The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1896-07-14
SKETCH OF BRYAN.
The DemOcrtic Nominee is But
thirty-Six Years Old.


school OF Salem, which he attended for
I'VE years. At the age of fifteen he went
TO the Whippe academy in Jacksonville,
ILL.,, which is the preparatory department
or the Illinois college located at the same
place. He spent two years in the academy
and four years in the college taking a class
ical course. He represented his college in
the interstate oratorial 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 Is, 1888. and went
TO Jacksonville TO practice law, remaining
ut Jacksonville until October 1881 when
he removed to Lincoln, Neb going into
partnership with a. L. Talbot Il classmate
of the law school. He bas taken part in
political campa igns since 1880. and made o
number of speeches.
He took part in the campaign Of 1883
IN Nebraska, and was nominated to repre-
sent the First district in congress in 1890.
He was elected by the majority Of 6, 713, al
though the district had gone Republican by
B.400 when Secretary Morton had been de-
feated in 1885, and was thought to be GER
tainly Republican. He supported Springer
for speaker in the Fifty%econd congress,
from whose district in Illinois he came
originally. This led to his being put on
the ways and means committee in congress
of Which Springer was chairman, and on
MdICH To- I'SJ-, lie i1Uuc II luEIH speech
that WAS the sensation of the day. and was
literally distributed rs campaign litera-
ture He was reelected in 1892 in spite
of the fact that the legislature had redis-
tricted the state and his district in the
previous election had given the Republican
ticket about 5000 majority, and was re-
elected by 40 votes.
In the Fifty-third congress he helped to
frame the Wilson bill, being q member of
the ways and means conmittee and took
an especially active part in the income
tax provision. At the close of the debate
on the income tax in congress replying to
Bourke Cockrane, Aug 10, 1893 at the
special session he delivered three-hours
speech against the repeal of the sherman
law, this speech being more largely clrcu-
lated than the tariff speech had been. He
also spoke in favor of the bill to coin the
seigniorage and spoke against Cariisle's
currency policy, and also against Cleye-
lands gold contract with the Rothschilds.
In 1894 he became a candidate Tor the
United States senate, and announced tnaI
he would not be a candidate for the lower
house of congress. He was nominated for
United States senator in the Democratic
convention, and the Populist candidate In
his district was Endorsed by the Democrats
for the house of representatives. Inc
ensuing state legislature being Republican,
John NJ. ThurSton was sent to the senate
and the Republican candidate in his former
elected by 5000 majority. During all three
of. the campaigns he challenged the oppos-
ing candidates to Il debate, and seYerai
discussions were held.
After his retirement from congress he
took up the practice Of law in Lincoln
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 editor
in-chief of the Omaha World-Herald and
had control of its editorial policy on state
and national questions.
The Candidates. HeIpmeet.
Mr.. Bryan is man of small means. He
was married Oct l. 1854, to Mary Baird
of Perry, H.. who attended the female
academy in Jacksonville when he was in
the other school at the same place, and who
graduated the same week that he ala ana
was also the vaiedictorian of her class. She
studied law and was admitted to the bar,
without any idea Of practicing, but simply
to be more thoroughly companionable to
him. She is a year or two younger than he.
Three children have been born to them,
Ruth, ten years old; William j., Jr., about
seven, and Grace, five years old.
Mr. Bryan is Presbyterian, having
Joined the Cumberland Presbyterian church
at the age of fourteen. He is now mem
Der of the First Presbyterian 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 to 1872 on the bench of Illinois.
Judge Bryan moved on farm short
distance from Salem when his son was
six years old. and from that time until he
was twenty-three years old Bryan spent
his summers Oh the farm. In 1St2 his
father ran for congress on the Greeley
ticket ana was defeated by 24O votes. His
family comes from Virginia. His father
was born in Culpepper Court House, in
that state and died in Salem, ILL.,, III 1850.
His mother whose name was Mary Eliza
beth Jennings, was born IN Marion county,
Ill. and died in Salem week ago last
Saturday after protracted illness. In APP
pearance Mr.. Bryan is impressive, his lace
Indicating intellectually and power, as
well as good nature There is notable alb
Sence Of the boyish expression III the PIC
lures of Autographs or MIN Whlch nave
been circulated He is affable and kindly
in manner, easily approachable and does
not lack dignity. In appearance ne IS an
Illustration of the fact that some men are
never accorded justice by picture, Whlch
in his case does not prepare one Tor the
EXPRESSION of keenness shown in his lace
Mrs Ryran has great liking for poll-
tics and accompanies her husOahd on many
of his Nebraska jaunts. Her tastes are es-
sentially literary and she has written much
for various causes. She IS charming
woman and is as great 4 fayorite in LIN
coin as her husband. She was one OF the
organizers of Sorosis the leading women's
oInb of Lincoln, and is also leader OF the
w. G. A, and other societies. Mr. Bryan
saws she is invaluable to him in suggestions
and the preparation of material ana IN au
Uino 10 noints and methods The children
are very bright and pretty and well
bred Ii is not only for Mr. Bryan,s 81 great
gifts as a speaker that he is esteemed SO SO
highly by the people of his home NO talnt
has ever attached to his pubic or private
onts He neither smokes, chews swears
nor drinks and his language is pure Bry-
ans friends figure that he should be an IN.