The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1896-08-08

as a possible candidate of the sound
money democracy for President call
to mind the incidents of the beginnin,
OF Mr. Bryan's political career.
When Mr. Bryan came to Lincoln h
didn't at first attract much attention
although he plunged into politics i'm
mediately. J. Sterling Morton wal
perhaps the first man to single ou
young Bryan as a man of promise
Certain IL Is that Mr.. Morton delib
erately chose Bryan as a persona
lieutenant. and until the spring of 1s9
he expected a great deal of his vigor
Gus and able young assistant. In 1885,
w. j. Cornell was the republican can
didate for congress In the First dis
trict and Morton was the democratic
candidate. That campaign marked tn.
beginning Of Bryan's public career
His aid was gladly invoked by Morton
and he made his first speeches In thai
year.
In fact. Morton, Bryan and Alber
Watkins OF this city were the only
speakers of note in that campaign
Morton was backed by N. S. HARDWOOD
of this city, who afterward became
president of the First National bank
John H. Ames also of this city, and
Dan Cook Of Beatrice. These men
were then and now, the leaders Ia
this section of the state of what has
been called the straight democracy
They were friends Of Mr.. Morton then
and they are now, and they with Mr..
Morton welcomed the newcomer, who
promised to be Of material assistance
In promoting the welfare of their par
ty. Cornell the republican candidate.
was elected in 1885, and Mr.. Bryan
went into comparative obscurity for q
year or more. or until plans for the
succeeding campaign began to be dis
cussed- Mr.. Morton is a man of lofty
bearing, and. although he has run for
Office number of times in this state,
IL cannot be said that he ever tried TO
get q nomination. He always took the
position that IL his services were want
ed they should be asked for 1t is no
secret that he desired a denomination
for congress in 1880, as he was conf
dent that he could be elected but he
did not depart from his usual custom
He did nothing to push himself for
ward. 1t was then that Messrs Har-
wood, Ames and Cook. who today,
with Secretary Morton, are most bitter
In their denunciation of Bryan, turned
to the young man who had tried to Sc
cure the election of Mr.. Morton in the
preceding campaign. They sent for
Bryan and urged him to become a can
him their most cordial support and
predicted that he would be elected.
Young Bryan evidently regarded his
councillors as the agents of destiny.
He saw, opening before him, a career
Of political life that promised a real
ization of his fondest hope, and ii did
not require much persuasion to induce
him to enter the fight. His candidacy
"a lv,n
and he went into the convention and
was made the nominee. w. j. Connell
was renominated by the republicans
That contest was a memorable one
MI. Morton had begun to see that the
young man he had taken up in the
hope that he would become a faithful
and powerful ally was getting away
from him. But HARDWOOD, Ames and
Cook were active in Mr.. Bryan's cam
paign and they furnished the sinews
or war so needful at that time Mr.
Bryan was elected by a large majority,
and his syndicate of hackers and all
the leaders Of the old line democracy
In his district settled back to the feel
ing OF confidence that at last the party
was firmly established in
power. For years they had been look
ing for Moses to lead them. They
had tried Morton. and they had tried
always lacked the one element of sue
>ess.
Here was young man untried, in
experienced, who came unheralded into
he Held and was able to do what many
before him had failed to accomplish.
No wonder Messrs. HARDWOOD, Ames
md Cook congratulated themselves on
heir wisdom and good Judgment.
At that time there was no question of
Ar. Bryan's loyalty to the party or
% the particular interests that were
esponsibie for his advancement. He
almost daily with Mr. Har-
vood and his friends and his pro-
essions OF personal and political al
eg1ance were most satisfactory 1t
vas not until he had gone down to
and remained there a