Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-07-15
v. ]. BRYAN'S CAREER.
"The Silver Knight" Achieved
Oratorical Honors in
His Youth.
LIFE SKETCH OF THE NOMINEE.
He Has Ever Been an Ardent Poll
tician-His Wife HeI ps Him a
Great Deal.

William Jennings Bryan is the great
est Democratic orator in the political
history of Nebraska, says the Chicago
Tribune in f1attering sketch Of the new
presidential nominee He has long been
the idol of the free-silver wing of the
Nebraska Democracy, the result of his
advocacy of the doctrine of free and
unlimited coinage of silver in that state.
1t was Mr.. Bryan who achieved the
greatest triumph within his party when,
in state convention two years ago, by
common consent, he was accorded the
leadership. It was he who advised his
followers TO indorse the candidacy of
Silas A. Holcomb, who had been nomi-
mated by the Populists of Nebraska fer
the office of governor.
1t was also upon Mr.. Bryan's recon-
mendation that the same convention in
dorsed the candidacy of other men on
the Populist state ticket. What he
did then gave Nebras ka the hrst Popucc
list governor and worked the defeat of
the Republican candidate for governor
the sole object sought by Mr.. Bryan
and his followers.
The consistent course of Mr.. Bryan as
a silver advocate and the kindly feeling
for the Populists of Nebraska has made
him many friends in the POpuliSt party
throughout the West.
Early Life.
William Jennings Bryan was born IN
Salem, Marion county. ILL, on March Il.
1860. At the age of ID he entered Whip
pie academy at Jacksonville. In 1877
he entered Illinois college and gradu-
ated valedictorian in 1891. For the next
two years he attended Union Law college
IN Chicago, serving in the office of Ly
man Trumbull, and after graduating he
entered practice at Jacksonville.
IN 1887 he removed to Lincoln, Neb..
and become member of the law firm
of Talbot & Bryan. He was elected to
Congress in the First Nebraska district
in 1890 over ". J. Connell Of Omaha,
and was reelected in 1892 over Allen ".
Field Of Lincoln.
In 1894 Mr.. Bryan declined a third
nomination and was nominated by the
Democratic state convention for United
States senator by the unanimous vote
of the convention. He DOlled $4,000
votes. The Republicans. however had 4
majority in the Legislature and Bryan
was defeated for the senatorship. Since
Mr.. Bryan's Congressional term expired
he has devoted his time exclusively to
spreading the doctrine of free silver
Mr.. Bryan first appeared in the po-
litical arena of Nebraska in the cam
paign of 1888, when he stumped the
First district for J. Sterling Morton
nominee for Congress. The same year
he declined nomination for lieutenant
governor. On July 80, 1890, he was
nominated for Congress and wrote the
platform on which he ran. Nobody but
himself thought he could be elected.
He stumped the district on the tariff
issue and won fame as a political orator
throughout the state. He defeated his
Republican adversary solely by his power
on the stump.
Power as an Orator.
Mr.. Bryan neglects none of the acces-
series of oratory. Nature richly dow
cred him with rare grace. He is happy
in attitude and pose. His gestures are
on Hogarth's line of beauty. ''Melliflu-
Gus" is the one word that most aptly
describes his voice. It is strong enough
to be heard by thousands. 1t is sweet
enough to charm those least inclined
to music. It is so mOdulated as not to
vex the ear with monotony, and can be
stern or pathetic, fierce or gentle, serious
or humorous, with the varying emotions
of its master.
He adorns his speeches with illustra-
tons from the classics or from the COM
mon occurrences of everyday life with
equal felicity and facility. Some pas
sages from his creations are gems. and
are being used as declamations by boys
at school-the ultimate tribute to Ameri-
can eloquence. His browning gift as
an orator is his evident sincerity. He is
candOr incarnate, and, thoroughly believ-
ing what he says himself, it is no marvel
he makes others believe.
First Speech in Congress.
Bryan's first speech in the House-the
one on the tariff in 1S92-fxed his status
as one of the great orators of this GEN
Grafton. 1t astonished old stagers, cleo
trifed the country, and stimulated the
ambition of every young man in the
land. EnviOuS carpers lugubriously pre-
dicted that he could never duplicate that
far-resounding performance; that he
would be like wasp-biggest when first
hatched-and that his congressional song
would be pitched in diminuendo instead
of creScendO.
But he utterly COMPOUNDED these Jealous
Cassandras by delivering a speech on
silver which must forever remain as a
classic in Congressman literature.
Mr.. Bryan lives well in a commodious
dwelling in the fashionable part of Lin
coin. His family consists of Mrs. Bryan,
Ruth. aged IL; William j., Jr, aged 6.
and Grace, aged ).
The study-in which both Mr.. and
Mrs. Bryan have desks-is an attractive
room, filled with books, statuary, and
mementOes of campaigns. There are
busts or portraits of noted men, and
there are two butcher knives which Mr..
Bryan used in the campaign with Field
TO refute the latter's boasts of the effects
of high protection.
Views on the Presidency.
Last year Mr.. Bryan was asked by
a correspondent if he had any aspira-
tons looking to the white house, and he
said:
''No, l have no wish to be a presi-
Dental candidate, neither now nor for
the years to come My whole thought
now is centered on my family and my
profession, SO far as my own personal de-
sires go. | was brought up in the coun-
try, and | wish my children to have
some Of the same rearing. They are
now of the age when they need a fathers
care, and I wish to get into practice
again, for l enjoy the law, which has
been necessarily abandoned during my
four years at Washington
AIr. Bryan's father was Silas T.. Bry-
an. born in Culpeper county, Va, at
the foot of the Blue Ridge mountains
He was Il Democrat. He came to Hi
nois when is years Of age, and settled
at Salem, graduating at McKendrie col
lege Lebanon, as q lawyer. In 1852
he was elected state senator. and served
eight years. In 1860 he was elected
circuit judge. and served until 1872 Was
a member Of the constitutional conven-