The Taney County republican., 1899-06-22
HON. RICHARD p. BLAND.


sleeping. This caused anxiety during
the night, and his death, therefore, oc-
casioned no surprise.
The strain on Mrs. Bland'S nervous
system has been very great during the
past two weeks. and her friends are
alarmed at its effect. After her hus-
band lost the power of speech, Mrs.
Bland INDUCED the fond hope that he
would be able to speak to her before
he died, and insisted on retaining her
seat at his bedside both night and day
lest he should recover temporarily his
powers Of speech. and find her absent
from his side. She is now suffering Sc
verely from nervous prOstration, and
may not be able to be present at the
funeral.
Mr.. Bland leaves no life insurance
and dies a comparatively poor man
in material things, but rich in the af-
fectiOns of Il people whom he has faith
fully served for - years.
Sketch or Mr.. Eland's Iirc.
Richard Parks Bland was born in
Hartford, Ky, August 10, 1888. He
received an academic education, and
at the age of 20 removed to Missouri,
He shortly afterwarG went to Califor-
mia, and from there to that portion OF
Utah which is now Nevada. locating al
Virginia City. He had chosen the pro-
fession of the law, and built up a
good practice, although much of his
time and attention was given to the
mines in which he was interested. 1t
was at that time that he first began to
study the subject of silver, with which
his name was for many years so close
ly identified. His personal affairs did
not prevent his connection with public
and political matters, and he was
county, Utah territory, continuing in
Office from 1860 until the organization
of the state government of Nevada.
In 1865 he returned to Missouri, and
locating at Rolla, practiced law with,
his brother, c. G. Bland, for four
years, removing to Lebanon in August.
1869. He continued the practice of
law, and was elected to the Forty
third congress. He made coinage Il
study, and as chairman cf the house
committee on coinage, weights and
measures, he was first identified in the
public mind with the silver question.
He continued to merit the reputation
he had earned during this session as
the earnest champion of what he re-
gardcd as the great cause. He was re-
elected to the Forty-fourth, Forty
fifth, Forty-siXth, Forty-scventh. For
ty-eight, Forty-ninth, Fjftieth Fifty
first, Fifty-second and Fifty-third con-
crosses. He was defeated in 1894, but
in 1896 was elected TO the Fifty-fifth
congress, and to the Fifty-sixth con-
gress in 1898.
His services to his party were great
and he will always be RENE mbered in
history as the chief author of the
! measure which, since it's passage over
President Hays veto in 1873, has
caused the government to issue mill
, ions of silver dollars. Mr.. Bland was
Missouri's ''favOrite son" at the dem
ocratic national convention at Chica-
go in 1896, and for the first two Cavs
his nomination to the presidency
seemed to be certain. He was never
an orator, but had the happy faculty
of making his cause appear righteous.
lie was man of medium stature, al
ways plainly dressed in "statcsman's'
costume of black frocll coat and gray
striped trousers. He spoke in low,
and somewhat monotonous voice, but
notwithstanding this fact, he lee
tured in several OF the states On po-
litical subjects, and was always well
received.