The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1896-07-17
WILLIaN JENNINGS BRIAN, OF Ne.
BRiSkl,


A brief history Of the man who Will
lead the Democracy To victory in
November:
Mr.. Bryan was born March 10, 1860,
In Salem, Ill. lie was taught under
his mothers care until he was ten
years old, when he went To the public
school at Salem, which lie attended
for five years. At the age Of fifteen he
went to the Whipple Academy, in
Jacksonville, ILL.,, which is the pre-
paratory department Of the Illinois
College, located at the same place. He
spent two years In the academy and
four years in the college, taking a
classical course.
lie represented his college in the in
terstate %Orat0rical contest in 1880, and
was class orator and valedictOrian in
1881. He then went To the Union Col.
lege OF Law, in Chicago, and while in
attendance there, was In the Office Of
Lyman Trumbull. lie left the law
school June l8, 1883, and went tn Jack
s0nville tn practice law, remaining ut
Jacksonville till October. 1887, when
he removed to Lincoln, Ncb.. going
into partnership with a. II. T'albOtt,
u clasSmate OF the law school. lie had
taken part in political campaigns
since 80, and made a number Of
speeches. lie took part in the cam.
paign OF 'S8 In Nebraska. and was
Nominated to represent the First Dis
trict In Congress in 80. lie was elect.
ed by Il majority Of 67l3. although the
district had gone Republican by 300
when Secretary Morton had been de.
fcated in '8S, and was thought to be
certainly Republican. He supported
Springer for Speaker in the Fifty.third
Congress, from whose district in ILL
nois he came originally This led tn
his being put on the ways and means
committee In Congress, Of which
Springer was chairman, and March 6.
1892, lie made a tariff speech which
was the sensation OF the day and
literally distributed as campaign
literature. He was reelected In '02.
In spite OF the fact that the Legisla-
ture had redistricted the State, and
his district in the previous election
had given the Republican ticket about
5000 majority. lie was reelected by
l40 votes
In the Fifty-third Congress he help
ed to frame the Wilson bill, being a
member Of the ways and means COM.
mittec, and took an especially active
part In the income tax provisions. At
the close Of the debate on the income
tax in Congress, replying To Bourke
Cochran. Aug. 16, 1893, at the special
session he delivered Il three hours
speech against the repeal Of the Shcr-
man law, this speech being more large.
ly circulated than the tariff speech
had been. He also spoke in favor Of
the bill to coin the SeigniOrage and
spoke against Carlisle's currency poli.
cy. and also against Clcveland's gold
contract.
In 1894 he became a candidate for
THE UNITED STATES SENATE
and announced that he would not be a
candidate for the lower House OF Con-
grcsS. He was nominated for United
States Senator In the Democratic con.
yentiOn, and the POpulist candidate In
his district was Endorsed by the Dem
ocrats for the House OF Representa-.
tives. The ensuing State Legislature
being Republican. John NJ. Thurston
was sent to the Senate and the Re.
publican candidate in his former con.
g!ressi0nal district. J. B. Strobe, was
elected by 5000 majority.
During all three of the campaigns
he challenged the opposing candidates
to q debate, and several discussions
were held.
After his retirement from Congress
he took up the practice Of law in Lin.
coin again, but the silver campaign
opening, he found that the calls upon
him for speeches and campaign work
were so frequent that he was forced to
give up his law practice.
In September, 1894, he became the
cditOr-in-chief OF the Omaha World.
Herald and had control OF it's editorial
policy on State and national questions.
Mr.. Bryan Is a man Of small means.
He was married Oct. l.. 1884, to Mary
Baird, OF Peoria, Ill.,, who attended
the female academy in Jacksonville
when Inc was In the other school at
the same place, and who graduated
the same week that he did, and was
also the valedict0rian Of her class.
She studied law, and was admitted tOI
the bar without any idea of practic.
but simply to be more thoroughly
cOmpaniOnable tn him. She Is a wear !
nr two younger than he. Three chill. {
dren have been born to them, Ruth, |
years old; William j., Jr., about J
and Grace. five years old. l.
Mr.. Bryan is a Presbyterian. lie Is {
now a member Of the First Prcsby. |
terrain church, OF Lincoln. His father !
was Silas l.. Bryan, who was a circuit {
Judge at the time OF his sons birth.
and served in that capacity from 1860
10 1872 on the bench OF Illinois. {
Judge Bryan moved to Il farm a short I
distance from Salem when his son was 4
Xix years old, and from that time un. |
I'll he was twenty-thrce a old. {
1Oung Bryan spent his summers on
,he farm. In 1872 his father ran for |
Congress on the Greeley ticket, and s
vas defeated by 240 votes. His family t
comes from Virginia. His father was c
BORN In Culpepper county in that a
state. and died IN Salem. H.. in 1880. 8
lis mother, whose name was Maria v
jennings, was born in q
county, Illinois, and died m
salem Il week ago last Saturday, utter c
/ prOtracted illness.
In appearance, Mr.. Bryan Is impress. c
i've, his face Indicating O
INTELLECTUALLY AND POWER I
IS well as good nature. He il afablet.
md kindly In manner, easily an. =
)rOachablc, and does not lack dignity. :,
q appearance, he Is an illustration Of :,
he TACT that sOme ME are never :
recorded justice by a picture, which :
y MS case does not do him justice.
Mr.; Bryan lives well In q c0mmodi.
US dwelling in the fashionable part
Lincoln: The study In which both
and Mrs. Bryan have desks il >
cry attractive room. 1t Is filled with :
looks, s~tatuary and mementocs oil