The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-09-30


schoolhouse yard or courthouse
square for an hours speech. Pull
ing and hauling crowds surge about
him. l wonder that he does not be-
come deaf from bands and cheer
ing multitudes. He will shake hands
with possible 1000 people in a
day. He. will stop to speak to an
old or infirm man who is unequal
to the task of reaching the candi-
date, or woman or child
II am very glad to meet you,
madam" he will say to the wife Of
some stranger who insists that Mrs.
Stranger shall meet Bryan. In a
very Nebgaska way he will interest
ingly talk of farming with farmers;
in very fatherlike way he will
take the hand of the boy or girl
who may press forward to greet
him; in a very Chicago way he will
talk with a manufacturer; in a very
New York way he will hustle and
catch his train.
Mr.. Bryan sometimes dictates to
two stenographers simultaneously
another feat He will speak in the
| average day, Rose estimates, from
$4,000 to 100 200 words. lii the east
from $4,000 to 100000 people heard
, his voice daily, and he may have
also covered 1000 railroad miles
| One day he made total of 10
speeches. His record is SO speeches.
| And Rose, one of the fastest short
hand reporters in the world, who
has been with Bryan in there cam
paigns, takes" them all.
Bryan's physician ordered him to
make only one long speech a day.
Some days he delivers four or five.
His voice frequently gets husky at
night, but Is fresh each morning.
He consumes glass of water
every % minutes while speaking.
when / first began running for
president" he will say, and drink a
! glass of water while the crowd is
laughing. In clinching an argument
| he slaps his hands, right on left,
hard--very hard-and his palms
are always red at night. In hot
weather he will change dozen
| wilted collars in a day.
He eats heartily. Sweet corn is
his piece de resistance. he ven rel
ishing it at breakfast. He is regu-
lar in his meals. He masticates his
food well. Milk is his favorite drink
did not see him smoke. Ginger
ale at night Is his dissipation.
Day in and day out, Sunday ex-
cepted, Bryan continues this pace,
Great questions, such as the Has
kell controversy. are manipulated
by him largely of his own initiative.
He thought of writing the famous
open telegram to Roosevelt. Next
morning 1t was done. In everything
he thinks quickly and acts with
conservative elaboration.
His principles are high in his
every day life. He tries to ease the
hard work of the reporters by tell
ing them In advance of his move
ments. He thanks the car chef for
a good meal. He carries his own
satchel. He never embarrasses an
engineer or conductor by being late
for the train. He pays his own
travelling expenses, as do the re.
porters. He writes to Mrs. Bryan
daily. and has time to discuss her
affairs. To the reporters who have
been living at Lincoln, he said at
lunch: Mrs. Bryan writes that she
has picked a large quantity Of
those small onions. That is hard
job, too"
He is always considerate and
kind. One night. at a reception,
Bryan heard that one of the re-
porters was i'll. He took carriage
to the station and saw that the
newspaper man was having proper
care.
When the days work is done, he
/ and his little cabinet" como to-
gether in the car and talk it all
over. between sandwiches. But |
have seen him so weary at night
that his eyes closed before he could
prepare for bed.
Mr.. Bryan's enthusiasms are
based on careful reasoning. The
reports he received during the week
| was with him encouraged him, |
believe that he believes his election
is probable.