Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-09-13
Mistellaneolls 8eading.
WILLIAM ]. BRYAN.

James Creelman in New York Journal.
Mr.. Bryan is one of the least i'm
pulsive men in America. The COM
mon idea of him is that he is governed
in all things by his emotions. Moth
ing could be further from the truth.
His habit of mind is orderly and delib-
crate, and he is usually desperately
slow in making decisions. Of all the
leaders of the Democratic party as it
exists today he is, perhaps, more labo.
rious and careful, more studious and
more suspicious of issues that originate
in popular clamor than any other.
This statement may surprise men
who look upon Mr.. Bryan as mere
passionate orator. But it is the simple
truth. His political passions are pas
sions of what he conceives to be prin-
ciples. This is the key to the Bryan
of today. He is conservative rather
than radical, fundamental rather than
practical.
Since his nomination in 1896 Mr..
Bryan has grown graver, broader,
deeper. He has lost what there was
in him of sectional feeling, and looks
to the swarming east to help the
south and west in its struggle against
the abuses of corporate wealth in poll
tics. He is more national in his point
of view. Today he seems to under
stand that man may disagree with
him on the currency question and yet
be sincere Democrat, accepting the
party creed as whole.
Although 1 have not been sup.
porter of Mr.. Bryan, am convinced
by personal contact with him and by
my knowledge of what he has accom-
plished and is accomplishing now that
three years have changed him from a
sectional leader inspired but enthrall-
ed by single idea into many.sided,
responsible statesman. His patient
tact, his courageous devotion to prin-
ciple and his power of comprising con-
fdence in his honesty are gradually
reuniting the Democratic party.
Let no one be deluded by the idea
that Mr.. Bryan does not understand
party politics in all its ramifcations.
I should say that he is at this moment
the most astute politician in the United
States. Think of the most extraordi-
nary ability and knowledge required
to hold in union the Democratic, Pop.
ulist and Free Silver Republican par
ties; think of a defeated candidate
who can for three years, without pow
er or place, hold the attention of the
entire nation, speak boldly and with
out reserve on every public issue in
time of constant excitement, and yet
not make single political blunder; in
these three years he has become more
moderate in speech and less rhetorical.
He is reasonable rather than dictate.
rial.
Ispeak of him as profound and mas
terful politician, because that is the
side of his character not generally un-
derstood. Neither Senator Hanna,
President Mckinley, David B. Hill,
Arthur P. German nor Richard Croker
lis in the same grade with him as a
party politician. He seems to rule
without threats, without promises and
without money. He is building up an
organization that will compare in COM
pleteness with any that has existed
since the Civil war. He is determined
that his party shall 60 into the next
campaign in a fluid condition. If Mr..
Bryan has a serious fault as a politi-
clan it is his inability to yield, or seem
to yield.
His personality is something phe-
nomenal. He dominates everything
about him. In this respect he unfor-
tunately resembles Mr.. Cleveland; but,
unlike Mr.. Cleveland, he trusts the
common sense of the common people.
Mr.. Bryan's deep religious convictions
control him in his attitude toward the
masses. He firmly believes that the
hand of God is always present in the
affairs of men, and that it is part of
the Divine plan to work out every
good thing through the average mind
in other words, through the majority.
No unprejudiced man can travel
through the various states today with
out recognizing the facts that MIR.
Bryan is much stronger and much
more firmly intrenched in the conf
dence of the multitude than he was
at any time during the last presiden-
tial campaign. He is the supreme,
unchallenged leader of his party. But
what has most impressed me is the
large and constantly increasing follow
ing he has among business men now.
His refusal to engage in personal at
tacks on the president, his decent and
dignifed manner of speech and his
opposition to a national policy of for
eign adventure seem to have broken
down the prevailing distrust among
Legitimate business men. The truth
is that Mr.. Bryan is today the great
barrier against state socialism in
America. Were it not for his unceas-
ing labors, his open and real sympa-
thy for the millions who suffer in the
shadow of remorseless corporate greed,
and his power of convincing the des-
perate and desparing that their cause
can be won without overturning the
present order of government, state
socialism would be kindled into life.
Hundreds of thousands of men who
look with kindly eyes upon govern
ment confscation of trust as a relief
for the present top-heavy, unequal
condition of the nation have been
drawn into support of the Democratic
party through their belief in Mr.. Bry.
lan,s sinceritv He hridyeS a great Gulf