The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-09-29
BRYANS PROGRESS.

Nearly everything sbeensnggestcd
about Mr.. Bryan, but it has remained
for woman, with her finer sensitive
ness, to call attention to the single
minded and single-handed heroism of
this young David who went forth alone
against the Philistines. Simple from
the beginning and TO the end, he went
about in Chicago during the eonyen-
ton, with no trapping or bunco bust
ness, delivered his message and was
lifted up of men. Then simply clad,
without even an abundance Of personal
luggage. he turned his face toward the
people OF whom he had been chosen,
and asked do you want to know the
reason of the faith that is in the man
OF your choosing?" And millions an
swered, Yes.
1t was daring procedure.
Nor we're there the beraldings of the
brass horn, nor the trimmings of sump-
tuoJs private apartments, but he went
a. a plain passenger amcng the people
He asked no favor except to be heard
The 2eople at first asked. no favor cX
aept to hear him Rll in the end tfey
asked even to touch his garment
or to have him touch the implement OF
their daily toll If the States were di-
yided by lines, the line Of welcome, at
least, was one without end and without
division. If there came moments of
physical depression, it proceeded
rather from the burden of
over greeting. His growth has
been as the growth from a
seed until the plant of Organism has
come to be almost the National flower.
Did they come from curiosity? So said
the Knockers. Then why did they stay
after he was gone? Is it he, or his
words that still linger in the heart Of
the Cleveland Public Square, where
workingmen since have in perpet-
ual meeting listened to them from
dawn until dawn. They have stood
for hours in the blaze of North Caro-
lina's suns, and cheers were just as
buoyant even when they were bedrag-
gled by the rains Of Washington or
He has proceeded with the same
equipoise-up at five, if it was five they
wanted speaking at in the morning,
if the people said come-and not one
word, not one action, but what was
rounded out by the balance of full
American manhood. To use his own
phrase at Chicago, sometimes it has
seemed to him that he had no body,
on his side, but the people. And this
suggests the playful-never malevolent
wit with which he has met, with the
LONELINESS and pointedness of Lincoln,
the gibes of his scoffers. Lincoln was
scoffed in some such Way-inwardly,
at least, even after he had become
President, by the trained politicians,
OF the SewardICameron ilk. A strange
humor this, which made so human all
the truths he uttered. And Boston
Common! How the little crowd who
had said goodbye to him at Lincoln
had grown! How all things had
changed except the man himself. Were
there ever 10000 men gathered to-
gether before on earth at all except on
the field of battle? No, there is some
thing yet unexplained in the progress
of this man through the land. If
cheer comes up from the common peo-
pie of all points of this country, there
must be a common provocation for it.
The common provocation must
lie in the man, and the man to
satisfy what all the common people.
seem to want at once must carry with
III him some truth that conquers. He
has brought his message; that mes
sage has been as triumphant as his
bearing has been modest. Bryan, di-
vested of his message, is of the plain