Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-10-12
Bryan at Quincy.


The Quincy Herald, which opposed
Bryan in 1896 and was, indifferent to
ais candidacy in 1900, has this to say
VI his reception in that city last Fri
uay night:
William Jennings Bryan is coming
into his own. This great outpourIng
Of citizens, the sincere admiration Of
fered, the spontaneous tenders of sup
port, all mean much. Collectively they
indicate the final achievement OF the
honest desire of the Nebraskan to be
faithful and good president for the
whole American people.
Bryan believes that this is the hour
of his opportunity. He has the most
absolute and perfect confidence in his
election this year that man could
possibly hold No doubt crosses his
mind. When it comes to analysis and
computation he may not be prepared
to specify, but of the general result
he is as certain as that there will be
Sunshine and margueriteS next year
In casual conversation with a Herald
Representative on the train from
IGalesburg to Quincy yesterday this
Iserene and almost chiid-like confidence
was steadily manifested. AS Chris
titan has faith in mis- God, so has Bryan
in his star. He is kindly and good
: humored about it, and gives and takes
jests about his habit Of running fol
the presidency, but he thinks and feel!
differently from former campaigns
Although the ablest politician i'll Amer
lea, he is as frank as a school boy, anC
indeed it is this quality of franknes'
that makes him the masterful politi
clan. He takes the people into hi:
confidence. 1t was indeed said of hin
of old that he 'confidenced' them. Blu
that no longer passes as coin. vision
, larry he may appear to some of thu
coldly practical but he is absolutel.
isincere and honest. His faith in mel
1 is of the quality that makes men bette
, and may perhaps raise them to hi; owl
6 visionary plane. 1t is absurd to cal
the Bryan of 1898 dangerous. NO MAJ
! can long converse with MIN and loo
into his open and kindly eyes withou
lrealiziug that he is one in whom pei
fleet trust might be reposed. He is sui
Iject TO error, as are all men of stron
: emotions, but he would not err twic
i in the same direction or journey ful
i Their in path discovered wrong.
I His confidence in the verdict of tn
4 people is now shared by the peopl
S themselves. 1t is possible that a
Il alignment of states might defeat hill
/ of the electoral vote, but that he wi
have the popular vote, and therefor
e be the virtual president of the people
e his most radical opponents are pr
d Ipared to concede. In 1896 he lacke
+ 100000 of receiving the popular vot'
S but change to overcome these figure
n can now be computed from less than
II dozen states.
Il Bryan is the most strenuous can
u paigner. that the country has eve
e known. He covers more territory an
e meets more people than any polit
o clan who ever lived. He has golde
S voice that never fails. Its carryin
uudutlSo arc pAdStICoily uuliNdliSu
u the catalogue of the worlds orator
n 1t is strong, resonant, and clarion
D. toned. Yesterday, for instance. /
IT made ID speeches. All of them wei
in the open air. and he stood ever wit
uncovered head His audiences range
from / Loco to 10000 in number, and "
he was heard by ALL
1T was on the cath day of Octobe
1896, that William J. Bryan, then ;
now, the democratic candidate for pre-
iident of the United States. made
first public appearance as a candida
i'm the city of Quincy. On that occ
sion he spoke from a platform in e
actly the same spot in the court hou
yard where the stand from which
spoke last night was located and Il
same day he also spoke at the Empi
theater and in Washington square. T.
greatest outpouring of citizens of ii
n section of the country which had ey
at gathered here greeted him at th
N. time. Last night again saw the chez
nd ing, shouting multitndes risen tip a