The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-07-16
WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN.
HISTORY OF THE MAN NOMI-
MATED AT CHICAGO YES
TERDAY.
ONLY TH|RTY-S|X YEARS OF AGE
Was Born in Salem, ILL.,, in 1S6O-He
Had Lived But Three Years in
Nebraska When He Was
Elected to Congress.

he was 10 years old, when he went to
the public school at Salem, which he at
tended for five years. At the age of Is
he went to the Whipple Academy in
Jacksonville ILL.,, which is the prepara-
tory department of the Illinois College,
located at the same place. He spent
two years in the academy and four years
in the college, taking Il classical course.
He represented his college in the inter-
state oratorical contest in 1880 and was
class orator and valedictorian in 1881.
He then went to the Union College of
Law in Chicago and while in attendance
there was in the Office of Lyman Trum-
bull. He left the law school June IS,
1888, and went to Jacksonville to prac-
tice law, remaining at Jacksonville until
October, 1887, when he removed to Lin
coin, Neb., going. into partnership with
A. r. Talbot. classmate of the law
school. He had taken part in political
campaigns since 1880 and made num-
Der of speeches. He took part in the
campaign of 1888 in Nebraska and was
nominated to represent the first district
in congress in 1890. He was elected by
the majority of GLIB, although the dis
trict had gone Republican by 3400, when
Secretary Morton had been defeated in
1883, and was thought to be certainly
Republican. He supported Springer for
speaker in the Fifty-second congress,
from whose district in Illinois he came
originally. This led to his being put
on the ways and means committee in
congress, of which Springer was chair
man, and on March 6, 1892 he made a
tariff speech that was the sensation of
the day and was literally distributed as
campaign literature.
He was reelected in 1892 in spite of
the fact that the legislature had re-
districted the state and his district in
the previous election had given the Re
publican ticket about 340O majority. He
was elected by 40 votes.
In the Fifty-third congress he helped
to frame the Wilson bill, being mem
Der of the ways and means committee
and took an especially active part in the
income tax provisions.
AT the close of the debate on the in
come tax in congress on August 3, 1898
at a special session, he delivered a three
hours speech against the repeal of the
Sherman law, the speech being more
largely circulated than the Tariff speech
had been. He also spoke in favor of the
bill to coin the seigniOrage and spoke
against Carlisle's currency policy anG
also against Cleveland's gold contract.
In 1894 he became candidate for the
United States senate and announced
that he would not be candidate for the
{. lower house. He was nominated fol
United States senator in the conven
ton, and the Populist candidate of his
district was endorsed by the Democrats
of the house of representatives. The
ensuing legislature being Republican, j
Nj. ThurstOn was sent to the senate and
the Republican candidate in his former
district, j. j. Strobe, was elected by
5000.
During all three of the campaigns he
challenged the opposing candidates to a
debate and several discussions were
held.
After his retirement from congress nc
took up the practice of law in Lincoln
again, but the silver campaign opening
he found that the calls upon him fol
speeches and campaign work were sc
frequent that he was forced to give up
his law practice.
In September, 1894, he became editor
in-chief of the Omaha World Herald and
had control of it's editorial policy on
state and national questions.
Mr.. Bryan is a man of small means
He was married October /, 1884, to
Miss Mary Baird of Perry, ILL.,, who at
tended the female academy in Jackson
vile when he was in the other school at
the same place, and who graduated the
same week that he did and was also the
valedictorian of her class. She studied
Il Al. Ill
companionable to him. She is a year
or two younger than he. Three chill
dren have been born to them, Ruth, 10
years old; William, Jr., about Z, and
Grace, about 5.
Mr.. Bryan is a Presbyterian, having
joined the Cumberland Presbyterian
church at the age of IA. He is now a
member of the First Presbyterian church
of Lincoln. His father was Silas l..
Bryan, who was a circuit Judge at the
time of his sons birth, and served in
that capacity from 1860 to 1872 on the
bench of Illinois. Judge Bryan moved
on farm short distance from Salem
when his son was 6 years Old and from
that time until he was % years old,
Bryan spent his summers on the farm
In 1872 his father ran for congress on
the Greeley ticket and was defeated by
240 votes. His family comes from Vir-
Rlnla. Ills IatIleT was Dorm III CulDeDDer
county in that state and died in Salem,
ILL.,, in 1880. His mother. whose name
was Marie Elizabeth Jennings, was born
in Marion county, Illinois, and died in
Salem a week ago last Saturday, after a
protracted illness.
| In appearance ir. Bryan is impress
sive, his face indicating intellectually
and power as well as good nature.
There is a notable absence of the boyish-
ness shown in the pictures and litho-
graphs of him which have been circu-
lated. He is affable and kindly in man
ner, easily approachable and does not
lack dignity. In appearance he is an
illustration Of the fact that some men are
never accorded justice by a picture,
which. in his case, does not prepare one
for the expression of keenness shown in
his face.
Mr.. Bryan lives well in commodious
dwelling in the fashionable part of Lin
coin. The study, in which both Mr.. and
Mrs. Bryan have desks, is very attract
i've room. 1t is well 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 Judge Field to refute the latter's
boast of the effect of high protection.
| oct vaor Mr. ,-oe oolynJ &c bo