The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-01-03
New Facts Concerning Secre-
tary's Earlier Career.
First Political Speech ON q
Moving Machine.
Initial Finance In . Farmers
Wheat Field.
Interesting Sidelights On To.
peka's Coming Guest
SUNDAY.

Mr.. Bryan's crst political speech was
thought out on a moving machine. He
was 20 years old. The speech was new
er delivered.
When Judge Silas l. Bryan died he
left his heirs 600 acres Of prairie land.
a half section Of which was planted in
grass. Mrs. Bryan and her son. Will
Fam Jennings. settled the estate. The
grass coming on, it had to 5e cut.
Miss Mary Baird, the daughter Of a
merchant at Perry. ILL.,, had made the
acquaintance Of young Mr.. Bryan the
previous September. Both were stu
dents in Jacksonville. she at tho Pres
byterian academy and he at Illinois
college. Thirty years later Mary Baird
Bryan. writing out Of her memory and
her affection, described William Jen-
nings at that period Of his life as being
tall and dignifed, with keen. dark eyes.
a large nose, a lean, pale face and a
broad. thin-lipped mouth. His smile,
afterward famous. was 50 expansive
that 1t once led ''heartiess observer"
to say: There Is a man who can
whisper In his own ear"
It il easy. therefore. with Mrs. Bry-
ans help. to picture the future secre-
tary OF state as he sat on the moving
machine and worked out in his mind
the speech he proposed to deliver at a
farmers picnic soon to be held in the
neighborhood. The Republicans had
nominated James r. Garfield for pres
ident and were calling the electorate to
arms because General Winfield s. Han
cock, the Democratic candidate, re-
ferred to the tariff question as "a local
ISSUE
1t was a great year for FIRST voters
and youthful stumpers. The former,
with torches over their shoulders and
pride in their manhood, paraded the
streets of cities to the music Of brass
bands and the cheers OF the sympa-
thetic part Of the populace. The ora
tors, with something In their Threats
they could not swallow. with bloodless
and trembling hands. and with legs
which threatened to buckle any min
ute. pointed to the stars and stripes
and warned their hearers Of the dam
gers impending over the republic. But
Mr.. Bryan's maiden appeal to his coun-
try. fabricated in the hay field under a
straw hat. remained unuttered.
why Mr.. Bryan Did Not Speak.
MY name had been printed on the
circulars announcing the meeting-it
was the last ON the list," Mr.. Bryan
told me. We were in q private parior
Of the hotel where he was living. II
was O'Clock in the morning, but the
corridor outside his apartments was al
ready thronged with men waiting for
an audience. "A member Of the Ill.,
nois legislature up for another election
and a candidate for prosecuting attor-
ney OF the county were to be the heavy
orators OF the ccasion," Mr., BRYAN
continued. when we reached the pic
mic grounds. however. only three men
besides ourselves were present One
Of them was the manager Of the picnic
The other two had a wheel Of fortune.
MI
deferred. At an analysis, in which al
took part but the proprietors of tn.
wheel Of fortune. it was agreed tina
the farmers were too busy harvesting
their hay to care about extraneou
events. While that is undoubtedly so,
said. stu another matter may hav'
had some influence. The people arounS
here have never heard me speak o,
political subjects. but they are wei
acquainted with the oratory Of two o
the gentlemen whose names were ais,
on the bills Accordingly disclaim al
voters at this alleged picnic. Let tn
blame rest whore 1t belongs.'''
The parents Of Mr.. Bryan earl
drilled. him In some OF the eiementar,
principles OF elocution. His mother
perhaps. hoped that he would be
preacher. Judge Bryan was an excel
lent public speaker and had serve
eight years In the Illinois senate be
fore he went on the bench. and ha
helped to write and debate the presen
constitution Of the state. Mr. Bryal
did not attend school until he was /
years old. His mother taught him q
home.
ss6he had q small walnut table" h
said to me, land from its top, by he
orders. I recited all my lessons in read
ing, spelling and geography. She ha
me stand up and spell, read and recit
after the fashion Of one who II nd
dreGDing IN audience. learned unde