Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1901-10-24
Writes the Columbia Herald a Most
Interesting Letter on William j.
Bryan and the ComrnOner.

never neSlUdUeo 10 pub MN uOWn ds
the first Of American speakers from
tile FIRST time I'heaTd him - Columbia
as he quietly talked to few dozen
hearers before he had bee8 thought OF
as candidate for the presidency. This
was the same week that George r.
Wendllng lectured in Columbia, ano
the editor Of the Herald may remem
Der that in a short article in his paper
/ drew a comparison between the two
speakers and held Mr. Bryan up as q
model speaker for the young men Of
the University. The finest speech
ever heard from any man was his
speech at the Opossum banquet at the
hotel In Columbia, the same evening
after his great grafton at the Uniyer
slty chapel.
What a career has this man had
since that day. Nothing in American
history is comparable 10 the two great
campaigns he made during his candi'
dacy for President Of the United
States. Although falling in the object
OF his ambition, he proved himself tc
be, beyond all question, the greatest
orator America has produced. This
place, in my opinion, he holds to-day
But it it is not only as an orator that
be has won the highest distinction,
/ regard him as the first American
statesman. This position / have been
led to accord him chiefly through the
editorials Of the Commoher. Defeat
has only developed the greatness Of
the man. Instead Of relegating
him to the shades of political quietude
and obscurity, it has only seemed tc
arouse in him higher appreciation Of
the great issues at stake and his own
ability and obligation to deal with
those issues.
Instead of retiring from politics as
his enemies predicted, and some of his
friends advised, be cheerfully accepted
the verdict Of the polls, and immedi-
ately cast about how he might best
continue to advocate the great prin-
ciples SO near to his heart. Instead OF
skulking, Ulysses-like, and whining
over defeat, he bore himself in such
way as to convince everybody, friend
and foe, that he ''would rather bC
right than President"
The project Of the Commoner was a
happy thought. With commendable
patriotism and with genius for work
unsurpassed, he has thrown all the
energies Of his heart and intellect in
to his great paper. Such a paper was
an untried field in American journal
ism and Mr.. Bryan was an inexperi-
enced editor. He was not long in dem.
onstrating that there was place fol
such a paper, and that he was the
man to make it power In American
politics. The publication Of the
Commoner constitutes a new era in
American journalism, and each sue
cessive issue of the paper furnishes
proof, not only of the great editor,
but the fact that the American pub
lie can appreciated such high-toned
and statesmanlike literature. The
publication Of such paper is COM
pliment from Mr.. Bryan to the Ameri-
can people, and the liberal patronage
it receives is the highest compliment
to the heart and intellect of the great
statesman.
Mr.. Bryan finds in the columns Of
his great weekly an opportunity pc
culiarly adapted to his varied talents,
that he could not have in any other
field of labor.
His paper occupies place unique
among American newspapers. 1t
covers ground occupied by no other
periodical. In these columns be calmly
and deliberately and from a states
mans standpoint, discusses the great
issues agitating the public mind, of
the day. / know Of no publication
where these great questions are dis
cussed so fairly or with so greatability.
He has the convictions Of a great
statesman and expresses them kindly,
but fearlessly. In handling these
great controverted questions he has
the chiyalry Of a Bayard and the cour-
teousness Of a Philip Sydney. No oman
ever dared discuss these great issues
with him from the platform, and woe
to the man who dares TO break a lance
with him through the columns Of the
newspaper. Nowhere has the ques-
tion of Imperialism been discussed so
extensively, and lis un-Americanism
shown up so numerically as in the
columns Of the ConmoRer. Those who
have not read Mr.. Bryan's paper have
failed 10 see the most extensive and
statesmanly review Of the Supreme
Court decision in the Porto Rico cases.
No one has answered Judge Brown SO
conclusively as Mr.. Bryan. But the
editor Of the CommoRsr is In his hap
piest vein in his replies to the gold
Democrats and reorganizers - these
men who, having failed by desertion
to destroy the party, now set them
selves up as reorganizers and leaders.
In all political literature l know moth
ing quite so rich as Bryan's extingulsh-
ment OF Col. Henry Watterson, editor
OF the Louisville C0WTier-yotirnaL And
yet in all this there is no bitterness or
vindictiveneSs in heart or language.
He is sweet in his disposition even
toward his enemies. No man has been
maligned and ridiculed as he, and yet
never an unkind word falls from his
lips or pen. How manly is his de-
pertinent since the assassination Of
President Mckinley. No more beau
tiful tribute to his personal worth,
private and family relatives, OF ex-
pressions OF sympathy, for his be-
reaved wife, than are found in the
editorial columns OF Mr.. Bryan's pa
per. And when the cruel charge is
brought against him, OF being parti-
ceps criminis, by his writings and
speeches. In the assassination OF Presl-