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SKETCH OF THE CAREER OF
WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN
Without holding any official posi
tion to lift him to public view, it is
nevertheless a curious fact that the
personality of William Jennings
Bryan has prominently impressed it
self on the country. To be great is
easy for the man who succeeds. But
here is the man who failed, and has
grown great and more fy’eat. Only
a ruler or a general has received
more public attention than he. Princes
and potentates have entertained him.
Yet he is only an American private
citizen.
William Jenning3 Bryan is a na
tive of Illinois, having been born in
that State on March 19, 1860. He
received his early educa 1 ion in the
public schools and Whipple Academy.
Was graduated in 18 81 at the Illinois
College, Jacksonville, and was the
valedictorian of his class; received
the degree of A. M. from the same in
’ii’,'. rWILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN. A 7'jfiu
stitution in 1884, and from the Union
College of Law at Chicago, in 1883.
In October, 1884, Mr. Bryan was
married to Miss Mary E. Baird, of
Perry, 111. He practiced law at Jack
sonville, 111., from 1883 to 1887, since
which time he has practiced his pro
fession at Lincoln, Neb., where lie
Jias made his home.
He was a memneroi Congress from
the Lincoln (Neb.) district from 1891
to 1895. In 1893 Mr. Bryan received
the Democratic vote for the United
States Senatorship, and in 1894 he
was nominated in the Nebraska State
Democratic Convention for U. S. Sen
ator, but w r as defeated by the Hon.
John M. Thurston.
During 189 4 to 1896 Mr. Bryan
was editor of the Omaha World-Her
ald.
In 189 6 he was a delegate to the
National Democratic Convention at
Chicago; he wrote the “silver plank”
in the platform, and after making a
notable and stirring speech he was
nominated for the Presidency. Dur
ing the campaign he traveled over
18,000 miles, and made speeches at
almost every stopping place; he re
ceived 176 electoral votes against
271 for the late William McKinley.
In 1897-8 he lectured on bimetal
ism, and in May, 1898, he raised and
organized the Third Regiment Ne
braska Volunteers, infantry, for ser
vice in the Spanish-American War,
and became colonel of the regiment.
In 1900 he was again nominated
for President on the Democratic tick
et, and also received the endorsement
of the Populist and Silver Republi
can conventions. Mr. Bryan made
another active canvass, but was again
defeated, this time receiving in the
electoral college 155 votes as against
293 for Mr. McKinley.
Soon after his last Presidential de
feat Mr. Bryan established The Com
moner, a weekly political journal, in
which he has kept the public posted
as to his views on political subjects.
From this journal, lectures and
books, “The First Battle,” and “Un
der Other Flags,” and from his nu
merous special articles written for
other magazines and newspapers, Mr.
Bryan has amassed a comfortable
competency.
Within the past two years Mr.
Bryan has made a tour of the world,
BIRTHPLACE OF W. J. BRYAN, AT
SALEM, ILL.
(On this site a library will be built to
mark the spot in the future.)
Jottings About Sports.
J. F. Taylor won the open golf
championship of France, defeating
Massey, Braid and Vardon.
EL J. Mills, with a fifteen foot rod,
made the record cast of 140 feet in
the annual flyand bait casting tourna
ment at Harlem Mere, in Central
New York.
i !tfiss May Sutton, the champion
'■woman tennis player, sends word
tvbm Santa Barbara, Cal., that she
Challenges to a match in singles
Maurice McLaughlin, champion in
singles for the Pacific Coast;
and has had distinguished considera
tion shown him in Japan, China, Rus
sia. Continental Europe and England.
At the request of King Edward he
had an audience with that famous
British ruler. The Lord Chancellor
of England praised him before the
Inter-parliamentary Conference; that
distinguished assemblage cheered his
speech and adopted his international
peace resolution.
