Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1908-10-16
A TRIBUTE TO BRYAN.
By Hon. J. @. Monaghan, Of Notre
Dame University.

Taken from the September issue Of Exten.
sion, monthly magazine published by thu
Catholic Church Extension Society Of thu
United States.
1t is now twelve years since Bryan's "cross
of gold" speech in Chicago. The echo Of
that speech still lives. Why2 Like alr true
eloquence, like the Grafton for the crown, and
the Philippics Of Demosthenes, 1t had In II
the ring Of sincerity. Bryan rings true. 10
religion, in morals, in politics, in every path
way of life, the great Nebraskan rings true.
This it is that gives him power. It Is this
that has endeared him to the hearts OF our
people; and il is this that has helped him TO
efforts of his enemies, down to the present
day. Never, in all our history, has party
been SO loyal to man as the Democratic par
ty has been to Bryan. Neither Webster nor
Clay, Blaine nor Mckinley, could boast oil
such loyalty and love.
1t is q mistake to date the rise Of Bryan
from the Chicago convention of '96. He was
in Congress in 1892. He was active then,
energetic and aggressive. His work In Con.
gress gave great promise. No speech on the
tariff was as bold, clear, fearless and far
reaching. 1t 10 to be regretted that Mr.. Bry-
an did not remain In Congress. That was
the place for him. His "cross OF gold"
speech was the worst mistake of his life. 1t
led him from the thorny path of constructive
craftsmanship to the Aower-6lled path Of the
popular orator. The nation had no great
need OF Chautauquans; 1t had them In hun
dreds. 1t did need great constructive states
men. 1t hasn't had but one or'two in twenty
FIVE years, and not Eve In City.
The first time met Mr.. Bryan he reminded
me Of Cicero. said, $50 must the young
Cicero have appeared" l did not think Of
Caesar then; / never think of Cesar now,
when see, hear Of, or read after, MI. Bryan.
Even the mature man 10 suggestive. but no
longer Of Cicero.
Is Bryan radical2 II so, is he dangerous
The dangerous men in this Republic are the
men who think William Jennings Bryan is
dangerous, or that he would be dangerous
president. Bryan believes in law, he believes
In order, His whole life is full OF facts as we'll
as words, 10 prove 1t. He lie no more dream
er than am. than are hundreds OF his coun.
trymen. hope, as l would to God that
every man who ever knelt at mothers knee
in this broad land, that he Is an idealist, that
he has high ideals. God only knows what
the nation would be now had 1t not had its
idealists, its Hancocks and Henrys, its 0tises,
and it's Lincolus and Lees. But, say some,
"Bryan is to bring In government ownership
Of railroads, socialism, anarchy Nobody
10 in any doub. about the dangerous men 10
this Republic. Some are to be found in rail-
road offices. They are the unscrupulous men
who would run up the freight rates or run
down the wage-scale to pay dividends for sub
timely watered stock. Against these. Bryan
is iron or brass. No Mr.. Bryan is not dan
gerous. That is the last thing to think of in
connection with his candidacy for the presi-
dency.
Is he fiji Bryan, bred in the Drawn and
brain breeding west, will bring to Washing
ton not only what he went there with, in the
early nineties, but the ripened result Of if
teen years Of careful blowing, hoeing, reap
ing and harvesting Of the golden grain fields
of the world. No man has had such chance
to study, not even Taft. No man ever made
better use OF his time. On the basis of his
college education, Bryan has been able to
build up superstructure SURPRISING anything
Of which we have knowledge. Ina day that
10 dawning, when We are to be one OF the
worlds great powers, politically as well as
commercially, his knowledge OF the worlds
affairs, his splendid share in the worlds
work, will fit him for just such work as he
will fnd on his desk at Washington, D. o.
every day, IL he 10 elected president. Our
foreign affairs, not only because OF the Phil
ippines, but because Of our Pacific coast and
and other Pacific possessions, will take NJ
much of his time. Our rapidly increasing