The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1896-07-15
WILLIAM j. BRYAN.
A General Sketch Of the Nominees Per.
sonal and Political Career.

william Jennings Bryan, the Democratic
candidate for president. was born March 49,
1860, In Salem, III. IIe was taught under his
mothers care until he wna 10 years old, when
ho went 10 tho public school Mt Salem, which
he attended for ilve ycurs. At the agc Of Is
he went the whlpplo academy In Jackson
Vile. ILL.,, which IL tho preparatory depart
ment Of the Illinois college, located at the
same place. He spent two years In the
academy and four years In the college, TAX
Ing classical course. He represented the
college In the Interstate oratorical contest In
1880 aud was class orator and valcdictorian
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.
lie left the law school June IL, 1888, and
went to Jacksonville to prnctice law, remain
Ing at Jacksonville TIL October, 1887, when
he removed 10 Lincoln, Neb., going into
partnership with A. X. Tnlbot,n classnate OF
the law school. He had taken part In
political campaign since 1880 and made n
number Of speeches. Eo took part IN the
campaign Of 1893 In Nebraska and was noml-
mated by tho First district for Congress In
1890 He was elected by the majority Of
G,7i3, although the district had gone Repub-
lican by 3,i00 when Secretary Morton had
been defeated IN 1888 and was though to be
certainly Republican.
He supported Springer Tor speaker In the
In Illinois he came originally. This led to
his being put on the ways and means com
mittec In congress, OF which Springer was
chairman, and on March i6, 1892 he made n
tariff speech that was the sensation Of the
day and was literally distributed as cam
palgn literature. He was reelected In 1899
In spite Of the fact that the legislature had
redistrlctcd the state md his district on the
previous election had given the Republican
ticket about 5000 majority, and was re-cec-
ted by ii0 votes. In the Fifth-third congress
he helped to frame the Wilson btll, being a
member OF the ways and means committee
and took an especially active part In the In
come tax provisions
Mr.. Bryan IL n man Of small means. He Ia
n Presbyterian, having Joined the Cumber-
land Presbyterian church at the age OF II.
He IL now n member OF the First Presbyterl-
an church Of Lincoln. His father was Silas
l.. Bryan. who was II circuit Judge mt 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 n
short distance from Salem when his son was
g years old, and from that time until he was
20 years old, Bryan spent his summers on
the farm. In 1879 his father run for congress-
on the Greeley ticket, and was defeated by
2i0 votes.
His family came from Virginia. Bis father
was born In Culpepper county, In that state.
and died In Salem, ILL., In 1880. His mother
whose name was Maria Elizabeth jennings,
was born In Marion county. Illinois and died
In Salem week ago last Saturday, after II
protracted illuess.
The speech OF W. J. Bryan, was one OF the
remarkable incidents OF the convention. II
suddenly brought him into prominence as n
formidable candidate for the nomination.
The ovation which he received lasted nearly
10 minutes and when II suDsided Mr.. Bryan
began n speech that set the convention wild,
4 ll.tg. a..
most brilliant political orations ever deliver
ed In convention.