The Savannah morning news., 1903-10-13
COL. BRYAN A RICH MAN.
He Lives in "a 100000 House and
Has n Good Income.

Has n Good Income.
Lincoln (Neb.) Correspondence of the
>1e1v York Sun: Col. William Jennings
Brvan has not yet earned the title OF
"Tincoln's richest citizen" but in the
mast three years he has made rapid
strides toward that honor. After the
election of 1896 ne issued an address
70 his supporters in which he said:
The Republican candidate has been
Ieralded as the advance agent of pros
uerity. If this proves to be true. we
will all share in that prosperity"
For once the Colonel and the gift of
accurate prophecy. He has prospered,
and prospered very we'll.
Lincoln bankers hesitate about plac-
ing an estimate upon Col. Bryan's
wealth. One said that he was easily
worth a quarter of million dollars.
Another placed it at $200,00O.
In actual visible property, less than
s75. 200 is out to Col. Bryan's credit. OF
This sum the home at FairvieW repre-
sents possibly 100000.
The house. a large, substantial brick
structure of twenty-five rooms, stands
on a large knoll, in the midst of the
Bryan farm. The house was originally
OOcNi
after the usual notifications and
changes, nearly twice that sum.
The outbuildings are of brick and
stone and represent pretty sum. The
land itself is valuable.
Mr. Bryan disposed of the downtown
residence which achieved considerable
pictorial fame in his two campaigns,
some months ago. He parted with it
for $5, 600 cash to a banker.
The money! was at once invested in
a downtown lot, whereupon, in the near
future a building to house the Com
moner will be erected. His other hold
ines in and about the city are valued
at about $1,000 or $4,000. His Com
moner outfit was put upon the taxroll
by himself as valued at $4,000.
Mr.. Bryans first draft upon the fame
he won as Democracy's standard bearer
in 1896 was for $4,000, the proceeds of
his book THE First Battle" Half
of this sum was invested in govern
ment bonds and the remainder went as
a contribution to the silver cause.
Between 1896 and 1900 Mr.. Bryan
made a very large income by lecturing.
He was able to command his own
terms.
He never made an charge for the
political speeches hermade, but when
ever an admittance fee was charged
he exacted his share of the proceeds.
The stories circulated in 1900 that he
charged for the political addresses he
made arose from the fact that, the ma
tiOnal Committee being without funds
to pay for his special train, the va
rious state and local committees were
assessed by the speakers bureau for
expenses
In January. 1901, Mr.. Bryan began
the publication of his weekly news
paper It has been tremendous
II
ton fully paid, of $4,000. Last week
the issue was 14S,000.
If the concern were capitalized on
the basis of it's net earnings at g. per
cent, it would be worth all the way
from quarter to a half million dol
lars Local publishers estimate it's net
earnings all the way from 500, 600 to
900 year At the Commoner office
no hint of the real cleanup is given.
When Mr.. Bryan was first elected
to Congress he was earning scarcely
$4,000 a year as a lawyer. This was
doing about as we'll as the average
practitioner of his age here.
Mr.. Bryan was not remarkable as
an astute attorney; he had not had
time to leave any impress upon the
bar of the state before he was whirled
into politics. He was recognized as a
very good jury lawyer, and the Judges
say they liked to listen to his argu-
ments because of his lucid method of
presentation.
He came back to Lincoln from two
terms in Congress with his practice
somewhat demoralized, but in the two
years between then and his nomina-
tion for the presidency he had more
than regained the lost ground. Since
1896 he had done very little law work,
and he definitely abandoned it in 1897
The colonel's ability as money max
er was demonstrated. after his first
defeat, by the success of his book
Additional evidence was given when he
began the publication of his newspa-
per.
With sublime confidence in his own
powers, he disdained the advice TO Sc
cure a practical newspaper man as
his business manager. He installed
ms brother in that post, but he him
self has been the man behind the pro-
Ject Without the aid or counsel of
men experienced in newspaper cirCu-
Iauon departments he secured a paid
up circulation of $4,000 weekly before
the first issue was printed When it
came out ne had almost doubled that
number.
Since then each month has seen a
steady growth. Predictions to the eff
1ect that his success would be ephe-
neral were disregarded, and time has
proved his wisdom. He insisted then