People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1896-07-23
name was on the lips of thousands OF

bound he became a national character,
and his work for tariff reform and free
coinage of silver has borne fruit since.
He returned home to find that he
had been ger:ymdndered out OF the
Omaha District into new one that
was overwhelmingly Republican, Net
daunted, he accepted a nomination
from The new district, refused all over.
lures 10 move TO Omaha 50 that he
could be returned from that district.
A desperate fight was made On him.
Money was poured into the State to
defeat him, but the Popullsts came to
his rescue. He again Oyercame all CD
position by his charming personality
and matchleSs OratOry, and was elect
ed triumphantly.
He retired from Congress at the end
of his second term, refusing prefer.
ed denomination.
His position on the silver question
alienated from him the old-time
Democrats Of Nebraska. led by J. Ster.
ling Morton, now Secretary of Agri-
culture, and old DR.. Miller, formerly
editor of of the Omaha Herald. They
fought him unceaSng y: they capture.
ed the State Convention at Omaha
and had prepared a plank declaring
against free silver. Bryan appeared
before the convention and in a 20
minute talk completely turned the
tables. When vote was taken, il
was found that Bryan's minority re.
port, declaring for free silver, had a
majority of votes.
Instantly the convention wa.
thrown into confusion. The count
was disputed, and in the uprOar one Of
the secretaries arose and declared
that there had been a miScOunt, and
new vote was ordered and Bryan
was defeated 10y three votes only
The opposition had whipped theil
men into line. Bryan acquiesced in the
result, declaring that he knew he was
right and that he would stake his pol
itical fortune on it,
When the next State Convention
met, Bryans work told. 1t voted fol-
free silver. Later on, when it wa.
seen that he had the majority back o
him, the Sound money" Democrat
refused to recognize the call for Stat,
Convention, but met later, and sen
a Sound money" delegation, headed
by Tobias Castor, to Chicago. Tha
delegation was turned down ant
Bryan's delegation seated.
Bryan soon became known through
out the West as the boy Orator OF tn
Platte" AS his experience becam
more ripe, his Oratorical abilities in
creased, and as a debater be stand
the peer Of any.
Bryan has met defeat but once. H
was defeated by John NJ, Thursto
for the SenatorShip from Nebraska
Bryan was named by the Democrat
State Convention as the choice Of tn
Democracy for that position, but Ne
braska was a Republican state, an
he lost. Only once has the state bee
governed by a Democrat. James
Boyd was elected, and unseated
the state supreme court, but was r
, turned to his seat by the ULited Stat,
supreme court. The POpllists an
| Democrats combined once controlle
, the legislature, but the&epublical
gained control Of the last legislatu
, and Bryan's cherished ambition WI
laid in the dust.
: His popularity, however, has N
diminished. He is a Democratic pc
, sen, easily approached, courteous
all, a good "mfTern and a thoroug
politician. For the last two years
has been edito7-in-cbief of the Omal
World-Herald and has been deliverir
, silver speeches throughout the Unit,
: States. Gilbert NJ. Hitchcock, Il
, young proprietor Of the World Heral
, has been one of BryaD's staunche
, friends, and to him is due consider
/ bic credit for the rapid rise in life
! the young HebraskaR.
To illustrate the democratic natu
OF Bryan, it is but necessary to S;
that he occupied one Of the rear pre-
seats in the Republican Nation
Convention ia this city last month
!, a special correspondent Of his Omat
= paper. He was accompanied by Da
HOnin, the man with the loude
!, voice in Nebraska and the bigge;
uall crank in the world. With
= handkerchief around his neck,
labOred faithfully among the less,
, lights in the newspaper prOfessio
, aud when Bill Horpaday Of India
!, apOlis was bonbarded from all sid,
IN spirit Of fun, Bryan SHE'D a fe
bunehes Of telegraph blanks at him
help along the fun. IL is the utt,
lack of stiffness or ostentation th;
endears Bryan to the people of Ne