The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1896-08-01
WILLIAM J. BRYAN.

We reproduce q short biographical
sketch of the pr. sidential nominee
William j Bryan WAS born Marcel,
10. 1860, in Salem. Ill. He was taught
under his mothers care until he was
ten years old. when he went to the
public school at Salem, which he at
tended for five years. At the age 1T
fifteen he went tO the Whipple Acad-
envy. in Jacksonville. ILL.,, which is the
preparatory department Of the illinois
College, located at the same place.
He spent two years in the academy
and four years in the college, taking II
classical course.
He represented his college III the 10
terstate Oratorical contest ia 1880, and
wac class orator and valedictOrian IN
1881. He then went tn 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, 1893. and went to
Jacksonville to practice law. remain
ing ii: jacksonville till October, 1887,
when he removed to Lincoln Neb.,
going into partnership with A. r.
Talbot a classmate Of the law school.
He has taken part in political cam
paigns since 80 and maze u number
Of speeches. He took part in the cam
paign of '88 in Nebraska. and was
nominated to represent the First Dis
trict in Congress in 80. He was
elected by q majority Of 6713, al
though the district had gone Repabli
a hv 800 when Secretary Morton
was defeated IN '8S, and WAS thought
TO be certainly Republican. He sup
ported Springer for Speaker in the
Fifty third Congress, from whose dis
trict in Illinoise he came originally.
This led to his being put on the ways
and means committee in Congress. of
which Springer was chairman and
March 6, 1892, he made a tariff speech
which was the sensation Of the day
and literally distributed "a campaign
literature. He was reelected in 80
In spite Of the fact that the Legisla-
tuie had redistricted the State, aud
his districts in the previous election
had given the Republican ticket about
5000 majority. He was reelected by
40 votes.
In the Fifty-third Congress he help
ed to frame the Wilson bill, being q
member Of the ways aud means COM
mittee, aud took an especially active
part Ia thei income tar provisions. At
the clOsa of the debate on the income
tax in Congress, replying to Bourke
Cochran. Aug. is, 1898 a: the special
session he delivered 4 three hours
speech against the repeal of the
Sherman law, this speech being more
largely circulated than the tariff
speech, had been. He also spoke in
favcr Of the bill to coin the seigniorage
and spoke against Carlisle's currency
policy, and also against Cleveland's
gold contract.
in 1894 he became a candidate for
THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
ard announced that he would not b.
a candidate for the lower house Of
Congress. He was nominated for
United States Senator in the Demo-
cratic convention. and tho POpulists
candidate in his district was endorsed
by the Democrats for the House Of
Representatives. The ensuing State
Legislature being Republican. John
ID, Thurst0n was Sent to the Senate
and the Republican candidate 10 his
former congressional district, j. B.
STRIDE was elected by 5000 majority.
During all three Of the campaigns
he challenged the opposing candidates
to . debate. and several discussions
were held
After his retirement from Congress !
he took up the practice Of law ia
Lincoln again, but the silver CAM
paign opening. he found that the calls
upon him for speeches and campaign
work were o. 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 the editorial
policy on State and natiopal questions.
Mr. Bryan 10 . man of s&all means.
He was married Oct. 1, 1894, to
Mary Baird. Of Peoria, Ill.,. who at
te6ded the female academy In Jack.
sonville when he was in the other
school at the name place, and who
graduated the same week that he did
and was also the valedictorian of her
class. She studied law, and was ad-
to the bar without any idea Of
practiciDg. but simply to be more
thoroughly companlonable to him.
She Ia = year or two younger than he.
Three children have been born to
them, Ruth, ten years old ; William
'. Jr. about seven. and Grace, five
years old.
Mr. Bryan is . Presbyterian. He 10
now y member Of the First Presbyte-
nan Church, Of Lincoln. His fatbe:
was Silas L. Bryan, who was . cir
emit judge at the time Of his sons