Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-07-18
DEMOCRACYS
CANDIDATE.
Sketch of William Jen-
nings Bryan.
THE MAN AND HIS RECORD.
An Eloquent Champion Of the
Common People.
THE MAN AND HIS RECORD.
ms WIFE, FAMILY AND HOME.
Iris Birth nnd observation-disclosures IN His
Early yca-s-IIis Career In Congress.
Ills Famous Campaign For Congress.
M. Wifi. III. iIorn. and His Family.

william Jennings B-yan, the Demo-
cratic nominee for president Of the
United States. - bUt 30 years az age, a
year older than the limit Of eligibility
provided for by the consultation. But
b. kas the GVpcarancc-tiespitc his
smo1ih facc-th' ripe wisdom and tine
experience III politics anu business Of q
man much older.
lie was born ON u farm just outside
The little town If Salem, Ills. in the
year 1850. His father, q lawyer of high
standing. represented the Salem district
in the state senate for y years and was
circuit judge for IL years.
Judge Bryan had strong religious
sentiments and peculiar habit Of
opening his co.Irt with devotional cxor-
ciscs. and q. noon the court always I'D
journcd for prayer.
DIR. Hill says that Bryan was a re-
markablc child in his tender Yeas, and
could read and write before he was
years old.
a Born Orator.
Ills o~atorical powers were developed
Mt "a very early age. When but mere
boy, he was accustomed to stand up be-
fore his playmatcs at school and on the
street and pour forth words Of c!oquencc.
This wonderful gift brought distinction
10 him in his childhood, and when he
had reached his twelfth year his father
tool; him 20 great Democratic demon
stration i'll Ccn:ralIa, Ills. and there tho
boy began his political career
After hearing addresses from the
Il 81 Il tp ct .fo
lad mounted the platform. He had pro-
cecdcd bat short time when the audi
encc had become spcllbound under the
sway of the boy orators burning Clo-
qucncc.
s;ooa ripple of applause greeted the
speaker; then the audience, catching up
the enthusiasm Of the young hero. be-
came tuinultuous and he colld scarcely
proceed because Of the dcafcning cheers
which greeted every sentence.
1t wa1 ~ great triumph for Tie boy
orator and he was surrounded by those
present and carried away on the shoul-
dcrs of strong men. The whole country
around Ccntralia was electrified, and
young Bryan was made ore Of the chief
attractions during the campaign.
Young Bryan was instructed at home
until 10 years old. ThcY followed five
years in The public scEccla; two years
in Whipplc academy NJ Jacksonville.
Ills. and two years at the Jacksonville
Oils. J college. He graduated from the
latter institution in 1891 rs orator and
valodictoIian of lis class soon after.
ward be- entered the Union Law college
mt Chicago. from which he graduated
in 1855.
lIc was connected with The law oific,
Of cx-Unitcd States Senator Lyman
Trumbull for time. and later openet
an Office in Jacksonville. Ills. lat IT.
moved to Ncbraska's capital in 1885,
and began To- gain prominence.
He vas elected To congress in tx
First Nebraska district in 1890 over W
!. Conncil Cf Omaha. and was rc-cloc;e,
in 1922 over Allen W. Field Of Lincoln
In 1921 Mr.. Bryan declined n thir,
nomination, and was nominated by thu
Democratic state convention for Unitc'
States senator by the unanimous vote %
tho convention. Tho Republicans. how
ever. had ~ majority in the legislature
and BRYAN was defeated for the senator
ship. Since Mr.. Bryan's congress tern
expired he has given his time exclusivel,
to spreading the doctrine of free silver
He first appeared in the political arcn;
of Nebraska in the campaign of ISSS
when he stumpod the First district 70
y. Sterling Morton, nominee for con
grcss Tho same year he declined
nomination for lieutenant governor. .: