New Britain herald., 1925-07-27

| college In 1881 and Union College of Law, Chicago, in 1883 entered the law office of Lyman Trumbull, former United States senator. Sub sequently he removed to Jackson vile, H.. where he practiced law until 1887 when he settled in Lin- coin, Neb.
 During the presidential campaign of 1888 young Bryan's speeches in behalf of the democratic ticket at- tracted attention and in 1890 he &C., cepted nomination for congress in In the first Nebraska district, a re- publican stronghold, "beacuse, no one else would have t." he said, since 1t was believed no democrat could win He was elected and served from 1891 until 1895. He was made a member of the important Ways and Means committee in his first term.
 Two speeches in this period gave Mir. Bryan nation wide prominence. one against the policy of protection, delivered on March 16. 1892, and the other against the repeal of the sill yer purchase clause of the Sherman act on August is. 1893. Tn the lat ter he advocated the free and un- limited coinage of silver, irrespec- tive of international agreement, at ratio of is to l." policy with which his name was afterwards most prom inently associated until he entered the cabinet of President Wilson,
 Nominated in 1898
 The first nomination of MT. Bryan for the presidency at the democratic national convention in Chicago on July 10, 1898, has since been char acterized az one of the miracles" Of American politics. The nominee, after serving in congress, had run for the United States senate and been defeated by Senator John M. Thurs ton Of Nebraska Abandoning the law, Mfr. Bryan became editor of the Omaha World Herald and cham pioned the cause of bimetallism as vigorously with the pen as he had upon the forum. He had been beaten for a third term In congress on the issue Of "sound money" and when the time came for the national con vention this question was rending both big political parties. There were free silver republicans as well as democrats, but the nominee of the former, Henry M. Teller Of Col orado, threw his support to Bryan when the Nebraskan won the nom iration at Chicago.
 The Cross Of Gold
 The "cross of gold" speech by Bryan, which has been quoted oftener, perhaps, than any other of lis words, and which made him 3 rival of William Mckinley for the presidency-came at the close of a debate on the floor of the convention in advocacy of a free silver plank. Men nationally prominent in the party had preceded him. end op- posed the plank unless it should provide for bmetallism by interna- 1 tional agreement. The situation was tense when the Nehraskan, then only l Ss years old--one year more than the constitutional requirement. for a rrosident-arose to speak.
 Everybody was tired: everybody seemed ready for compromise Not so the delegate from Nebraska. There was fire in his eyes when he began to speak;
 '1 would be prosumptuous. indeed, to present myself against the dis | tinguished gentleman to whom you have listened" he said If this were mere measuring Of abilities; but this Is not contest between persons, The humhlest citizen In all the land. when clad In the armor of righte ous cause, is stronger than all the hosts of error. come to speak to yor in defense of a cause as holy az the cause of lihnrty-the cause of humanity"
 Attacks Wall Street
 Then charging the evils of the day the idle mills, the social unrest and low wages--to the scarcity of monny and the "iile holders of idle capital In Wall street" he continued:
 "The individual Is but an atom: ha Is born he acts he dies; but principles are eternal: and this has heen a contest over a principle. Hay ing behind us the producing masses of this nation and the world, sup rorted hv the commercial interests. the lahoring interests and the toiIers everywhere, we will answer those who demand single gold standard by saving:
 "You sha,i not press down upon the brow of labor this crown Of