The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-07-15
A Meteoric Career.
1 Brief Sketch Of the Next
President Of the United
States.

SsGjGS.
WASHINGTON. July 10.-There is
nothing in romantic literature that
surpasses the meteoric career Of
William Jennings Bryan, who was to-
day nominated at Chicago for the
the highest Office within the gift of
the American people. The constitu
tional ago of Presidents is IS years
Bryan is sc, and, if elected in No.
vember next, he will be the youngest
President that the White House has
ever known. He is essentially a
self made man and man of the peo-
pie. His principal education was
gained in the public schools of Sc
lem, III 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 a conspicuous fig
ure during the war and the recon-
atructed period which followed, that
he laid the foundations of his legal
career
II was in congress, however,
that Mr. Bryan made the reputation
which has swept him into his present
prominence In 1890, when only
80 years of age, he was elected a
member of the house from the first
district of Nebraska, where he To-
Gated Immediately after his admission
to the bar. During the considera-
ton of the single tariff bills, which
were brought before the house during
the first session of that congress. Mr..
Bryan electrified his colleagues by the
force and vigor Of his ut.erances, his
intimate knowledge of economic
matters, the gracefulnes Of his
oratory, and his ability to sustain
himself with credit against the ablest
debaters upon the Republican side of
of the chamber His time, on that
occasion, was repeatedly extended
and he spoke in all several hours
He awoke the next morning to find
himself fomous. Nor was it ar
ephemeral face He became from
that day conspicuous figure in a
house which included such giants of
debate as Breckenridge of Kentucky,
Bourke Cochran and John r. Fellows
of New York, Dingiey and Reed Of
Maine, Springer of Illinois, Lodge of
Massachusetts, Oates of Alabama and
William L Wilson of West Virginia,
who now holds the office of post
master general.
While Mr. Bryan was not free
trader, he favored the lowest tariff
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 reputation as staunch
supporter of free silver, and when
President Cleveland convened that
congress in extraordinary session in
1898 Mr.. Bryan was Mr. BIand's eff
cient lieutenant in leading the op-
position to the repeal of the purchas-
ing clause Of the Sherman act. He
continued in that congress as g
member of the ways and means COM
mittee. He was On one of the sub
committee which had in charge the
internal revenue schedule of what
was subsequently known as the VIII
son tariff bill, and he shares with
Mr McMillin of Tennessee ii being
the first to suggest the incorporation
in that measure of an income tax
Mr.. Bryan added to his laurels as a
brilliant and ready debater during
the discussion of that measur in the
house, and his influence was also
exerted in favor of the income tax,
which he regarded as one Of lis most
essential features.
With this congress Mr.. Bryan's
congressional career ended, and he
returned 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;