The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-11-11
BRYANs GREATNESS SHOWN.
Calm Dignity and Wonderful Self Control IN
der Assaults of Political Foes.
baltimore SUM-

The Hon. William Jennings Bryan
finished the campaign with nothing to
regret. In September Mr.. Bryan told
the Sun that he was contending for
a cause with as little regard as pos
sible for his own personal association.
If he won, it would be remarkable
victory If he lost, he would be sus-
tanned by the knowledge that he had
done his best. And in doing his best
he has conducted the most remarkable
campaign in the history of the coun-
trya And at its close he has the con-
fidenee, the esteem and the affection
of as large a proportion of his fell
low-citizens as any American has ever
enjoyed since the days of Andrew
Jackson. The contest against him was
waged with certain degree of vio-
lence, but through it all he preserved
81 calm dignity, a serenity and cour-
tesy of manner which should be an
example to all candidates. Never once
did he yield to the temptation to make
any personal assault upon those who
attacked him. He was sheltered be.
hind a shield of faith. which protected
him from a host of assailants. In
every live issue in the campaign he
against radicalism and revolution. He
planted his feet upon the Constitution
and stood where the fathers of the Re
public stood before him. He advocated
the great cause which the democratic.
the conservative people of the land
had committed to him. as their leader.
with an ability and elOquence which
attracted more men to see and to hear
him than ever before gathered around
public man in this country. His
physical endurance seemed scarcely
less than miraculous.
1t has been and still is the fashion
of bitter partisans to denounce Mr..
Bryan as a demagogue. as an eXtrem-
list, as snowy, but without depth or
breadth of intellect. In every position
which he assumed in this campaign
and in every policy he advocated he
can give Jefferson, Jackson and other
great Democrats as presidents. If in
the cause he maintained in this cam
paign he was a demagogue, then JEFF
ferson was a demagogue. If in his
opposition to the money power he is
arraying class against class what
shall be said of Jackson and Taney in
their campaigns against the banks.
Those persons who deny the ability
of Mr.. Bryan should consider his
career. He started in life with no
greater advantages than come to the
average American boy, and less. per-
haps, than have been enjoyed by his
critics. AT an early age he entered the
House of Representatives the greatest
arena in The world. and there attract
ed the attention of the country by a
speech on the tariff which ranked
with the best ever delivered in that
chamber. Although subjected to a
crushing defeat in 1896, his renomina-
ton from the day after that election
was never in doubt. He commanded
it by the hold he had upon the con-
fidence and the place he had in the
affections of the people. His has not
been the career of an ordinary man.
A demagogue could not have attained
to the place he has reached. Nor
could mere elOquence have command
ed it. There must be more than this.
and there IS more.
Mr. Bryan is beloved by the Ameri-
can people because he is a patriot and
man OF blameless life. In these re-
spects he is pattern for American
youth at a time when the love of
money, with many. takes the place Of
love OF country. If, having failed to
reach the Presidency, his State should
send Mr.. Bryan to serve his country
in the Senate, he would still be i'm n
position to avert from the Republic
some of the perils with which it is
now threatened.