Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1908-07-13
BY ROBERTUs LOVE,

hearers than has any other
man in the worlds history"
says one who travelled with William
Jennings Bryan during tho presiden-
tial campaigns Of 1896 and 1900, and
there is no doubt as to the truth Of the
statement.
The purpose of this article is briefly
to sketch the life Of Mr.. Bryan up to
the age of thirty-six, when he was
nominated by the Democratic party for
the presidency Of the United States. 1t
is life possible only to American pol
itics. and. whether or not Mr.. Bryan
shall reach the presidency, it is an in
teresting chapter in United States po-
litical history.
The town Of Salem, Ill.,, is the birth
place Of Bryan. Judge Silas l.. Bryan,
a substantial, intellectual settler from
Virginia, was his father. Maria Eliza
beth Jennings was his mothers maiden
name. The child was born March 10,
1860. Judge Bryan lived on a farm
near the edge of town. He had nine
children, Of whom William Jennings
Is the fourth. The boy grew up out
doors, drinking the daily medicine Of
sunshine and the open air. His phys
ical constitution, marvel of robust
ness and energy, came by inheritance
and was nurtured by wholesome and
healthful environment in bOyho0d.
Bryan attended the public schools in
Salem until he was fifteen, when he
entered Whipple academy at Jackson
vile, Ill., Two years later he matricu-
lated in Illinois college. in the same
city, from which institution he was
graduated with honors at the age or
twenty-one. During his college course
his oratorical abilities made him prom
inent in middle western collegiate life
He won the honor Of representing MS
school in the state contest OF college
orators He won that contest and rep
resented Illinois in 1881 at the inter-
state oratorical contest, held at Gales
burg. ILL.,. where he achieved second
honors. He was class orator at gradu'
alton.
Jacksonville has a female seminary
In that school Miss Mary Il. Baird was
a student while young Bryan was III
Illinois college. She was from Perry
ILL.,. and was of excellent family and
an ambitious student. A bright young
man and a bright young woman at
tending college in the same town some
times emphasize the aphorism that like
attracts like Perhaps that explains
why Bryan, after attending the Unior
Law college in Chicago and reading
law at the same time in the office Of
Judge Lyman Trumbull, the celebrated
associate of Abraham Lincoln, re
turned to Jacksonville to begin thu
practice Of his profession. Bryan anC
Miss Baird were married shortly afte'
his return. Mrs. Bryan studied law II
order to assist her husband in his pro
fessional work. After the Bryans re
moved to Lincoln, Neb., In 1887 Mrs
BRYAN was admitted to the bar. Mr.
Bryan became junior partner IN tn
law firm of Talbot & Bryan. He be
lieved there was more opportunity To-
a rising young lawyer in new state
a belief assuredly well grounded In hi
own case.
Bryan plunged into politics in tn
spring Of 1888, and that became his III
vocation instead of the law. He wa
elected q delegate to the Democracy
state convention at Omaha, where b
made a speech strongly advocating
free trade: also he made reputation
as speaker He was only twenty
eight years old, yet the very next yea
the party leaders offered him the NOM
ination for the lieutenant governorship
of Nebraska. He declined the offer,
but made stumpng campaign for the
ticket throughout the state.
The next year, 1890, the young De-
mocracy thrust upon the young De-
mosthenes from Illinois the nomination
for congressman from the First dis
trict. J. Sterling Morton, who in his
time was father Of Arbor day aid a
member of President Cleveland's cab
met, had been defeated in the race for
congress from that district In 1883 by
a Republican majority of more than
5000 votes Scarcely anybody expect
ed young Bryan to win. He was not
SO very sanguine himself, but he made
an oratorical campaign and defeated
Congressman Council by nearly 1000
votes. In Omaha, where Connell lived.
Bryan was sneered at as that Lincoln
boy" 1t was the reaction against the
new Mckinley tariff that elected Bry-
an-that and the silver tongue Of the
Lincolnian lad.
So at thirty Bryan was chosen to the
national house of representatives. He
delivered his first speech in the house
the 10Th Of March, 1892, on the subject
Of free wool. Senator Burrows OF
Michigan, temporary chairman Of this
years Republican national convention,
declared that it was the best speech on
the tariff he ever had heard. News
papers of all political persuasions call
ed 1t a masterpiece. The chairman Of
the ways and means committee was
William NJ. Springer Of Illinois. Spring
er was so delighted with Bryan's fre<
wool talk that he procured the appoint
ment Of the young Nebraskan on hi