The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1900-07-20
NUMBER %.
TIE REAL BRYAN.

AIE hEAL u DhxAN
Whether he be right or wrong, the
fact that Bryan adhered to his position
ON the money question in spite Of
pressure and appeal seems t. have In.
creased the admiration for the courage
and sincerity Of the man. The States
has never agreed with Mr.. Bryans
views regarding the free coinage OF
silver. but IL has also never questioned
the honesty OF the views he held and
which he refused to sacrifice at what
he believed to be the dictates Of ex-
pediency. lie has been denounced
even by men calling themselves Demo.
Gratis rs a deniagogue. a clIarltan and
q headstrong theOrist, and even as a
fool, but Bryan for four years han been
unmOved by the criticisms Of his party
associates or the abuse Of his political
opponents, because though young in
years he Is so old.fashioned as to be.
lieve that the pathway to success lies
In keeping faith with the people and
sticking To principle. There are quite
a number OF people who dO not agree
with Mr.. Bryan in most things and
dissent from him in many, but Can not
help recognizing the independence and
courage which characterizes his splen-
did American maniiOOd. The iavOrite
and most frequent charge lodged
against Mr.. Bryan by those who do
not accept his way OF thinking is that
he IL a demagOgue. This charge. how.
ever, IL met by the following sketch 0f
Mr.. Bryan, which we reproduce from
the July number OF McClure's Maga-
zine:
Now, the truth OF the matter Is
that Mr.. Bryan is not u demagogue.
He Is absolutely honest, which denla.
gogue is not. He is absolutely brave,
which a demagngue Is mt. He Is pas
sionately sincere, which deniagague
is mot. When Mr.. Bryan came to
Nebraska, a dozen years ago, his town,
his congressional district, and bis
State were overwhelmingly Republi-
can. Bryan took up the cause Of tariff
reform, and fought a losing fight.
When lie became convinced that free
silver was right, he preached 1t In bis
congressional district with his party
organization and the odds OF battle
against. him. He ran for the United
States Senate in 1894 with his party's
State convention endorsement. II he
had trimmed little on free silver,
the Cleveland Gold Democrats might
haye turned the scales In his favor.
But he didn't trim; he lOst. When
Bryan left the volunteer army Of the
United States in 1898. his party had
been OppOsing the ratification 0f the
peace treaty with Spain. Bryan Op-
posed his party, and favored the rat
iHcatiOn Of the treaty. A dishonest
man would have gloried in fighting
the treaty. To-day silver sentiment
is dying in the West. Bryan would
not lose an ELECTORAL vote by abandon
ing silver. He would gain thousands
Of franchises In the East by such q
course. But because be believes that
the free coinage Of silver is right, wild
horses cannot drag him from his stand.
"Above everything else, Bryan per.
s0nally is what may be called a clean
man. lie Is member OF the Presby-
terian church, though he does not add
to his other fault the "vice Of piety."
His home life Is that Of the average
well-bred American-simple, Affection
ate, stimulating. He takes his wife
into partnership in all his interests.
She IS his only contldant and his final
adviser. In the town OF Lincoln,
which does not agree with him pOliti-
cally aud will not vote for him, Bryan
bears the reputation Of a straivhtf0r-
ward, honorable man, whose word Ia
good, and whose debts are paid when
they fall due. In the intrigues OF
local politics Bryan is not a dominant
force. He has never dominated there.
He talked himself into his hOn0rs In
local politics, instead Of winning them
In the caucus. Most men In Western
politics begin at the bottom-run for
county attorney or the Legislature,
= ase gtaduated into judicial nomina-
tisa. al ascend to Congress at the
clde q thqir political lives. Bryan,
AayItg 1ted his life after the
model1l6Ss the old school, began at the
tcb.
"Bty&qAAoNR his greatest personal
stres9tHtn the fact that he is to-day,
as he has ever been, utterly without a
political r1tchine. Other men In
Americanxpolitics stand or fall for
reasons outside their personality. Mr..
David HIN for instance, is a geo.
; graphical location. n Mr.. Mckinley IL
a kind Of syhdiate~ Roosev velt stands
for an ideal ~ civic righteousness.
,, , Nj. Croker Is an impudent appetite
; Quay 10 y system Of wireless tele'
graphy. But Bryan is Bryan, and
Bryan Is his prophet. More power fol