The Winslow mail., 1925-07-28
WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN
DIES At HOME OF FRIEND At.
DAYTON OF HEART DISEASE

He was found breathing ms last
Sunday afternoon by a servant in
the home of friend at Dayton,
Tenn, in the midst of what he con-
sidered the most important battle
of his career, the contest of issues
growing out of the Scopes-evolu-
ton trial.
He had retired early after lunch
for a nap, and was found uncon-
scious at 4:30 p. m. ApopleXy was
given as the cause of death
Mr.. Bryan said last week that
he expected to make many ad-
dresses for which he would not
permit admission to be charged,
emphasizing the issues as he con-
strued them after the first court
test of the Tennessee statute pro-
hibiting the teaching of evolution
theories.
From the opening of the trial he
was especially in earnest, insist
ing throughout that a battle was
being waged against revealed re-
ligion and Christianity.
Arrangements are being made
for interment at Arlington National
Cemetery, in accordance with the
expressed wish of Mr.. Bryan.
William Jennings Bryan was the
most remarkable political party
leader, in many respects, III Amer
lean history.
He attained to power with as
tonishing suddenness, and very
young. This power, too. was far
more nearly absolute than a party
leader often possesses. And Bryan
held onto it, year after year and
year after year. Three times he
was the Democratic nominee for
president. On the occasions when
he did not make the race himself,
he generally was strong enough to
choose the candidate, or, aC any
rate, the candidate had to have his
Endorsement in order TO secure the
nomination.
In all he did Mr.. Bryan was i'll
earnest and in all he tried to DO
good.
Those who knew him best re-
spected his motives and his sin
cerity. He never did unworthy or
mean things. He may have been
mistaken at times, as everyone is,
but he was trying always to do
the right as he saw it.
OF his great Influence on the
public thought of his day, his pub
lie services and his transcendent
ability as an orator, too much can
not be said.
Bryan was born in 1860, at Salem,
III. He was educated at Illinois
college, was admitted to the bar in
1882 and hung out his lawyers
shingle at Jacksonville, in his ma
tive state 1t was here also that
he married Miss Mary E. Baird, of
Perry, ILL.,, with whom he spent a
long and happy welded life.
In 1887 the Bryans moved to
Lincoln, Neb., where for the next
few years the future Democratic
standard-bearer practiced law.
In 1891 Bryan was sent to con-
gress, where he served two sue
cessive terms. At the end Of his
second term he accepted the edi-
torship of the Omaha World-Her-
aid.
In 1896, still nationally almost
unknown, he attended the Demo
cratic presidential convention, and
at its conclusion found himself his
party's candidate for the first Of
flee in the country.
He was defeated by the Republic
an nominee, William Mckinley, but
from that time forward he was the
undisputed head of his party.
In the Spanish-American war
Bryan raised the Third regiment of
Nebraska volunteers and became
its colonel
Developments which followed the
war did not meet with his ap-
proval, however, and it was with
"Anti-Imperialism'' as his watch
word that he ran again for presi-
dent in 1900 Again he was de-
feated, by Mckinley.
In 1904 Judge Alton Brooks Par
ker was the Democratic presiden-
tial nominee In 1908 Bryan was
fox the third time, at the head of
his party's ticket, but the majority
was still against him and William
Howard Taft, the Republican can
didate, was victorious.
Four years later it was to Bry-
an, more than to any other single
individual. that Woodrow Wilson
owed his nomination for the presi-
dency.
Upon Wilson's inauguration, the
"Commoner," as Bryan often was
~ealled, from the name of the week
ly newspaper he had been pub
hsning for several years at Lin
coin, accepted the portfolio of state
In 1915 he resigned this office, be-
lieving, as he stated, that the ad-
ministration's policy was leading
toward American entrance into the
World war. which then was raging
Thenceforward the Nebraskan
interested himself chiefly in the
effort to promote national prohi-
bition, which he had favored for
years, though previously the exi-
gencies of politics had forced him
to give other issues precedence tC
it. Of late years he was a leading
churchman and fundamentals.