The Irish standard., 1900-07-21

AoA oAoAl lllIle, ana tner
came to Chicago for two years. cours,
at the Union College of Law. Thu
was in 1881, and during the next two
years he was in the office of the late
Senator Lyman Trumbull, besides at
tending law classes.
AT the end OF his Chicago course Mr.
Bryan returned to Jacksonville and be-
gan practicing law with moderate sue.
cess. He stayed at Jacksonville unit
October, 1887, whe he removed to Lin.
coin, Neb., his present home. Some
legal matters in Nebraska had required
MIR. Bryan's personal attention. At his
first visit to the state capital he was SC
pleased with the place that he made ur
his mind to remain there. He opened a
law office in partnership with A. r.
talbot, who was a classmate of Mr.
Bryan's in the law school,
From the outset of his Nebraska
career Mr.. Bryan took part in politics.
In 1890 he was elected to congress from
the first Nebraska district over w. J.
Council of Omaha. Mr.. Bryan's polit-
lcal career really began with his nomi-
nation for congress. The convention
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 a campaign
orator, having canvassed the district in
1888 in behalf of ]. Sterling Morton,
afterward secretary of agriculture, and
then candidate for congress. That
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 Omaha
and other towns in his state on the
tariff question. His defeat was predict
ed by all except himself The cam
palgn was fought on the tariff issue
solely. MIR. Bryan made an aggressive
campaign. F1e ran 1000 ahead OF his
ticket, and received plurality of 600
over the man who had previously beaten
J. Sterling Morton by $500.
His success was rewarded at Wash
ington, where speaker Crisp gave him a.
place on the ways and means committee.
MIR. 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
laced a discouraging outlook The
state had been reapportioned in 1901,
the first district being cut in two, with
Omaha eliminated. Allen w. Field
was nominated as his republican ops
ponent. Judge Field resigned from the
district bench to enter the canvass. The
democratic committee lacked funds, and
there was no outside assistance. The
entire republican strength was concen-
trated against Bryan, the big railroad
corporations openly fighting him. Mr..
Bryan worked indclatigably in the can.
vass He again ran $500 votes ahead
OF his ticket, being triumphantly re-
elected
AT the 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, i'll
come tax, coming the seigniorage, anti
option bill, election Of senator's by the
people, the railway pooling bill, and
some other measures OF importance.
Early in 1894 he wrote letter de-
Ginning to again become candidate for
congressional honors. By this time he
had become the recognized leader Of
the Nebraska democracy. At the state
convention, which met Sept. 23, 1894,
DIR. Edwards of Lincoln placed Mr..
Bryan in nomination for United States
senator. Delegates from every section
Of the state seconded the nomination,
and on the roll-call it was made unani-
nous.
Then began historic campaign The
Nebraska constitution provides that at
the general election preceding the cleo
ton OF senators by the legislature the
voters OF the state have a right to de-
clare their preferences for that position.
MIR. Bryan's meetings were largely at
tended and enthusiastic. Major Nc
Kinley and John M. Thurston were
challenged to joint debate. The for
mer declined, but the latter accepted.
At the first debate the Omaha Coli
scum was crowded with 5000 people
and at its close Mr.. Bryan was carried
to the street by his enthusiastic ad-
mirers Although the vote in the state
Legislature resulted in the election of
John NJ Thurston to the United States
senate the popular vote showed that Mr..
Bryan received 10000 votes, Mr.. Thur
ston 1866, and the other republican
leaders even less. AS there were but
$4,000 democrats in the state Mr.. Bryan
ran 10000 ahead OF the total strength OF
the party. On his retirement from con-
gress he resumed the practice OF law for
time and later took up editorial work
on the Omaha World Herald
Though out OF public office Mr..
Bryan's political activities from this time
on were ipc,Sc,pt He ,,,ada coeachae