The herald., 1896-07-26

house was his first speech, which he de-
livered on March II, 1s92,on the subject
| or free wool. This speech became his
| toric. 1t was pronounced by the press
associations as one of the most effective
speeches ever delivered in congress- The
new ork and Chicago papers of all poll
itics united in declaring 1t a MASTER
piece. Burrows of Michigan declared 1t
| the best speech he had ever heard on
the tariff. Springer, who had been Bry-
ans friend in the old Illinois days, was
overJoyed. As chairman of the ways
the election of Bryan as a member Of
the committee, and was criticised by his
colleagues at the time. Now he felt
MS judgment more than sustained. 1t
was the great speech of the year.
When Mr.. Bryan came to face his sec
ond campaign he found a most discour-
aging outlook. BY the reappointment
OF 1881 the first district had been cut in
Two, Omaha being placed In the second
uistrict. The anti-McKinley wave Of
iSSV nad TO some extent subsided. The
ulstrlct was by common consent Repub-
llcan by $500. If the Populsts had in
dorsed his candidacy he might have
been secure. But they nominated
republican tool, as they too often do
when the Democrats have a strong man
as a candidate. In order to scratch the
nome vote. which went SO strongly
l
district nominated Allen w. Field, one
or the district Judges and one of the
apiest men and most popular Republi-
cans In Lincoln. He at once resigned
from the bench and devoted his time to
oeIeat bryan. The Democratic commit
zee at once challenged Field to !. Joint
oepate with Bryan. 1t was accepted
and the scenes of 1890 were repeated
AGAINST STRONG OPPOSITION
Wonoer1ui, brilliant and thrilling as
was Bryan's campaign before, the sec
ond one surpassed it, and his election
~ tne lace or so many obstacles was one
| OF tne most remarkable victories ever
known In the history of politics. The
railroads openly opposed him, his COM
Hlittee was without funds, and he re-
celVed no assistance from outside the
uistrict. On the other hand, the Repub-
iicans poured money from the east into
the district to defeat him. Mckinley.
Foraker and Horr all had rallies at
Lincoln The state central committee
or the Republican party paid very little
attention to the state campaign, as It
mad for its gubernatorial candi-
GATE Judge Crounse. man
whom IT did not like, but
concentrated all efforts toward the de-
feat or Bryan. But Bryan had the people
with him. The joint debates were Bryan
victories, and after one he would drive
| away to talk to farmers often speaking
three times in day. No one could fig
ure out his election, although it seemed
that he must be defeated.
There are seven counties in the first
| district In them the average vote that
year for state officers. correct gauge Of
party strength. was: Republicans A.
| 1853; Democats, 1859; Populists, 1850. Thus
the Republicans had plurality of 6206
and almost a majority. The vote for
congressman stood: Field, 1854; Bry-
an. 1874; Schamp. Populist, 2409; Bry-
| ans plurality, 140.
| He thus ran $500 votes ahead of his
| ticket, completely demoralizing the Pop
ulists and receiving several hundred
| Republican votes. While he ran ahead
| Of his ticket 400 in a district of 60, 900
votes in 1890. he ran $500 votes ahead in
the campaign of 1892 in a district of 900
votes. 1t would be difficult to find par
allel to this race in any congressional
| career.
In the next session he was reappoint-
| en- to his position on the ways and means
| committee and rendered very great
| service in the preparation of the tariff
| bill. H was especially valuable in the
| matter of the income tax. In this con-
| gress he was renowned again and again
I for his speeches.
What he regards as the best speech he
| ever made or ever will make was deliv-
| cred August 10th, during the extra ses-
sion on the repeal of the purchasing
| clause of the Sherman silver act of 1890
! This speech was admitted to- be by far
| the greatest of the session. The scenes
| while It was being delivered We're as de-
! scrbed by the colorless press associa-
| tions, as remarkable as during the
| joint debates. At it's close. which was
listened to by the whole house and by
| most of the senotors, he was carried off
his feet by the congratulations of his
hAo mo- Of yxrhn c with
him. Mr. Springer, who was in favor
of the repeal, said it was the greatest
speech he had ever heard in congress
and that by this speech Bryan would
rank as an orator with Clay and Web
ster. General Black of Chicago said
Bryan's was one of the greatest minds
of the day. John Allen of Mississippi
said it was the greatest speech he had
ever heard anywheres. The other
speeches of the last session were deliv-
cred on the tariff, income tax, coming
the seigniorage, anti-option bill, cleo
ton of senators by the people, Carlisle
currency bill, the Rothschild-M Morgan,
contract, the railroad pooling bill, and y
various other measures of Importance.
EARLY in the year 1894 he wrote letter
declining to enter the congressional race
for third term. In this letter he took
occasion to advise the friends of reform
to get together. or the Republicans
WOULD WIN great NlCtOTleS Tie COISTeS-
sional elections of that year. a remark
which was prophetic. But his friends
would not permit him to retire, and he
was invited to become candidate for
the senate. He made tour of the state
before the convention. and the result
was that the convention which met at
Omaha on September 23d recognized
Bryan as the leader of the Nebraska
Democracy. At this state convention,
when placed in nomination for the Unit
ed States senate by DR.. Edwards of this
city and seconded by delegates from all
over the whole state, he received on roll
call the vote of every delegate in the
convention, even of those who disagreed
with him on the silver question. And
IT. is proper to say, at this point, that
there is no doubt that today he occupies
the same position as then in the hearts
of the Nebraska Democracy.
M'KINLEY REFUSES TO MEET HIM
The constitution of this state provides
that at the general election preceding
the election of senators by the legisla-
ture the voters of the state have the
right to declare their preferences for
that position Hence his campaign was
legal and authorized. His meetings were
as enthusiastic as ever, and their sue
cess was as great. He challenged Nc
Kinley and John M. Thurston to joint
debate, but was refused as to Mckinley.
After several trials Thurston accepted,
but would agree to only two dabates,
one at Omaha and one here. That deiiv-
cred in Lincoln was attended by a vast