The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-03-24
Senator Bryan
Has Left Us.

Has Left Us.
1T is Gods way; Gods will be
done" So spoke the well beloved
president. William MCKINLEY, when at
the summit of his fame and achieve
nent he lay dying at Buffalo from
the bullet of the brutal, brainless as
sassin who shot him down without
cause. They were noble words
veritable message of strength and
comfort to his mourning countrymen
to the remotest limits of the republic
full of a sublime resignation which
must have been inspired of Heaven
There Is a profound philosophy in
them which transcends all the learn
ing of the sages and scientists which
the masses Of the people never reach.
and which throws a stream Of cheer
ing light upon that dark river we
must all cross, and whose radiance
lights up the other shore.
Thank God for McKinley's immortal
words and the deep, unspeakable con-
ISOLATION they bring to US all, strUg-
Cling here amid the awful mysteries
of life and death, and %ell-nigh be-
reft of hope in the presence of rapidly
succeeding sorrows and calamities ap-
parentIy inconsistent with Gods good
ness and justice!
And what more can we say than
to repeat the dying presidents words
in writing a few unstudied memorial
lines on the death of our brilliant
young senator, William James Bryan,
who died after brief illness in Wash
ington City Sunday morning
How pitifully tawdry seems that
oyerWorked word, brilliant in speak
ing of the young statesman who but
a few weeks ago was in all the flush
of high ambition, of grand hopes sud
denly realized as though by magic,
of a great future stretching fair and
beautiful-and yet who lies today
cofined and Strengthened for the
grave.
In the presence of such a dispen-
sation human wisdom must be silent
and we can only take refuge in the
words of Mckinley and say that 1t is
Gods way. Mr. Bryan was the young
est senator ever sent to represent his
state in the highest dehberative body
in the world, and he was so richly en-.
bowed by natuA and had so well de
veloped those endowments, that he
was altogether worthy of the rare
honor which Governor Broward had
bestowed upon him.
II is no exaggeration OF language
to say that he was marvellous young
man. His mind was large and com
prehensive and deeply stored with
learning. He was one of those South
ern boys who, inspired by the proud
est traditions of the South and feel
ing the capacity within him, deter
mined TO be a statesman, and to thai
end he worked from his college day:
in Georgia. His career at the bar IL
Jacksonville approved him as a law
Yer of high rank, veritable youns
David in the arena mt to meet al
corners. But he had higher ends IL
view than mere success as a "cast
lawyer" and an the while he wa!
qualifying himself by study and re
search for the larger duties of states
manship which he felt sure would de
voIve upon him sooner or later.
He took an active interest in STATE
politics, was web informed on al
leading issues, and. loving Florida a
a loyal son loves his mother, he fol
lowed his impulse and became /
strong personality in the great fac
tional game now in progress in thi
state.
He believed in Browsrd from tn
start as a big, strong. honest aud car
able man who would make Florida tn
right kind of governor, and throwini
himself into the fight with his Who'll
heart he was undoubtedly a stron
factor in securing the nomination O
our present chief executive.
It is not surprising then, that whe
Senator Mallory died, Governor Brow
ard should have discharged an homes
political obligation and appointed Nj
Bryan to fill the uneNpired tern
There has been no criticism deser1
ing serious attention on the appoint
ment, for it was generally coneede
thai the governor had named stron