Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-07-16

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1t is with no ordinary emotions that
anybody who has watched the course
of the great commoner, William j.
Bryan, can hear him utter his impas-
stoned appeals to the people to heed
before it is too late the lessons which
passing events teach with such sober
and impressive earnestnesS. He is
eminently a man of the people. This
is recognized at glance. Nobody
can look into his earnest eye without
being satisfied that he is the cmbodi-
ment of sincerity and honor; nobody
can listen to his words without feeling
that they flow directly from the heart ;
nobody can witness the energy, the
endurance, the application of mental
and physical power to the mission he
has resolved to accomplish, the re-
enthronement of the peoples money,
without believing that he is indeed
the chosen one to lead the masses to
the land of deliverance; and, indeed
that there must be higher power be-
hind his wonderful efforts, just rs we
have been taught to believe that Wash
ington was the instrument in the hand
of Providence for relieving our nation
from slavery scarcely worse than
that imposed by the rule OF the greed
for gold, and that Lincoln was exalted
from obscurity to strike the shackles
from the limbs of the black man.
Mr.. Bryan is of stout build, rather
tiorid complexion, clear eye, pleasing
countenance, fine address, with many
visible evidences of energy and
strength pulsating in every vein and
muscle of his body. He is typical
American, and looks to be about forty
years of age, although this is a couple
of years i'll excess of his exact age. 1t
is said that the hard work he has done
since he has consecrated himself to
the cause of free silver has told con-
siderably on his splendid physique, but
if even this be true, he seems to pos
sess the concentrated energy of half-a-
dozen men all pulling in harmony to
accomplish the best results.
Mr.. Bryan is fairly idolized by the
people; and it was a notable fact that
he possesses the profound respect OF
many people who do not agree with
him on the currency question, not
withstanding the Oregonidn malig-
nantly stigmatizes him as a quack.
There is one thing connected with
the ovation at Portland that must be
said, notwithstanding it is an unpleas-
ant task to find fault with those who
should have been hosts in political
sense, if not for the fair credit of the
leading city of the Northwest, and
that is that the demonstration was a
success despite the mismanagement OF
the silver men having it in charge
There seems to have been pickering
and dissention in preparing the pro-
gramme, and at the eleventh hour
radical changes were made in the re.
ception of Mr.. Bryan which were un.
authorized by those who should have
had something to say in the matter
One of these untoward events was the
side-tracking of the guest of the day
at Watson's restaurant, when it had
been given out, and ample prepare.
tiOns made for, the dinner to take place
at the Imperial hotel. This disap.
pointment was augmented by the
loss of time that was caused by the self
constituted committee and Mr.. Wat.
son in performing a function that
probably had its origin more in bust
ness than patriotic or even political
instinct. These gentlemen, if they
had an inordinate desire to advertise
either themselves, or the Watson res
taurant Ga very excellent establish.
ment, it may be remarked, en- passant)
should have remembered that Mr.
Bryan was the guest of the people
that his time was limited to about
three hours; that large crowd Of
just as sincere friends were waiting
outside, or at the Imperial, to take
him by the hand and wish him ant
his work God-speed. 1t may be thai
this was not forgotten, but that a sci
fish feeling predominated, in which
the prestige of the event for the few
counterbalenced any other benefit that
might have been shared by the many
possibly by rivals in the line of politi
cal preferment. Whatever was the
motive, it was under the circum
stances, exceedingly censurable, for il
debarred many who had travelled hun
dreds of miles to meet Mr.. Bryan o.
an opportunity to do so. 1t was fire.
quently said by visitors that there wa:
no longer any surprise that Oregon
rolled up a majority against Bryan
and free silver, if such were the meth
dds of the campaign. The visitor:
treated Portland we'll; they spent some