The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1899-09-08
CREELMAN ON BRYAN.
Hc Considers the Nebraskan the
Foremost Statesman.
The Democratic Leader of Three Years
Ago and of To-Dav-Stronger Than
Ever-Looking Into the
Future.

man, the well-known correspondent,
thus voices his impression of William
Jennings Bryan:
Mr.. Bryan is not one of the most inn
pulsive men in America. The common
idea of him is that he is governed in
all things by his emotions. Nothing
could be further from the truth. His
habit of mind is orderly and deliber-
ate, and he is usually desperately slow
in making decisions. OF all the lead
ers of the democratic party, as it ex-
lists to-day, he is, perhaps, more la
borious and careful, more studious
and more suspicious of issues that orig
mate in popular clamor than any 9TH
er
This statement may surprise men
who look upon Mr.. Bryan as a mere
passionate orator. But it is the sim
pie truth. His political passions are
passions of what he conceives to be
principles. This is the key to the
Bryan of to-day. He is conservative
rather than radical, fundamental rath-
er than practical.
Since his nomination in 1896, Mr..
Bryan has grown graver, broader,
deeper. He has lost what was in him,
sectional feeling, and looks to the
swarming east to help the south and
west in the struggle against the
abuses of corporate wealth in politics.
He is more natural in his point of
view. To-day he seems to understand
that man may disagree with him on
the currency question and yet be I,
sincere democrat, as representing the
party creed as a whole.
Although l have not been a support
er 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 sectional leader, inspired but
enthralled by a single idea, into a
many-sided, responsible statesman. His
patient tact, his courageous devotion
to principle, and his power of COM
pelllng confidence in mis- honesty are
gradually reuniting the democratic
party.
Most Astute Politician.
Let no one be deluded by the idea
that Mr.. Bryan does not understand
party politics in all its ramifications.
should say that he is at this moment
the most astute politician in the Unit
ed States. Think of the extraordinary
| ability and knowledge Iequiredto hold
| in union the democratic, populistic
and free silver republican parties;
| think of defeated candidate who can
for three years, without power or
| place, hold the attention of the entire
nation, speak boldly and without re-
serve on every public issue in time
of constant and fierce excitement, and
| yet not make a single political blum
der; in these three years he has be-
come more moderate in speech and less
rhetorical. He is reasonable rather
than dictatorial.
| speak of him as a profound and
masterful politician, because that is
the side of his character not generally
understood. Neither Senator Hanna
President Mckinley, David B. Hill. Ar.
thur p. German nor Richard Croker
! is in the same grade with him as !
party politician. He seems to rule
without threats, without promises and
without money. He is building up ar
organization that will compare in com
| pleteness with any that has existed
since the civil war. He is determined
that this party shall not go into the
next campaign in fluid condition. Il
Mr.. Bryan has a serious fault as poll
tician, it is his inability to yield oil
seem 10 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 thu
comman sense of the common people
Mr.. Bryan's deep religious convictions
control him in his attitude toward tn,
masses. He firmly believes that the
hand of God is always present in tn,
affairs of men, and that il is a part OF
the divine plan to work out every gooo
1
other words, through the majority.
Stronger Than Ever.
No unpreludiced man can trave
through the various states to-da,
without recognizing the fact that Mr.
Bryan is much stronger and mucl
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. Bu
what has most impressed me is the
large and constantly increasing fol
lowing he has among business mer
now.
His refusal to engage in personal
attacks on the president, his decent
and dignified manner of speech anC
his opposition to national policy o.
! foreign adventure seem to have broker
down the prevailing distrust among
/ lapitimafa hucinaeE man The frutl