Evening star., 1925-07-27
LINCOLN MOURNS
PASSING OF BRYAN
City That Witnessed His En-
try Into Politics Feels
Loss as Personal.
BY the Associated Press.

"DS the Associated Press.
LINCOLN, Nebr, July 27-The city
mat witnessed William Jennings Bry-
ans sensational entrance into politics
by his defeat of w. p. Connel for
Songress, mourned with the Nation
passing of the great Commoner.
,.,ToV. Adam McMullen, speaking for
~ State, issued IA statement lament
.g'A Mr.. Bryans unexpected death
ala stating that the citizens, regard
less of their political beliefs, felt they
hive sustained an intimate loss"
Mr.. Bryan was a leader in the po-
Ii lcal and civic life of Lincoln, Nebr.,
f1r more than 80 years, beginning
his meteoric career in Lincoln in 1887.
Perhaps no more dramatic scene
heS ever been staged here than at the
democratic State convention in 1898.
Nir. Bryan was in disfavor with the
anen who controlled the party ma
Chlnery in the State and who had
seen to it that their side had d ma
porlty in the convention. He was
chairman of the delegation from Ian
caster and named on the committee
ton resolutions. When he desired to
present and debate minority report
the chairman denied him the floor.
Shout for Bryan.
The gallery was packed with friends
of Bryan, and they refused to permit
the convention to proceed. The
crowd begun chanting: Bryan
Bryan, Bryant accompanied with
ihEthmatic pounding of the feet until
after hasty consultation of leaders,
Mr. Bryan was permitted TO speak.
1t was a big moment in the young
mans life-he was %. He stepped
forward, white faced and composed.
Leaning over the footlights, he shook
h f1g-r f,, . II l4lo
who had sought to gag him and
shouted:
Gentlemen, you are playing in the
basement of politics. If what you
. say here is democracy, if what YOU
propose to do here is democracy, then
] go out from among you, even
though l go alone
Although the crowd was cheering
him, and he made a dramatic speech,
he failed to win the favor of the dele
gates. The incident became the last
wedge driven between the two sec
tons of the Democratic party in
Nebraska-the supporters of Cleve-
land and Bryan.
Established Commoner in 1901.
Bryan diI not try for a third term
in Congress, but in 1898 announced
his candidacy for United States SEN
ator, opposing John NJ. Thurston.
1nS HSpuDnCanS carried the LeglSla-
ture and Thurston was overwhelm-
ingly elected. 1t was not until his
final presidential campaign, in 1908.
that the people of Lincoln really mel
lowed toward him. He carried his
precinct, county and the State, and
the Republicans did not begrudge him
the tribute. This fight was different
from the bitter campaign of 1896,
when Republican neighbors of Mr..
Bryan placarded their windows with
pictures of Mckinley and 1t was
necessary to use vacant storerooms
TO house the impromptu debates on
the money question.
When he started his publication,
the Commoner, in 1901, he spent
much time in Lincoln. 1t was a
familiar sight to see him heading for
a street car in the evening with big
package of work under his arms.
Later as he appeared more frequently
on the national lecture platform the
city saw him seldom, but 1t always
had a welcome hand for him.