Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-08-06

tlon, ana notlhed his committee that
ne would not again be a candidate.
When Springer heard that the dis
trict which Bryan represented had
gone Republican,, he buttonholed
the Nebraskan in the lobby one day,
and said:
"Bryan, i see your district has
gone Republican at ratio of 16 to
l."
Springer was a strong administra-
ton man, and what had caused
Bryan to turn against the Demo
cratic leadership in the House was
the servillity with which they has
tened to speed President Cleveland's
demand for the repeal IF the Sher-
man act. He was consistent silver
man, and the idea that the Demo-
Gratis, with Crisp, Wilson, and
Springer at their head, should obedi-
emily kill the only measure which
kept silver in the market was re-
voting to him.
Bryan shook the dust of the Capt.
tol from his shoes, and returned to
Nebraska. He remained a short
time at Lincoln, when he accepted
the offer of George w. Hitchcock.
proprietor of the Omaha World Her.
ala, and became the editor of that
paper, the leading Democratic
daily in the State. AS editor of the
paper he at once began to boom the
silver cause.
Manderson's term in the Senate
was just expiring, and his successor
was to be named. Bryan and the
World-Herald believed that the
State could be carried by fusion be-
tween the Democrats and Populists.
He announced himself a candidate
for the Senate, and began to stump
the State. He was everywhere en-
Enthusiastically received, but condi-
tions were against him. The Re-
publicans elected a Republican Leg
islature and sent a Republican to
the Legislature.
His name was Thurston, the equal
of Bryan on the stump, the man who
is credited with stealing fragment
of the Reed boom in New England
out of Vermont and giving it to Nc
Kinley; the President of the st.
Louis Convention, and the head of
the committee to notify Mckinley
Of his election.
Thurston, moreover, is credited
with killing the Manderson boomlet
in Nebraska he may be slated for
the Mckinley Cabinet. Who can
say? Such are the strange features
of rapid political career. Just con-
trast one with the other if you want
something to think about. Both
rnNnnf
both from the same State, and both
to-day filling the public eye as few
others.
Bryan resumed his duties on the
World Herald after his defeat for the
Senate. His one theme was silver.
His was Tyre Of a single string, and
he harped 1T constantly. Now and
then he made trips to talk silver.
He talked it before political clubs In
the South, and he talked it at church
soCiables. He talked it just as he
had talked tariff when that was the
issue. He was not above going to
st. Louis and reporting the Republi-
can Convention for his Omaha paper.
Only three weeks ago he was shak-
ing the hands of the Washington
correspondents in st. Louis and
sending rather curious "items" to
his paper, describing to his readers
the pleasant sensation Of renewing
his acquaintance with "the boy of
the press" To-day he is the Presi-
dental nominee of the party that
nominated Greedy, Tilden, Hancock,
and Grover Cleveland.
In many respects Bryan's career
furnishes the highest commentary
on the sy stem of American self:gov.
ernment. IF it is government for
the people and by the people, Bryan
Is its broadcast exponent. He is one
of the people, and he has nobody to
point to but himself as the maker of
his political fortune. While he
never worked on tow-path like
Garfield; split rails like Lincoln, or
tanned hides like Grant, he has
neither family influence, nor wealth
to thank for his prominence. He Is
distinctly a self.made man. His
salary as an editorial writer on
newspaper is his only income. Of
the silver which he champions he
has little. OF gold he probably has
less. His nomination is a vindica-
ton of the sturdy Democracy which
the party processes that nominated
him.
He was born March 10, 1860, in
Salem, Ill. He was taught under
his mothers care until he was ten
years old, when he went to the pub
lie school at Salem, which he atten-
ded for five years. At the age of
fifteen he went to the Whipple Acad.
cmy, in Jacksonville, ILL.,, which is
the prepatory department of the
Illinois College, located at the same
place. He went two years in the
academy and four years in the col
lege, taking a classical course. He
represented his college in the inter
state oratorical contest in 1880, and
was class orator and valedictorian in
1881. He then went to the Union
College of Law in Chicago, and
while in attendance there was in the
office of Lyman Trumbull. He left
the law school June 18, 1888, and
went to Jacksonville to practice law,
remaining at Jacksonville till Octo-
Der, 1887, when he removed to Lin
coin, Neb., going into partnership
with A. r. Talbot, a class-mate of
the law-school.
A Washingtonian distinctly re-
calls the first time Bryan made a
speech In public. 1t happened in
1880, during the Hancock campaign.
A speaker was wanted at Centralia,
Ills. Bryan had been young man
about town, talking politics in an
aggressive spirit. He was only
twenty, and he had never had a