The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1908-11-28
GREATNESS.

Vow that the presidential campaign is over and
the people have, at least should have, buried
their anmosities and put aside their partsanship.
it IS 4 satisfying view all may have of the two
who made the great race for the presidency. Both
reflect credit the American people by their high
sense Of honor and by their integrity and ability
They fought great fight, and while one is elevated
to the highest Office within the gift of the people,
the other is not degraded by defeat. The defeated
candidate stands today as he stood before the cleo
ton, Americas foremost private citizen, and the
whole people unite in giving honor and respect
to him for his sterling qualities even if they cam
not agree with him in his political beliefs.
There is an element of sadness in the presiden-
tial contest which came to close with the election,
Mr.. Bryan had returned to his home in Lincoln
after a final stumping trip confident of success on
the morrow On the night before the election in
addressing the people of his home town, who had
gathered to do him honor, the candidate said:
Il have been the child of fortune from my birth.
God gave me into the keeping of Christian father
and a Christian mother. They implanted in my
heart the ideals that have guided my life. When 1
was in law school / was fortunate, as was in my
college days, to fall under the influence of men of
ideals who helped to shape my life and when but
a young man, not out of college yet, / was guided
to the selection of one who for twenty-four years
has been my faithful helpmeet No presidential
victory could have brought her to me- and no de-
feat can take her from me. [ have been blessed
with family. My children are with me to make
glad the declining years of their mother and my
self When you first knew they called me in
derison, the boy orator of the Platte have out
lived that title, and my grandchildren are now
growing up about [ repeat that [ have been
fortunate, indeed. | have been abundantly reward
ed for what little have been able to do and my
ambition is not so much to hold any Office however
great as it is to know my duty and to do it, wheth
er in public life private citizen"
Whether one agrees with Mr.. Bryan in any
none of his political principles there is note of
strength in these words which all true Americans
will readily see While they will no doubt perish
in the strenuous life of the twentieth century there
is an inspiration in the words for many young
American citizens who have been blessed, as Mr..
Bryan was blessed, with Christian father and
Christian mother, who implanted in their hearts
ideals which have guided them thus far in their
journey through life, and which will no doubt
serve as a guide in future struggles For this rea-
son, the words are worthy OF preservation UndlS-
mayed by defeat on two former occasions, Mr.
Bryan set himself resolutely to winning in his third
effort.
On the evening after the election, when the re-
turns began to come in to his Lincoln home Mr.
Bryan could hardly believe that defeat was again
his portion, but he took his defeat as a man, and
prepared to do his duty as private citizen. Two
days after the election he gave the following state
ment to the press:
But l shall serve as willingly in private ca
pacity as in public one. God does not require