The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-07-01
The Dead Patriot was the Moses
OF the Silver Hosts.
WILLIAM ]. BRYAN IS THE JOSHUA
A Man of the Common People and
The Highest Motives.

Richard Parks Bland, the immortal
Missourian, is in his grave. After lifc's
fitful fever he sleeps well. He has fin
lshed the fight. He kept the faith Only
a representative in congrcss-one OF 357
he has a hold upon the public heart
such as has been cqualcd by very few
American statesmen. He will forever
remain one OF the most unique figures
in our annals. The history OF the rcpub-
lie cannot be adequately, even intelligi-
bly,, written without giving high place
and large space to this plain Missouri
farmer. AS the mighty Frederick said
OF his illustrious ancestor, the great cleo
tor, it may be truthiully said OF Bland,
This man did great things
That much must be admitted by every
candid mind, whether bimetallst, gold
bug, Democrat. Republican, Green
hacker, Populist or what not, says Con-
gresham Champ Clark in the St. Cloud
Times.
Yet it is simple truth to say-that he
possessed not one OF the characteristics
usually deemed necessary for great
public career. He was not an orator,
though his manner of speech was lumi-
nous. He was not profound scholar,
for his reading and his thought had been
confined almost exclusively to economic
subjects. He possessed not the glamour
OF military rcnown, yet he was brave
frontier Indian fighter He was not OF
commanding presence, though his rug
ged iacc was sure passport to the
affection OF his fellows. He had no
scnltlllating wit, no bubbling humor,
and was not skilled at rcpartcc, but his
utter fcarlcssncss in debate made his
antagonists give him wide berth when
he was on his feet He could hit and hit
hard, and this many OF them knew by
sad experience He had no wealth. On
the contrary, he was poor in this worlds
goods and had no desire for great riches.
He was not manipulation OF men or "a
practical politician" He had no more
idea OF how to lay wires, pull strings or
pack conventions than has my o-ycar- old
boy In him there was not even the
trace OF demagogy, and he had su-
preme contempt and lofty scorn for time
servers and double dealers. Tte had no
princely manners to win him friends,
for his were diffidcnt and brusquc. He
had no personal magnetism. and yet he
bound men to him with hooks OF steel.
Without arrogance he possessed an
honest, manly pride, which would not
have fattered Neptune for his trident
or Jove for his power to thunder Such
was his rectitudc OF soul that he would
not have abated one jot or title of his
political creed to have been perpetual
president OF the republic. He absolute
ly refused to stoop to conquer and look
ed with amazement upon those who
crook the pregnant hinges Of the knee
that thrift may follow fawning. No mat
ter who ran up Gessler's cap in the mar
ket place, this stalwart Missourian re-
fused to worship. Others might tempo
rize and do expedient things. He would
not; he kept his honor bright as the
spear OF Achilles or the plowshare of
Cincinnatus.
If this man was destitute OF the wiles
OF politicians, if he disregarded all the
cunningness of demagogues from the
time of Alcibiades to the present hour,
in what law tho cocrot of H., ,,,o.d.....
hold upon the minds OF men? What
made him force in politics with which
all statesmen in both his own and in
opposing parties had to reckon? To
young men contemplating public ca
reer | commend careful, even prayerful,
study OF this mans life, for long after
all the demagogues, manpulators and
time servers of our day molder in for
gotten graves historians will discuss and
applaud his deeds. His power was due to
his perfect integrity of mind, his rugged
honesty, his leonine courage, his devo-
ton to principle, his persistency OF pur-
pose. He was what Mark Antony
vaunted himself to be and what Mark
most assuredly was not, "a plain, blunt
man, who loved his friends" and they
returned his love in Scripture measure,
heapcd UP, pressed down and running
over. If he had understood anything of
political management, he would have
reached the White House, the ne plus
ultra, the ultima thule, Of human ambi-
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