be elected. He
stumped the district on the tsS'iff issue and
won fame ns a political orator throughout
the state. This beautiful language has
been used by an admirer to describe his
graces as on orator:
Bryan neglects mono of the accessories
OF oratory. Nature richly lowered him
with rare grace. Ho is happy in attitude
and pose. His gestures are on Hogarth's
line OF beauty. Mclli1uous Is the word
ti4at most aptly describes his voice. 1t is
strong enough 60 DO heard by thousands.
1t Is sweet enough 70 charm those least In
clined to music. 1t Is so modulated as not
70 vex tho car with monotony and can be
stern or pathetic, fierce or gentle, serious
or humorous with tho varying emotions Of
Its master In his youth Bryan must have
had skillfrl teacher in elocution and
snm-t havo bocn docile pupil He en-
riches his speeches with illustrations from
the classics or from tho common occur
rcnces OF everyday life with equal felicity
and facility, Some passages from his ora
tiops arc gems and arc being used as decla-
lnatlons by boys &C school But his crown
Ing gift as an orator Is his evident sinceri-
ty He is onndor incarnate and thorough
ly believes what ho says himself.
Mr. Bryan lives VOL in commodious
dwelling In tls fashionable part of Lin
coin. His family consists Of Mrs Bryan;
Ruth, aged II; William j., Jr., aged 8,
and Grace, aged 8. The study, I'm which
both Mr.. ard Mrs. Bryan hayo desks, is a
very attractive room. IL is filled with
books, t&tuary ard raementos of cam
paigns There arc busts or portraits Of
ND fxrn ht,t tr,tc
knives which Mr.. Bryan used in the cam
paign with Field TO rcfuse the iatter's
boast Of tho effects Of high protection.
Last year MIR. Bryan was asked II he had
any aspirations locking 10 the White
House, and he said: mo, / have no wish
to be q presidential candidate neither now
nor in tho years TO como. My whole
thought now Is centcrcd on my family and
my profession SO far as my own personal
desires 20. l was brought UP in the coun-
try, and / wish my children 20 have some
of tho same rearing They are now of tho
age when they need q fathers care, and I
wish to get into practice again, for l very
much enjoy tho law, which has been neces-
sarily abandoned during my four years In
Washington.
Mr.. Bryan's father was Silas l.. Bryan,
born In Culrcpcr county, Va, at the foot
OF tho Bluo Ridge mountains. He was
Democrat He went 70 Illinois when 1s
years Of agoand settled at Salem, graduat-
Ing at McKendrco college, Lebanon, as
lawyer.
In 1852 he was elected state senator and
served eight years. In 1860 he was elected
circuit judge and served until 1874 He
was member Of the constitutional con-
vention of 1870. He was strong man
pnd q finished public speaker. He died In
hs60.-New York sun.