The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-06-16
WAS DUBBED "SILVER DICK"
He H ! Never Recovered from
(
$a Winter Cold.
~
: =
F. sc DURING LAST CONGRESS
- -
-
- ,
- Was a Prominent Candidate for the
$ Presidential Nomination Against
Bryan in 1S96-A Unique
Character of Politics.
e DURING LAST CONGRESS

| Lebanon, Mo-, June 15.-Congressman
Richard Parks Bland died at his home near
Lebanon at 4:30 a. peacefully and with
| out apparent suffering
| Mr. Bland returned home when congress
| adjourned in March and soon suffered re-
| lapse from an attack of la grippe. For more
than two months he had been confined to
him home, and his health gradually de-
clined He thought he would survive the
attack from the first and showed his thor7
| ough knowledge of his condition.
| On the Sd of this month Mr.. Bland sud-
| denly grew worse, and his sons, who were
| in school, were summoned home, and for
| the first time the public was informed of
| his critical condition.
From time to time since then the patient
showed signs of improvement but.the ply
sicians in charge would offer very little
hope to his family and friends. z,,..
The Last Rally
He continued to lose his vigor and grew
weaker. On Sunday and Monday he pres
sented an improved condition and his FAM
lily took new hope, and late Monday after
noon there were many expressions that Mr..
Bland was getting better.
About l o'clock Tuesday night, however,
| he fell asleep, and continued in that con-
| dition until death relieved him today.
| His family is prostrated with grief All
| the community is bereaved. The funeral
will take place at Lebanon at o'clock SAT-
| urday afternoon.
Mr. BANDS remains will be placed in
the opera house tomorrow, and viii lie in
state for twenty-four hours. The funeral
will ba IIy tba rda
and all the ministers of Lebanon will be
present to assist.
Private Secretary Bell has notified the
clerk of the house Of representatives of Mr..
Bland's death, requesting him to appoint
a committee of members to attend the
funeral. Prominent friends of Mr.. Bland
throughout the country have been notified
of the funeral arrangements.
Unique Political Character
Richard Parks Bland was born near
Hartford, KY, August 10, 1885. He was or
phaned at an early age and worked during
the summer months in order to obtain
means with which to attend school In win
ter When he became of age he taught,
and SO was enabled to follow his academic
studies. Later he studied law, was adj
mited to the bar and practiced his profess
sion.
Mr. Bland was one of the most unique
characters in American politics. He was
commonly known as "Silver Dick" and
was frequently called the father of the sill
yer cause. He was a typical farmer in
dress, in manners and in his general hab-
itsh always simple, unassuming, easily ap-
preached and cordial.
In 1855 he removed to Missouri and thence .
to California and thence to that portion of
Utah territory now embraced in the state
of Nevada. He located at Virginia City,
whore he practiced law and became inter-
ested in mining operations in California
and Nevada. In 1860 he was elected
county treasurer of Carson county, and
continued in that office until the organi-
zation of the state government In 1865 he
returned to Missouri and located at Rolla
and practiced law with his brother, c. C.
Bland, until he removed to Lebanon, Mo-,
in August, 1862 There he continued the
practice of his profession.
In 1873 he was elected to the Forty-third
congress as a democrat from the Eighth
Missouri district. He served for eleven
successive terms, but was defeated in 1894.
However, he was again elected in 1885 and
again in 1898, and was serving at the time
of his death.
Candidate for President
Mr. Bland took q prominent part In the
deliberations of congress, and was regard
ed as the foremost silver advocate in the
house. He became in 1870 chairman of the
committee on mines and mining, and intro
duced in congress the well-known BLAND
BILL" which provided that the secretary of
the treasury shall purchase sufficient bull
lion to coin the minimum amount of So
100000 per month in silver dollars of 412h
grains each, and that these dollars shall
be legal tender. Mr.. Blands activity for
free coinage caused him to be known as
"Silver Dick Bland. He was a prominent
candidate for the democratic presidential
nomination before the Chicago convention
of 1896, and until Bryan appeared upon the
scene Bland was looked upon as the strong
est man. Mr.. Bland owned a large farm
near Lebanon No., which he cultivated in
the most approved style.
Diea a Poor Man
A dispatch was received from William J.
Bryan at Chicago, stating that he would
attend the funeral. Mr.. Bland left no life
insurance and died a comparatively poor
man. The funeral services will be con-
Quoted by the Masonic fraternity. Colonel 7
Bryan and all of the visiting congress
men are expected to pronounce brief eulo-
gies on the character and public services
of the deceased.