Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-07-31

ers, which showed no signs oil tallors
attention.
He was punctual in his attendance,
sat throughout the long sessions and
then went home. The allurements Of
society, the official functions, the Sen
atorial teas and the congressional
junkets he put aside as pitfalls to be
avoided by man who came from q
district normally Republican, with
probably only two years to serve, and
with every incentive for a prudent
man suddenly raised from yearly
income of next to nothing to $1,000 to
save enough so that when he got back
to his dusty lawyers desk, empty OF
briefs, he could provide for his family
until his profession brought him SUBJ
stantial returns.
Bryan made friends even with his
great handicap of youth and inexperi-
ence. He had a charm of manner
that won him recognition and invited
confidence. Judge Crisp was i'm
pressed with the promise in the young,
smooth shaven member from the val
ley of the Platte. He had helped
Crisp in his canvass for the speaker
ship, and Crisp put him on the impor-
tant Ways and Means Committee
an exceptional honor, which, while it
gave him a standing, exposed the
speaker to much criticism
The wisdom of Speaker Crisp's judg-
ment in appointing the young Ne
braskan upon the Ways and Means
Committee was shown when Mr.. Bryan
made his first speech. 1t was brill
liant plea for tariff reform and made
the biggest hit of the debate.
The House was in confusion when
he began speaking, but in five min
utes every Democratic leader sat about
him listening jnten,ly. The Republic
cans soon paid the young orator the
same compliment, the galleries began
to fill up and the crowd remained until
he had finished.
Some OF the Republicans sought to
take advantage of his inexperience by
interrupting him with questions that
might have puzzled much older heads.
But Mr.. Bryan frightened under this
friction and forced one Republican af-
ter another into his seat, all of them
finding the young Nebrasksn more
than their match. He argued his case
with dramatic directness that aroused
not only the enthusiasm of the Demo-
Gratis, but won the applause of the gal
leries.
FIRST RECOGNITION IN CONGRESS.
The first cheers the young man won
from his fellow congressman were
ELECTED by characteristic piece of
wit.
"There was once time in the his
tory OF Nebraska" he said, "when
there was a sheep there for every per-
son in the State. But now, if every
woman in Nebraska named Mary
wanted pet lamb. she would have to
60 out OF the State to get it,"
The peroration of that speech is
worth quoting, for it shows tersely the
stand Mr.. Bryan has taken on the
tariff question all through his public
career. 1t is as follows:
"The country has nothing to fear
from the Democratic policy upon the
tariff question. 1t means a more equal
distribution of the great advantages OF
this country. 1t means that the men
who produce the wealth shall retain a
larger share of it.
cit is for this reason that young
men of this country are coming to the
Democratic party. 1t is because we
are right, and right will triumph. The
day will come, and that soon, / trust,
when wiser economic policies will pre-
vail than those to which the Republic
can party is welded; when the laws in
this country will be made for all and
not for few; when those who an
nually congregate about this capital,
seeking to use the taxing power for
purposes of private gain, will have lost
their occupation; when the burdens Of
government will be equally distributed
and its blessings likewise.
"Hail that day! When it comes,
to use the language of another, De-
mocracy will be king. Long live the
kingP"
At the end of that speech the men,
bers of the House no longer ques-
toned the ability of the young man
Just come among them. Natures that
had been prone to discount the youth
full interloper from Nebraska recovered
from their error with no further de-
lay.
No one sneered at Bryan after that,
and there were few who dared to risk
the discomfort of tackling the 1.-the
westerner who was so quick and MINI
BILE on his mental feet.
All through that Congress-the
Fifty-second-Bryan was one OF the
most prominent figures in the House,
although he was its youngest men,
Der. He devoted limitless time to
tariff reform, and when he went back
to Nebraska it was with the knowl-
edge that he had fought good fight.
He entered the next Congress to
fight a new battle. He had joined
the forces of Mr.. BANDS free silver
warfare and became the first lieuten-