Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-07-16

Goods
The democratic presidential nominee
William Jennings Bryan of Lincoln
Neb., was born in Salem, Marion
county, Illinois, March IS, 1860 He at
tended the public scaool until he was
fifteen years Of age, spending his va-a-
tons on the farm. In the Iall Of 1875
he entered Whipple academy at Jack
sonVille, H.. and went TO Illinois col
lege at Jacksonville in 1871 He COM
pleted classical cOur e and was gradu-
ated with the highest honors in 1881.
Then he attended Union College Of
Law Chicago, for two years. during
which time he was connected with the
law office Of ex-senator Lyman Trum~
bell recently deceased. He began the
practice OF his profession at Jackson
vile but removed to Lincoln, Neb., Oct
l, 1887, and became a member Of the
firm Of Talbot & Bryan. He never neld
an elective office prior tt his election to
congress in the fall of 1890, when he
was chosen to the fifty-seccnd congress
as a democrat, receiving 32,376 votes
against 1868 for William ]. C0nneI,
republican, IL, 066 for Allen Root, indie
pendent and 1910 votes for E. H
Chaplin, prohibitionist. He was re-
elected to the fifty-tbird congress, re
ceiVing 49, 84 against 1854 for A. w.
Field, republican, 863 for r. w. Max
well, pOpuli5t, and 2409 for Jerome
Shamp, independent He was not a can
didate at the polls wnen the fifty-fOurth
congress was elected.
Bryan served on the ways and means
committee while in congress and made
a tariff speech that was the sensation
of the day. He assisted in framing
the Wilson bill and took an especially
active part i'll the income tax provi-
sion. In August, 1898, he delivered
three-hOur speech against the repeal
of the Sherman law which was even
more widely commented upon than his
famous tariff speech. He also spoke
against Carlisles currency policy and
against Cleveland's gold contract with
the ROthschilds. He was defeated for
the United States senate by John M.
ThurstOn, the present incumbent
Sketches of Bryan.
w. f. Curtis, writing to the Chicago
Record Just after BryaL's speech
Thursday, says: IF Mr. Bryan
should be nominated for president it
will offer a coincidence with McKinley's
success that will be of striking signifi-
canoe. Mckinley was defeated for con
gress in 1890 because he was then the
representative Of an idea that was
very unpopular, but which has since
recovered its hold upon the American
people. In 1892 Bryan was defeated for
a similar cause and ne m5y be given a
compensation similar to that offered his
former colleague on the committee of
ways and means. Mr. Bryan, like Mai
Mckinley, possesses qualities and has
record that are exceedingly attrac-
tive to the American people 1t would
be a poOr-bOy campaign. Both have
gained eminence by their talents mas
sisted Both have become attached to
principles from which they cannot be
divorced in the minds of the public
Both represent the extremes of thong ht
in their different schools of political
economy. Bryan is a free-trader, a
free-siiverite and has spent his brief
career earning a reputation by de
nouncing nearly everything that Me
Kinley believes in, except morals and
the Christian religion. He is of Gov
rect habits, pure life and domestic
attachments. He was educated as 3
lawyer, but when defeated for congress
they made him editor of an Omaha pa
per, the World-Herald. He has writ
ten very little for its columns, but mas
spent nearly all his time III politics. Al
though his advantages for culture have
been limited he has utilized them t
the last degree, and made the most OF
every opportunity.
w. H. Skaggs in The Inter-Ocean OF
Friday morning the nomina-
tion-thus analysed Bryan: Bryan
the boy orator of the Platte was moi
unknown yesterday, bat today he
sands IS the first advocate of a p0pu.
lar cause, the idol of a powerful con
stitutercy and the hero of a reStleS!
ana dissatisfied element. 1t was neither
a discourse nor an grafton. Neither
the time nor the place furnished thu
opportunity for forensic effort Of thu
nature that had already made the era
tors reputation. 1t is rot ar argumen
in support of the financial plank o
the platform under consideration. TIL
argument of no man could have com
manded such attention and awaken S
deep an interest. II was the plain
speech of a sympathetic nature tia
knew the inmost thoughts of those VIII
heard him. Bryan did not attempt /
answer the argument of Senator Hill
yet in less than Ave sentences he de
stroyed the effect of the senator speec
Nothing new was said IN support Of tn
free silver cause, but this eloquent &C
vocate of that cause received an ova
ton surprising any demonstration eve
known in the history of its agitatiCI
Mr. Bryan is a master of the true al
of elcQuenCe. sympathy is the mai
passion of his earnest nature, and b
knows how to improve the golden mt
ment of opportunity. Having III
courage of his convictions, he speak