The Democratic advocate., 1908-07-31
BRYAN AT HOME.
Lincoln Now HOnOrs the Man Who |
Brought Fame to the Town.

Lincoln Neb., July 19.-Nothing so
well illustrates the difference in the
estimation placed upon William J.
Bryan by the people of his home town
at the present time, from the estima-
ton placed upon the Great Common
er" in former years by these same peo-
pie, than does comparison of the re-
ception given Mr.. Bryan by his neigh
bors on receipt of the news of his lat
est nomination for President, with the
reception given him in former years.
1t was exactly II years to the day
between Mr. Bryan's first nomination
and that which he received at the
hands of the Denver convention. Each
came on July 10, one in 1896, the other
in 1908.
The honors shown Mr. Bryan last
Friday by his neighbors and friends
are yet being written about in the
newspapers, which tell of the spon-
taneous outburst of pride which swept
over the Lincoln people that one of
their own friends should be named for
the Presidency; how thousands of
these Lincoln people went out to Mr..
Bryan's home at Fairview, not out of
curiosity, but to do honor to Bryan
and his family; and during the short
speechmaking they told Mr.. Bryan how
proud they were of him as a citizen;
how much Lincoln loved him.
But not one of these Lincoln people
reminded Mr.. Bryan of the reception
which greeted him when he came home
fresh from the Chicago convention
with the nomination in his pocket. At
that time verify there were none so
poor as to do him reverence" No
brass band met Bryan's train. No del
egation of prominent citizens called
upon him and presented the keys of
the city. The vast majority of Lin
colnites didn't know Mr.. Bryan even
by reputation, much less by sight.
"Who is this fellow Bryan and where
does he live?" they asked one another.
One half the people didn't take
Bryan seriously, and this half laughed
at him. The other half did take him
seriously and these scowled when they
even thought of him as a possible
President
Then came the campaign. Bryan
was a prophet and he was in his own
country. Some other portion OF the
United States might honor him, but
not Lincoln.
When at home, Bryan used to spend
great deal of time on his front porch.
It was not the Fairview home, but one
out near the State buildings in the
city. The neighbors used to spend
much time on their own porches, too,
but the Bryans were ignored.
When Bryan walked down the street
it was curious that almost every man
he met would just happen to be deeply
absorbed in something occurring in
another direction and would fail to see
the Commoner.'
When visiting delegations of dis
tinguished men from other States came
to Lincoln to call upon Bryan, the
Lincolnites looked at them in wonder
that they would come so far to see so
little. And when delegations walked
up the shady street on which stood the
Bryan residence, those citizens who
| happened to be on their porches at that
time studiously avoided paying any at
tention whatever to the visitors.
In short, Mr.. Bryan was given every
indication that the Lincoln people
didn't want to know him; didn't know
/ him and didn't want to know him; did
MT like him and didn't want to like
him; had no respect for him and didn't
want to have any respect for him.
But Mr.. Bryan has long lived down
this feeling. Today he is by far the
most popular citizen of Lincoln
whether among Republicans or Demo
Gratis. Non-partisanly, Lincoln feels
that he is the one great cause and ex
cuse for Lincoln's presence on the
map, and Lincoln is grateful both fol
the fame which Mr.. Bryan has hrough
to the town, as we'll as proud of the
fact that Bryan himself is a citize1
of the place. All Lincoln now delight:
to honor the man it did not in 1896.