The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-07-10
BRYAh'S LIFE HAS
BEEN NOTABLE ONE
He Arose From a Farmer Lad
To His Present High
Position.
TWICE A CANDIDATE.
TWICE A CANDIDATE.
NAMED BY DEMOCRATS FOR
PRESIDENT BUT HIS IDEAS ON
BIG SUBJECTS WERE NOT Ac-
CEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE.

Lincoln, Neb., July 10.-Few men out
of office have been so constantly in
the public eye for a stretch of years as
the nominee of the Denver cvonven-
ton.
Mr.. Bryan was born in Salem, Ma
rion county Illinois, on March u,
1860, He was educated in the public
schools and Whipple Academy Illinois
College, graduated him in 1881, he be-
ing the valedictorian of his class, re-
ceiving the degree of A. NJ, from that
institution in 1884, as well as from
the Union College CT Law at Chicago
the year previous.
Mr. Bryan started life as a poor boy,
and while in the public school he
worked on 4 farm. All through life
he has been a hard working and con-
scientious man. During his law stud
les he was connected with the office
of Senator Lyman Trumbell, and on
completing his studies returned to
Jacksonville to practise. Here his
struggles have been likcncd with those
of Lincoln's under the some conditions
in the same state. At first his prac-
tice did not amount to much. Much
of his time was given to speech max
ing in the country districts.
1t was in 1887 that Mr.. Bryan decid-
ed to go west. He arrived at Lincoln,
Neb., in October of that year, and be-
came a member of the law firm of Tai
bot & Bryan He had known Talbot
in Illinois. and it was he who had in
duced him to go to Nebraska.
Bryan at once attracted attention as
an orator, but for a long time his
fame did not extend beyond the dis
trict. In 1889, J. Sterling Morton, the
democratic nominee for congress, aft
erward President Cleycland's secreta-
ry of Agriculture, asked him to take
the stump for him. Morton was de-
fcated in the political revolution OF
that year and O'Conncll, the republi-
can. elected by more than 5000 ma
jority But the defect Of Morton
caused the birth of Bryan as political
power He had interested the people
in himself by his oratory and the poll
He made a fight for the democratic
nomination tho next year and captured
it. That was the year of the republi-
can slump. The district repudiated
CConnell and the Mckinley tariff, and
gave Bryan its old-time democratic
plurality of 1890.
In 1898 he was Endorsed by the DEM
hn " :
choice for United States senator, but
the next legislature was republican,
and John Nj. Thurston won the coveted
seat.
Bryan's Career.
Bryan entered congress at 80 years
Of age but was assigned to a place on
the important ways and means COM
mittee and took an active part in leg
islation, both in the committee room
and on the floor. His reputation for
eloquence grew until he became
spokesman of a considerable following.
In 1892 he was reelected to his seat
in the National House. although his
district voted strongly for the oppos-
ing candidates on both the state and
HdllOHdl tlChClS.
After retirement from congress he
became political editor of the Omaha
World-Herald, and in this capacity at
tended the Republican Convention at
st. Louis in 1896 Here he discover
| ed that the old parties were making
| new adjustments and breaking away
| from the precepts of their former
platforms. From leading republicans
| he procured admissions which he un'
| derstood to foreshadow the rise of the
money question and the fading of the
tariff issue. His reports were the ear.
Hest publication of a trend of affairs
later developments fully verified.
In anticipation of a similar move.
ment in his own party. and opposing
| the innovation, w. J. Bryan went tc
| the Chicago convention prepared for
the event In the debate on the reso
| buttons committees report he got the
| floor after the issue. had been clearly
outlined and in a fervent appeal that
will long be remembered both for its
strength and eloquence, and for its far
reaching consequence, not only turned
the tide for a radical platform. bu
raised himself to such prominence b,
his efforts that on the following day