St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-08-04

Pol3hiSda IdIStA5 iSdll1 Deg dI@sf4 til Ills
| nomination for congress. The con
yention was held June 80, 1890. He
was given the nomination because, as
| he says no one else would take it.
| Before this Mr., Bryan had gained
fame as campaign orator. having
canvassed the district In 1855 in behalf
of j. Sterling Morton, afterward sec
retary of agriculture, and then can
didate for congress. Inat same year
he was made delegate to the state
convention, and offered the second
place on the ticket, but declined.
Prior to his nomination for congress
he had made several speeches in Oma-
ha and other towns in his state on
the tariff question. His defeat was
predicted by all except himself. The
campaign fought on the tariff issue
solely. Mr.. Bryan made an aggressive
campaign. He ran 1000 ahead of his
ticket. and received a plurality of 6,70o
over the man who had previously
beaten j. Sterling Morton by !, 500.
His success was rewarded at Wash
ington, where Speaker Crisp gave
him place in the ways and means
committee. Mr.. Bryan's first speech
in congress was delivered March IL,
1892. 1t was a plea for free wool,
and papers of all shades of politics
warmly commended it. In his second
campaign Mr.. Bryan faced a discour-
aging outlook. The state had. been
reapportioned in 1891. the First dis
trict being cut in two. with Omaha
eliminated. Allen W. Field was nom
mated as his republican opponent.
Judge Field resigned from the district
bench to enter the canvass. The dem
ocratic committee lacked funds, and
there was no outside assistance The
entire republican strength was con-
centrated against Bryan, the big rail-
road corporations openly fighting him.
Mr.. Bryan worked indefatigably in the
canvass. He again ran $500 votes
ahead of the ticket, being triumphant
II reelected.
Atthe next congressional session Mr.
Bryan was reappointed on the ways
and means committee and rendered
much service in subsequent tariff
legislation. His public speeches in
congress during his second term were
on the tariff. income tax, coming the
seigniorage, anti-option bill, election
of senators by the people, the railway
pooling bill, and some other measures
of Importance.
Early in 1894 he wrote a letter de-
elining to again become a candidate
tfor congressional honors. BY this
time he had become the recognized
leader of the Nebraska democracy
At the state convention, which met
September %, 1894, DR.. Edwards, of
Lincoln, placed Mr.. Bryan in nomina-
tion for United States senator Dele
gates from every section of the state
seconded the nomination, and on the
roll call It was made unanimous.
Then began a historic campaign.
The Nebraska constitution provides
that at the general election preceding
the election of senators by the legisla-
ture the voters of the state have a
right to declare their preferences for
that position. Mr.. Bryan's meetings
were largely attended and enthusi-
astic. Maj. Mckinley and, John NJ. |
Thurston were challenged to a joint |
debate. The former declined, but the |
latter accepted.
At the first debate the Omaha Coli
scum was crowded with 1900 people |
and at its close Mr.. Bryan was car
ried to the street by his enthusiastic |
admirers. Although the vote in the |
state legislature resulted in the cleo
tion of John NJ. ThurstonIto the Unit |