Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-07-11
WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN.


The nomination of William Jennings
Bryan, of Nebraska, for president of the
United States yesterday afternoon by the
Democratic national convention at Chi
cage, was conspicuous instance of the
unexpected happening. Aud probably
no one was more surprised by the sudden
turn of events than the distinguished son
of Illinois and the adopted son of Ne
braska himself.
While Mr.. Bryan has for several years
been recognized by the people as one OF
the most courageous, aggressive, uncom-
promising and powerful champions OF
American bimetalllsm, and while he has
long labored with unwavering zeal, energy
and singleness of purpose to bring about
conditions that would unite the silver
forces in one harmonious whole under
the banner of the great Dem ocratic party
he was never consciously a candidate for
the position Of standardbearer in this
mighty struggle and hardly seems to have
thought of himself as presidential pos
sibllity.
He stepped boldly and confidently into
the magnificent arena at Chicago as the
earnest and resolute advocate of the great
economic principle that more closely
concerns the people than any other, and,
manifestly forgetful of self and solemnly
pledged by words and actions to support
the cause first and men second, he threw
his whole soul into the momeLtous work
of the convention. He made speech
day before YESTERDAY that simply electro
fed his 10000 eager auditors and Instant
ly marked him rs probably the greatest
living orator.
As he stood before that grand gathering
of grand men from every state and terri
tory in the Union, all unconsciously max
ing his own nominating speech, the con-
venton measured the masterful man, dis
covered that he was agiant in intellectual
stature, with the fire of true patriotism
burning within him, and decided as if by
magic that he above all Others was the
leader raised up by unseen hands to carry
the pure banner of silver to glorious
triumph in November. His nomination
was assured from the moment he took his
seat after that effort.
1t was a splendid, spontaneous, ire
pressibe tribute to the man that has only
one parallel in American annals-the
nomination of James A. Garfield for presi-
dent by the Republican national conven-
ton in 1SsO-and happily in the case of
Mr.. Bryan the popular tribute is not
tainted with even the color of suspicion
of treachery to friend or unfaithfulness
to personal trust. Mr.. Bryan was
pledged to none of the good men and
true who sought the nominations; he was
pledged only to the cause.
Mr.. Bryan was born in Illinois on
March 10, 1860, and is consequently
younger in years than any previous can
didate for president of the United States;
but during the two terms he served in
congress he displayed ability of the high
est order as an orator and statesman
and when he retired from that body he
easily ranked as the peer of the ablest
and most experienced public man of the
nation. Although lawyer by profes'
sion, having studied under such an emf
nent jurlst as Lyman Trumbull, since his
retirement from congress he has dedi
Gated his superb talents as a speaker and
writer to the righteous cause of silver
and thus has attained such commanding
rank as a 16 to l bimetallist that his
nomination by the Democrats settles al
doubt as to united action on the part OF
the friends of the shining white metal
His 81 ncerty of purpose, his fearless de
votion to principle, his lofty patriotism
his stainless purity of private life, hi
rare natural gifts of mind and heart ant
polished culture combine to make hin
almost an ideal candidate.
OF course the Republican apostles o
gold and greed will make haste to charge
Mr.. Bryan with "the atroclous crime o
being II young man." 1t is the onl!
argument they can urge against him, ant
it will have about as much weight will
the American people as would the charg'
that he has neglected to write an enoy
clopedia or has failed to translate thu
Hebrew bible into English. Napoleon
was the dictator of Europe at the age o
} 20 and emperor of France at 81; Patrlcl
Henry made his great effort against tn
infamous stamp act at the age OF ~
Alexander Hamilton made wonderful
speech in favor of American liberty n
the age of II and "touched the dead bod
of public credit" and filled it with life a
secretary of the treasury under Washing
ton at the age of "a; William PETIT rule
England at the age of 30; Henry Clay be
, gan his brilliant congressional career
. the age of 80; Gladstone took his seat il
=, the English parliament at the age OF 2
years. In the light of those facts, let tn
goldbugs make the most of the objection
H. l.