The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1908-07-21
TWO VIEWS OF BRYAN
Nebraskan's Rise In Politics and
His Home Life.
ALWAYS A HARD WORKER.
Once Poor Boy, Working on Farm,
He Has Risen to Eminence and
Leadership by His Own Efforts.
Life In His Home Ideal.

Leadership by His Own Efforts. I
Life In His Home Ideal.
Few men cut of Office have been so
constantly in the public eye for q
stretch of years as the presidential
nominee of the Denver convention.
The originator of two whirlwind cam
paigns that ended in defeat. his null
titude of enthusiastic followers now
believe he is about to start another
that will carry him to the White
House. To them. says the New York
Herald. he is an intellectual giant, in
corruptible. the great American COM
moner, destined to be president elected
by the plain peop>e.
William Jennings Bryan was born i'll
Salem, Marion county, HI. on March
10. 1860. He was educated in the pub
lie schools and Whipple academy. IL
linois college graduated him in 1881.
he being the vaIedictorian of his class,
receiving the deg re of A. NJ. from that
institution in 1&Si, as well as from
the Union College of Law at Chicago
the year PreviOu-.
AS a duck TO water Mr.. Bryan took
to poll les lie is member of con
grcss from the ncoln (Neb) district
in 1891 1905. In 1893 he received the
Democratic vote f1r the United States
senatcrslip The Nebraska state Dem
ocratic conventiCn nominated him for
Uni cd States sen tor year later, but
he was defeated ! v John NJ. Thurston
! For the next TWO years Mr.. Bryan
was editor CT the Omaha WOHd-Her-
alb. de went as delegate to the ma
tional Democratic convention in Chica-
go in 1896. where his notable speech
on the "cross of gold and crown of
thOrns" carried the convention off its
feet, and he was nominated for the
presidency on the free silver issue, on
which he made his canvass. 1t was
stirring campaign The candidate tray
eled more than $4,000 miles, making
speeches at every stopping place. The
vote in the electoral college was 17G
for Bryan and 271 for Mckinley.
A continued campaign for free silver
followed after the election. Mr.. Bryan
lectured on bimetallism from one end
of the country to the other until the
breaking out of the Spanish-American
war, when he raised and organized the
Third regiment, Nebraska volunteers,
and was made colonel of the regiment.
When the time rolled round again
for national convention Mr.. Bryan
had strengthened his hold ON the party
organization, and 1900 saw him once
more in the field as the Democratic
~S..si,rcrru +-''-i--- sA~----I.e 20
ceived the Endorsement of the PoPn-
IiSte aud the silver Republicans. The
issue, however was ''imperiaIsm."
Mr.. Bryan declaring that the Holding
of colonies or outlying possessions like
Porto Rico and the Philippines was
not contemplated by the founders of
the republic nor allowable under its
constitution. The result was 100
votes for Mr.. Bryan in the electoral
college and 293 for Mr.. Mckinley.
These two defeats did not dampen
] the ardOr of Mr.. Bryan nor blunt his
ambition. Soon after the 1900 election
he established the Commoner. week
ly political journal. published in his
home town of Lincoln. Neb., by which
he has kept alive the fires of admira-
ton and respect in the hearts of those
/ whose political ideas coincide with his
own. In addition to editing his paper
Mr.. Bryan has been a familiar figure
On the lecture platform. and he has
issued two widely circulated books.
''The First Battle" and "Under Other
/ Flags by all of which. with special
/ articles written for magazines and
| newspapers, he is said to have ac-
/ quired considerable fortune He has
also been something of farmer. But
it is suspected this has been for pleas
ure and not for revenue only.
On the occasion of tour around the
world made by Mr. Bryan within the
last two years he was treated with
marked respect in the many countries
which he visited. Japan. China. Rus
STA, England and continental Europe
rendered him distinguished honor. He
had an audience with King Edward.
The lord chancellor of England COM
mended him before the interparlia
mentary conference, which cheered his
speech in favor of his international
peace resolution and promptly adopt
ed it. This resolution did much to
change the opinions of those who had
regarded Mr.. Bryan as a ranting DO
litical fanatic and dangerous dema-
gogue. In fact, the idea spread that
Mr.. Bryan had become philosopher.
that his ideas had broadened and that
he was no longer the radical Bryan
OF the convention of 1896 His views
advocating federal control of rail-
roads. expounded on his return from
Europe, were thus a great surprise to
the Democrats of the east. with
whom be was becoming extremely
popular.
Many reasons are advanced for Mr.
Bryans continuation in the public eye
n Two Ii