The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-19
ny rI,EDEnIC n uAs,xrN

Born Iorty-eiEht years ago to-day,
when the politics of tho country had
reached that high and excited stage
whichs eliminated in the greatest war
or the ages, little wonder Is 1t that
William jennings Bryan has taken to
politics as duck takes to water The
times undoubtedly left their. Imprint
reaches the goal to which Els ambitlon
leads him or not, Mr.. Bryan stands be-
Tore tle country az one of its really
!, men. Twice he has gone
own choosing, the second time worse
than the first, and yet lie commando the
loyal support OF the rank and file of his
to the loyalty which the triumphant
Roosevelt commands from his follow
ers.,
so we'll as the cohesive power Of pub
lie patronage" and usually men leave
a defeated leader. But In spite of his
lack of those things which are. usually
together, Mr.. Bryan has as firm a
hold on HIS followers as he ever had.
the secret Of 1t all IS his personality.
masses Of his own party, so Mr.. Bryan
is the peerless One" to the great
body of the Democracy. 1t Is perhaps
not telling tales out OF school to say
that both OF them are disliked to-day
by the politicians OF their respective
parties
A single speech lifted Mr.. Bryan into
1t gave him the presidential nomination
and laid the foundation for one OF the
most remarkable political careers the
before has a single speech landed a
presidential nomination That one.
however, won more. II won the pres
idency Itself. 1t was when the Repub-
iican convention was deadlocked be-
tween James G. Blaine and John .sher-
man. Ballot after ballot had been cast
without choice Then teacher
preacher-lnwyer made q speech 1t was
an oid-fashioned call to arms. and the
man who made thames A. Garfield
was In short order the nominee Of his
p parry mhe tspeeeh q Mr.; Bryan was
concede that. David B. Hill had made
speech for the gold standard, and il
MA Mas p nristli ing with arguments. But
delivered speech OF assertions rather
han of supported arguments. Ii had
me ring OF oratory abou. IT, and was
3 };n1 suite, tea to the mood OF the ronven-
laughed at had talked Himself into into
The nomination. David B. Hill said OF
emotional political body he had ever
seen.
Some one recently told Mr.. Bryan
e nul ne WAS Was c tine only man in this
t.
~ out OF politics The statement is
about true. Before he was nominated
the tne f'rst I'll time he had but modest in
means. His ..First Battle IT h @hIeh mt
the tn wa way, Is the most marked-up book
IN 10 ,.t tne Llp d OF Congress at. Wash
Inston, made him good deal of money
Estimates vary as to what he makes
out OF his Conmoner. but conservative
nae men place II at at least 100000 a year.
In "a a gpr HraS
lecture platform to-day. and that nets
him perhaps as much. Then he has
printed several other books. among them
which he calls The Commoner CON
densed,' These probably bring him in
good living in themselves.
Els com,moner has been political
asset TO him. constantly published
appeal to precinct workers to send him
data about the individual voters at
each precinct has brought results, and
which puts him in touch with a large
percentage OF the voters of his own
party party he maintains press bureau in
heads one himself in Lincoln.
ar. BRYAN is man OF intense reli-
Eious convictions. He is the son OF
S tiIa Liliards Bryan, who prayed three
hand to engross his attention. 1t is
said that as Judge he was known to
a aann3,Go court until , he could have HIS
.t'Nt'iue ~ ds cIs solIdS Bryan was born
In Culpeper county, Va, and az mirit
be expected from that fact, he was q
BAPTIST. How William came to be a
presbyterian, does not seem to have
been told by any OF his biographies. 1t
is said that the father, who was some
thing OF a politician and was once q
democratic candidate for Congress.
upon one occasion placed William on a
table at the age of twelve to make a
speech before a political convention At
first the audience laughed. but later
applauded, when they saw that he ha
In him the real germ of an orator.
Mrs. Bryan, in sketch she wrote
of him. says that the pockets OF his
first trousers were always filled with
bread--that lie was a child with re-
lentlegs appetite. She says that his
only adventures We're those of rabbit
hunting, and that these are the only
tales Of boyhood exploits that he has to
tell his children. Mrs. Bryan further
says that his smile Is not so expansive
as 1t used to be; that the rounded
cheeks keep it from spreading so far