Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1896-07-18

his name and there was q stampede
for Sewall, who was nominated, as
Bryan was on Friday, on the fifth
ballot.
THE NOMINEES.
There is nothing in romantic liter
ature that surpasses the meteoric
career of William Jennings Bryan,
who was nominated at Chicago for
the highest Office in the gift of the
American people.
The constitutional age of Presi-
dents is So years. Mr.. Bryan is just
beyond this, and if elected in Novem-
Der next he will be the youngest
President that the White House has
ever known. He is essentially self.
made man and a man of the people.
His principal education was gained
in the public schools of Salem, H.,
where his parents resided. During
the succeeding six years he received
an academic training. The bent of
his mind was toward the law, and it
was in the Office OF Lyman Trumbull,
himself conspicuous figure during
the war and the reconstruction period
which followed, that he laid the foun-
dation of his legal career.
1t was in Congress, however, that
Mr.. Bryan made the reputation which
has swept him into his present prom
inence. In 1890, when only so years
of age, he was elected a member of
the House from the First District of
Nebraska, where he located imme
diately after his admission to the bar.
During the consideration of the single
tariff bills, which were brought be-
fore the House during the first SEES.
sion of that Congress, Mr.. Bryan
electrified his colleagues by the force
and vigor of his utterances, his in
innate knowledge of economic mat
tiers, the graeefulness of his oratory,
and his ability to sustain himself
with credit against the ablest de.
beters upon the republican side of
the chamber. His time on that oc-
casion was repeatedly extended, and
he spoke in all several hours. He
awoke the next morning to find him
self famous. Nor was it an ephe-
neral fame. He became from that
day conspicuous figure in House
which included such giants of debate
as Breckenridge, Bourke Cochran,
and John r. Fellows, of New York;
Dingley and Reed, of Maine; Sprin-
ger, of illinois; Lodge, of Massachu-
setts; Oates, of Alabama, and VIM. L..
Wilson, of West Virginia, who now
holds the Office OF Postmaster Gener-
al.
While Mr.. Bryan was not free
l. Go act 10,
consistent with the necessities of the
government, and he was placed by
Speaker Crisp upon the Ways and
Means Committee-an unusual honor
for new man. When the Fifty
third Congress met Mr.. Bryan had
also achieved a reputation as a
staunch supporter of free silver, and
when President Cleveland convened
that Congress in extraordinary ses
sion, in the autumn of 1893, Mr..
BRYAN was Mr.. BANDS efficient
lieutenant in leading the opposition
to the repeal of the purchasing
clause of the Sherman act. He con-
/ tinued in that Congress as a member
of the Ways and Means Committee.
He was one of the subcommittee
which had in charge the internal
revenue schedule of what was subse-
vuently known as the Wilson tariff
bill, and he shares with Mr.. McMillin,
of Tennessee, in being the first to
suggest the incorporation in that
measure of an income tax. Mr.. Bryan
added to his laurels as brilliant and
ready debater during the discussion
of that measure in the House, and
his influence was also exerted in favor
of the income tax, which he regarded
as one of its most essential features.
With this Congress Mr.. Bryan's con-
gressional career ended, and he re-
turned to Omaha to accept the
editorship of the World Herald, OF
that city, although his home for
many years has been at Lincoln, the
State capital.
Mr.. Bryan is of about the medium
height, his face Clearly shaver, and
in appearance he resembles the great
Pennsylvania commoner, Samuel j.
Randall, who at Mr.. Bryan's age
might readily have passed as the lat.
ter's twin brother. He is strict
churchman, and on several occasions
during his residence in Washington
addressed the Young Mems Christian
Association and other religious
bodies. He is earnest and enthusiasts
tic in whatever cause enlists his sym
patty, and it is not doubted that his
personality will largely influence the
approaching campaign.
Mr. Bryan's family consists of his
wife, two daughters-Ruth, aged IL
and Grace, aged 5-and a son, VIM.
j., Jr., aged 6.
Mr.. Bryap's father was Silas L.
Bryan, born in Culpeper county, Va.
He was democrat. He went to Hi
nois when IS years of age; settled at
Salem, and graduated at McKendree
College as q lawyer.
Arthur Sewell was born at Bath,
Me-, November %, 1885. He has been
a life long democrat, and has been
chairman of the Maine Democratic
State Committee for many years
His residence is the Sewell estate in
Bath, which has been in the posses
sion of the Sewell family since 1860
when his great grandfather took the
title, only three removals from q
grant by King George. Mr.. Sewel
married In 1859 His wife was Emma
D. Crookes, of Bath. There are two
children-Harold NJ. and William D
Mr.. Sewell has been engaged most Of
his life in ship. building and ship
owning. In the early days he built
wooden whalers and coasters, fol
which the State of Maine was famous