The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-06-07
WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN THE
MAN.

by James Creelman, in New York Journal.
"There is something about Mr.. Bryal
that makes all who associate with hin
more earnest, more ready to make sac
rifces and more Americana
The moral passion which dominate
and enfolds Mr.. Bryan's public life ii
also the key to his private character
When Cicero spoke the people said
GLOW eloquent is ,Cicero!" but whel
Demosthenes spoke the people said
"Let US go against Philip" There il
something about Mr.. Bryan that make
all who associate with him more earnest
more ready to make sacrifices, NOR.
intensely and peculiarly American.
There are no secrets in his life. To be
with him is like walking on the sea
shore in the sunlight. At forty he ha,
still the the unsullied ideals, the un
broken faith Of boy. And any man
may be his comrade if he will; nay, his
very brother.
The other night in Chicago commit.
tee Of strangers called to escort Mr..
Bryan to a public banquet. Mr.. Bryan
went on shaving himself before a
mirror while he talked to the committee
and presently the visitors were busy
putting the studs in his shirt bosom
An hour or two later he scared out oi
himself in really great oration, lifting
his hearers to the supremest heights ot
patriotic thought-an appeal for re.
public SO just in all it's ways, so majes-
tic in its virtue, that all the nations Of
the world would turn to it as the arbi.
traitor of their differences.
Mr.. Bryan is temperance incarnate.
He loves literature rather than art, the
trout stream rather than the theatre,
the farm rather than the city, the small
church rather than the cathedral. He
loves men more than books and books
more than money.
There was time when Mr.. Bryan felt
that some day the crimes of lawless
wealth and rapacious corporate power
against the to,lers Of the country would
bsins M on q phYHsical strgggle s sa,a,dl and ip
with The iierice, lnfofgIsinR spirit Of :
gladiator. But new tenderness Of
spirit has come into his life. He
seems to be filled with the idea that
love is the only uplifting force in the
world. and that love is as necessary
and as natural in politics and states
manship as in private affairs. l have
heard him talk of his enemies without
a word Of bitterness. l have heard him
defend Mr.. Mckinley from unjust at
tacks. He loathes and avoids person.
alities or abuse in conversation. This
is one of the noblest and most attractive
traits in his personal life. He is decent
and tolerant in his speech; fair, just,
even tempered,
Two days ago distinguished woman
said to me: "You haye associated with
Mr.. Bryan great deal. Isn't it a fact
that he is provincial, that he has not
polish enough for the White house?'
It is true that Mr.. Bryan is provincial,
but only in the sense that Abraham
Lincoln was provincial. He is careless
of his clothes but careful of his morals
He cannot speak French or lead cot
ilon, but he can give you in the pures
and sweetest English the story of th'
struggle of man for liberty in every age
and is familiar with the solid Literature
of the world. He has the outwardnes
of man who is big of mind as well a
of body. There is ruggedness of trutl
in all his ways. RHe lives simply AM
sometimes frugally, not because he care
for money or because he does not kno,
that there are other and more extrays
CANT ways of living, but because hi
. tastes are simple. The very simple
lity of his life and speech is corrollar
of his native dignity. His quaint point
are the quaintednesses of his countr.
Like Lincoln, his peculiarities are IL
signs of his pure and undiluted Amer
canism. Nothing can be more gracef
than his unaffected, sincere home lif
"a 1t may I've true that many Of the presel
elements Of social life in the Viii
house would be modified if Mr.. Brys
should be elected president, but
would bring to that place the glory
Il q manhood that has not been know
for many years. He will attract to Il
lxyL;xot ,o,oa ool,ol.~u otoNneuonu q.