Evening star., 1915-06-09

official career was his announcement
that grape Juice would be substituted
for alcoholic beverages whenever ie
entertained members of the diplomatic
corps His statement that Nl-.o'o .
year was not sufficient for a cabinet
officer and that he therefore must lee
tnrc to earn more money was aho'het
episode which drew forth comment
around the world Hs disresa'ded
newspaper criticism, declaring he han
', never ahsented himself when oih'lal
business required his presence IN
Washington. His letter concerning the
distribution of patronage in Santo DO
mingo to observing democrats was
another incident widely discussed
Remains Active in Politics.
Mr.. Bryan's opposition to the nom'na
tion of Roger Sullivan in Illinois ana
his activity in other primary fights con :
tinued after his official Identification
with the Wilson administration. his
editorials in his newspaper, the com
moner. on prohibition and woman suf :
frage. the signing of thousands OF
pledges in temperance meetings Whcfe
he spoke and his advocacy of these
issues irrespective OF the attitude OF
silence Of President Wilson have fur
nishcd political gossip over his future
plans and ambitions.
Members of the cabinet who know
Mr. Bryan most intimately declare.
however. that he has always been the
least ambitious man at the cabinet
table and unsWervine in his political
support of the President. He used his
influence in Congress to keep the
ranks of the administration democrats
solid for the tariff and currency bills.
Mr.. Bryan.s now famous remark to
Ambassador Chinda in critical mo
ment in the relations between the
United States and Japan-"there is
nothing final between frends"-was
but one of his numerous expressions
in the advocacy of lasting peace.
Mr.. Bryan's home life in the capital
has won the admiration of officials
and diplomatists. He and Mrs. Bryan
have entertained lavishly, giving Il
series of luncheons. dinners and. gar
den parties during the last two years.
When Mr. and Mrs. Bryan came here
from Lincoln they leased Calumet
place, the house in which Gen. John A.
Logan formerly lived.
Native of Salem. Ill.
Mr.. Bryan was born at Salem. H.,
March 10, 1860, and is therefore fifty
fve years old. His career up until
1896, when he became a candidate for
President on the democratic ticket
against Mckinley, was not especially
noteworthy, except as the priof events
later were shown in contrast to what
followed in his career.
Mr. Bryan served two terms in Con-
sress, but was practically unknown to
the big leaders of his party when the
democratic convention of 1895 was
held at Chicago. He attended that
convention as delegate from Ne
braska and as newspaper corre-
spondent. His pay as correspondent
was $50 a week. AS tie world knows.
something unprecedented in American
politics happened. and Bryan. the boy
from Nebraska-he was thirty-six
years old-came away from Chicago as
his partys nominee for President. He
was defeated in the following Novem-
Der, after probably the most spectacu-
lar presidential campaign in history.
Again in 1900 he was renominated
and made a hopeless fight. In 1904 he
stepped aside and gave the reaction
aries a chance. and they were beaten.
He tried again in 1908, and the story of
his other two defeats was repeated. 1t
was said Of him in 1912 that he went
to the Baltimore convention deter
mined to capture the nomination for
himself Whether this is true or not
nobody has ever heard a denial or
confirmation from Mr.. Bryan,s lips.