The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1896-07-13
A BRILLIANT CAREER.
His Tongue Was Eloquent When
Member of the House.

Member of the House.
Washington. July tO.-There is nothing
In romantic literature that surpasses the
meteoric career of William Jennings Bryan
who was today nominated at chicago LOT
the highest office within the gift of the
American people. The constitutional age
OF presidents is thirty-flve years. Bryan IS
thirty-six ana II elected in November next
viii be the Youngest president the Whlte
house has ever known. lie Is essentially
q self-made man, and q man Of the peo-
pie. His principal education was Salheu
In the public schools Of Salem, H., "hefe
his Parents resided. During the succeed
ing six years me received an academic tram
ing. The bent Of his mind was toward the
law. and 1t was in the Office OF LYMAN
Trumbull. himself a conspicuous inquire
during the war, and the reconstruction Pc
Rod which followed that he laid the round
atoms of his legal career.
1t was in congress. however, that Mr.
Bryan made the reputation which has
swept him into his present prominence. In
1890, when only thirty years OF age, he was
elected "a member Of the house from the
first district of Nebraska, whore he located
Immediately after his admission 70 the par
During the consideration of the single
tariff bills. which were brought before the
house during the first session of that con-
gress Mr.. Bryan electrified his colleagues
10y the force ard vigor Of his utterances'
his intimate knowledge of economic mat
ters the gracefulncss Of his oratory ana MS
ability to sustain himself with credit
against the ablest dcbaters upon the repub-
lean side of the chamber. His time, on
that occasion was repeatedly extended, and
he spoke in all. several hours. lie awoke
the next morning 10 ina himself famous.
Nor was IL cphemeral fame. lie became
from that day conspicuous hSurS III "
house which included such giants OF de-
sNFIg ffatal~ ~ q
Cochran and John X. Fellows. of New
York: Dingley and Reed. of Maine' Spring
er. of Illinois: Lodge, of Massachusetts;
Oates, of Alabama, and William l.. VIII
son, of West Virginia, who now holds the
office OF postmaster general.
While Mr.. Bryan was not a free trader
he favored the lowest tariff consistent
with the necessities of the government,
and was placed by Speaker Crisp upon the
WAYS and means committee. an unusual
honor for a new man. When the hfty-third
congress met Mr.. Bryan had also achieved
O reputation as stanch supporter or free
silver, and when President Cleveland con-
vened that congress in extraordinary SEES
sion in the autumn of 1898, Br. Bryan was
Mr. BANDS efficient lieutenant in leading
the opposition TO the repeal to the pur-
chasing clause OF the sherman act. lie
continued in that congress as n member
of the ways and means committee. He was
CHARGE the internal revenue schedule of
what was subsequently known as the Viii
son tariff bills. and he shares with Mr.
Mcmillan, of Tennessee, in being the first
TO suggest the incorporation in that meas
ure of an income tax. Mr.. Bryan added to
his laurels as a brilliant and ready debater
during the discussion of that measure In
the house. and his influence was also ex-
erted in favor of the income tax, which
he regarded as one of its most essential
features. With this congress Mr.. Bryan's
congressional career ended. and he returned
to Omaha to accept the editorship of The
World-Herald of that city, although his
home for many years has been at Lincoln,
the state capital. Mr.. Bryan is about the
medium in height. His face is cleanly
shaven, and in appearance he resembles
the great Pennsylvania commoner, Samuel
]. Randall who, at Mr.. Bryan's age. might
readily have passed for the latter's twin
brother. He is a strict churchman, and on
several occasions during his residence in
this city addressed the Young Mems
Christian Association and other religious