Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-08
BRYAN'S CLIPPINGS
:: GIVEN NEBRASKA
Widow of Commoner Pre-
Sents Political Scrap Books
to Historians.
SpccIai Dispatch to The Star.


LINCOLN. Nebr., August Mrs.
William Jennings Bryan has presented
10 the Nebraska Historical Society the
dozens of scrap books containing hun
ureds Of photographs taken of the
Commoner during his travels around
the country while he was a candidate
"" President. They contain cartoons
printed in which he was a central
figure and press clippings by the thou
sands, all of which were compiled by
him at his leisure.
Some months ago Mrs. Bryan wrote
she was dispoSing Of all the great
accumulation of letters and papers
THAT were his and from which were
drawn much of the biographical ma
terial used in his memoirs. She said
She was thinking of filing these with
The librarian of Congress, where they
might be accessible to historians and
students, but considered that Ne
biaska had a prior claim upon them
because of Bryan's long residence in
the State.
Nebraska Claims Bryan.
Secretary Sheldon, replying for the
society. said it was anxious to have
these papers as he believed historians
vi lIle luluTe WOulu SCdU the IecOTUS
OF the Nebraska Society for material
just as they now visit ard have Wis
Sted for years at Springfield, ILL.,, in
quest of material on Abraham Lin
coln. Nebraska feels Mr.. Bryan be-
longs to it, he wrote, and he believes
the feeling will grow stronger.
The gifts have arrived and are
being cataloged. They will be added
20 the material already gathered.
<F lo{+
licited by the secretary from the hun
sireds of men all over the country who
were intimately associated with Mr..
Bryan in his campaigns, and Who
have supplied a great deal of incident
and ancedote believed to be valuable
TO future generations.
Mr.. Sheldon believes that no man
was oftener cartooned or photo
graphed or more extensively written
about than Mr.. Bryan, in part be-
cause of the 80 years in which he was
before the public, and while it has not
been possible to collect all of these
things, the collection that Mr.. Bryan
possessed Is very large. 1t was his
habit for years to solicit from cartoon
lists originals of the work published
about him. and the artists We're al
ways willing to oblige. These are
numerous and include a large num-
her drawn by Homer Davenport when
he was the dean of political car
YoonistS.
Reception In New York
A large volume, bound in morocco
with gilt tooling, contains the news
PAPER records of the unusual recep-
ton accorded Mr.. Bryan and his wife
IN New York City when they arrived
there August 80, 1906, from a trip
Ground the world. Madison Square
Garden, now torn down, was the
scene of the gathering. The book
contains several autograph letters of
Mr.. Bryan written to the reception
committee and many pictures Of Mr..
Bryan in the attitude of speaking. A
letter from Richard Croker, then
Democrat leader in New York City,
IS included.
There are q number of books of
This character. devoted to special oc-
casions, and includes one giving a
complete record of Bryan'S expert
ences In Canada while he was speak
ing for the prohibition cause in Feb
ruary, 1916, when he was placarded
as an enemy of Great Britain.
1t is understood Mrs. Bryan has
retained the more intimate letters and
like material to have near her as long
as she survives 1t is expected, how
ever, that in due time whatever of
this is proper for public inspection
will be included in the Bryan section
Of the State Historical Society.