The Washington herald., 1907-04-15

William Jennings Bryan. resident and
citizen Of Nebraska, but of the country
at large paid hurried visit to Washing
ton yesterday, and twice addressed q.
muiutude-first in the afternoon at a
J. NJ. c. a. mass meeting for men. and
again at night at a Lincoln memorial
service. Some months had elapsed since
his last visit 10 the Capital
The desire 10 see him and hear him was
the same as in years past. From tie
hour of his arrival. at noon. until his de-
parture about midnight, there was con-
slant pressure on the part Of personal
and political friends to shake his hand
and have word with him.
For eleven years the foremost Democrat
of the nation and dominant factor in his
party; twice the defeated standard bearer
in Presidential contests, and the probable
Democratic nominee In 1865 he is ths
same Bryan that Washington knew when
he was In Congress magnetic. cordial,
eloquent, and a fuli-biooded American.
Marks of Increasing Years.
Only in personal appearance have the
| strenuous life lie leads and The accl!mu-
/ iating years left their impress. Buoyant
as ever, he is 10 longer so youthful
/ looking. His features are not so classic.
! He is heavier. the lines about his mouth
and eyes are deeper. and his badness
more marked But there is the winning
smile as Of old the pleasing ring Of his
/ voice, and the sincerity Of manner that
| combine as ever 10 mark him a man
| among men.
/ He is the very soul Of frankness in his
/ intercourse with friends There is uo
/ assembling. He has convictions and the
/ courage OF them. There are those who
say he lacks the saving grace of humor.
/ but few minutes talk with him must
/ necessarily raise d doubt on that score
I His conversation is usually interspersed
| with anecdotes and apt Illustrations. and
/ lie refers with keeuest relish 10 cartoons
and editorial W1tucisms at his expense.
/ showing ready appreciation Of the
/ humorous points involved. Bat Withal
/ he IS sefi0Gs-minded mana man OF &
/ high ideals with mission TO perform;
/ Of lofty aims and ambition, and n rugged
| determination 20 accomplish things.
/ Smiles at AIIusfOns 10 Presidency.
| When enthusiastic admirers tell him
/ that he viii be elected President next
year. he only smiles; when reference is
made TO John Temple Graves proposal.
that he Bryan make it unanimous for
Roosevelt next year. he adds 10 the smile
a laugh, and reiterates the inquiry. WHY
not la F0llette?' That is a little Joke
of which he is obviously fond
He likes to come 10 Washington. and
says SO. lie would come ofteuer If he
could. There IS SO much going on here
he said. He expressed surprise TO fnd the
city So quiet now. There was a twinkle
in his eye when he said this, and il was
evident that he had in his mind the
political brain-storms that have been de-
Yeloping here of late and have agitated
the entire land.
In City Twelve Hours.
Mr.. Bryan was in Washington exactly
twelve hours.
He arrived three hours late from Char
lottesviIIe. Va. getting in at noon and
missing his engagement to talk 10 the
Sunday school Of the First Presbyterian
Church
After an informal reception at the Net
ropolitan Hotel. Mr.. Bryan Iunched at Col.
r. y. Harper's residence. 1915 Sixteenth
street, in company with a small gather
ing Of representative Washington men:
drove 10 the National Theater and deIiv-
cred his noted lecture on prince OF
Peace" before a distinguished audience;
made quick change al his hotel and re-
ceived more Democratic admirers. ate a
hasty dinner, attended the Lincoln
memorial services at the Columbia
Theater, where ne paid an eloquent trib-
ute 10 the memory Of the martyTed Presi-
dent, and took the midnight train for New
York.
In bi- , r.,.r,,,,,, -77.- ~
kept almost entirely 10 d religious theme,
his lecture being in the nature Of d ser
mon upon the life of Christ with d scat
tering Of practical Illustrations and A
yelled alIusion or two 10 some Of the
issues Of the day.
He steeTed the bark of his oratory
clear of political reefs and in fact. the
only remark he made that was accepted
by his hearers as having any bearing on
the political situation was d probably
uniutentional lab at the big stick
when he alluded to the propensity OF
human beings toward trying TO compel
people to think as they do by use of a
club, if necessary.
Eloquent on Lincoln.
In his address on Lincoln. Mr. Bryan
turned ali the fire of his eloquence, euIo-
gistically upon the name of the great
American. a tribute that time and again
brought forth storms of applause from
his hearers. But here as in the after
noon, Mr.. Bryan carefully avoided touch
ing upon political issues. and those ardent
Democrats who swarmed to the meeting
IN the expectation Of hearing the noted
leader Of their party deliver some of his
most telling shafts in the direction Of
their friends the enemy. were doomed to
That the desire to see and hear Afr
Bryan is as strong as ever was uts6e
manifest by the magnitude OF The crowds
that gathered on the three occasions upon
which he was expected TO make himself
heard. In the morning. the large congre-
cation of the First Presbyterian Church
was augmented by hundreds of visitors
from all sections OF the city, coming 10
hear Mr.. BTyan's remarks 10 the Sunday
school classes.
When il became known that the Ne
D-eskan had not arrived In Washington
II $50. as scheduled, and that be could
cot get in before u:30, the greater portion