The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-10-02

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G.. Cannon, speaker of the house of
representatives, in which, at long
range, those leaders have talked at
each other about their respective for
tunes. Mr.. Cannon referred to the
methods by which Mr.. Bryan had ac-
cumulated his fortune in spirit OF
humor-to which Uncle Joe" is
somewhat disposed-but Mr.. Bryan
took 1t seriously and proceeded to tell
the public about his possessions and
how they we're acquired. The first
item was one of some $4,000 as
proceeds of "the first battle" the
book he wrote after his first defeat
for the presidency--one devoted to
that campaign. Then followed 9TH
ers concerning his earnings on the
lecture platform and from other
work of more or less political char
acter He claimed TO be worth $780,
900 and, in effect, admitted it had all
been made by the utilization of his
party prominence for the purpose of
gain.
In Idaho, particularly, and in
| many other sections, that passage
and the manner in which Mr.. Bryan
disclosed his methods of earning
money will recall to many minds an
| incident of his career which perhaps
| more forcefully compels the unwel-
come conviction that there is weak
ness in his character which blinds
him to proprieties in the matter Of
money-getting.
| 1t will be remembered that, a few
years ago, Rhode Island man,
named Philo s. Bennett, visited
Idaho for the purpose of making an
examination of a mining property
One summer afternoon, in a four
horse coach, he and his companions
| left the Idan-ha for trip into the
| interior. All went well until the
party reached hill leading down
| the Round Valley. There the brakes
| failed to hold, the coach pushed upon
| the horses and the animals broke into
a run. The driver, in his frantic eff
forts to check the speed, threw his
weight upon the break rod, which
snapped; he was thrown off, and the
| horses dashed, terror-stricken, down
| the hill. At the bottom there was a
turn on which the coach skidded and
| lurched, and in the ensuing wreck
Mr. Bennett was pinioned against a
tree and instantly killed.
The death of man Of wealth un-
der such tragic conditions attracted
a great deal of attention. This was
increased when it was found that,
among the papers left at his home
was letter expressing desire that
Mr.. Bryan should be given $4,000
from his estate 1t seems the victim
of this Idaho accident had become
| infatuated with Mr.. Bryan and had
determined to do something for him
financially. His admiration was pure
| ly political, so far as the public could
discover, and nothing was ever un-
earthed to indicate that the famous
| Nebraskan had any claim whatever
which would entitle him to invade
| the estate of the widow to collect this
irregular legacy.
Probably 80 out of every 100 per-
sons thought Mr.. Bryan would never
lay claim to the money. The public
did not dream that a man big enough
to stand forth before the country as
a perennial candidate for the presi-
dency would stoop to asking widow
to divide with him under such cir
cumstances. Those, even, who rec
ognized that, in the pursuit of gain,
he was not restrained by that dignity
and sense of propriety which should
actuate anyone holding a command
| ing position, did not believe he would
| make an effort to secure a portion
of the Bennett estate. But they were
mistaken. He grabbed at the $685.
900 far more eagerly than he ever
went after his share OF the box re-
ceipts from any political lecture.
Bringing suit for the amount, he car
ried 1t through all the courts and,
although he was defeated at every
step, he doggedly persisted in the
effort to take the money from a
widow and did not desist until the
tribunal of last resort had said to
him, Thou shalt not"
This Is one of the incidents Of the
career of the gifted leader which has
made very deep impression here in
Idaho where the tragic death of Mr..
Bennett occurred. Nor did it create
less marked interest elsewhere, for
even the close friends OF Mr.. Bryan,
in many instances, profoundly re-
GREETED his action, Among the null
titude who had been disturbed by his
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