Mr. Bryan lives in a substantial
red-brick house four miles out of Lin
coln, at a little settlement called Nor
mal. The trolley will take you there,
tall sunflowers brushing the car win
dow as it passes through. In the
little country church just at the edge
of his own cornfield, he worships on
Sunday. Sometimes he preaches
there. His wife and daughter teach
in the Sunday-school. It is a Meth
odist church, but it is nearer than the
Presbyterian church, where he and
Mrs. Bryan hold their membership.
She was brought up a Methodist any
how, and when they moved to Nor
mal she said, “Will, I’ve gone to your
church ever since we were married.
Now let’s go to mine.” So later the
children, Grace and William, joined
there. William J. Jr., is eighteen
years old, and a freshman in Nebras
ka State University.
MRS. WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN.
“Fairview” the Bryans call their
place that covers two hundred acres.
Land around there is worth from
S2OO to SSOO an acre. So it can be
figured that Mr. Bryan is comfortably
well-to-do. Those that have less
might call him a rich man. What he
has, he has made from his lectures
and his books and from The Com
moner, published in a plain country
newspaper office in Lincoln.
Before the Bryans had as much as
they have now, they lived in a little
frame house on a muddy street in
Lincoln, on his country lawyer’s in
come of SIBOO a year. You just nat
urally speak of them as “the Bryans,”
for through all of the man’s career,
the woman has kept step at his side.
“We always do everything together,
my wife and I,” he says with a pride
that has never waned. Long ago,
just after their marriage, she studied
law and was admitted to the bar. She
did it not to practice law, but to be
able “to help Will,” She has read her
way through all the political economy
that he teaches.
There is neither pomp nor cere
monial at Fairview. By 7 o’clock
every morning life is astir there.
Half-past 7 is the breakfast hour. The
Newsy Paragraphs.
A Pacific torpedo fleet of three flo
tillas has been organized.
H. M. Flagler resigned as a vice
president of the Standard Oil Com
pany.
Dr. Darlington expressed the belief
that New York City’s decreased death
rate indicated a return to normal
living.
It has been decided to hold the
Goshen races, at Middletown, N. Y.,
this season, despite the enactment of
the anti-race track gambling law. The
purses will not be cut down.
English breakfast custom prevails.:
That is, the family does not breakfast
together as a rule. Mrs. Bryan usual
ly is the first to enter the dining
room, which is handsomely furnished
in heavy black manufac
tured especially for het Neither she
nor Mr. Bryan drinks coffee or tea N
Nor do the children. Unless, there-!
fore, there are guests in the house thej
cook never prepares either of these
Mr. Bryan and Hia Grandchildren, Ruth
and Bryan Leavitt.
beverages except for herself. Each
member of the household orders ap
propriate dishes demanded by the
morning appetite. Guests do the
same.
Mr. Bryan seldom takes a walk
around the estate before breakfast.
A cold bath is indulged in as soon as
he rises. Then he hastily prepares
his toilet and descends to the base
ment dining room for a hearty break
fast of eggs, usually scrambled, beef
steak or broiled chicken, hot corn
cakes and milk fresh from his own
dairy. After this he plunges into the
work of the day. He receives his
mail by rural free delivery. He goes
over the first batch before Mrs. Bryan
has put her household affairs in shape
to join him in his workroom. Then
he begins dictating to her. Mr. Bryan
is a rapid talker, but his wife, al
though knowing none of the estab
lished stenographic systems, is able
to keep pace with his dictation. She
uses a method of abbreviations of her
own contrivance. He also dictates to
her most of his editorials for The
Commoner. Mrs. Bryan understands
the political situation in detail almost
as well as her husband. For years
she has been traveling with him,
meeting the men who confer with him
and taking part in the discussions.
She now has a most capable private
secretary and handles a heavier cor
respondence tjian Mr. Bryan. She re
ceives herself a great many letters
and all set answers. She also an
swers a great many letters of her
husband’s. He indicates the answers
and she dictates the replies.
His editorials in The Commoner
and much of his other literary work
is dictated to her, and she writes on
the typewriter instead of taking notes.
She is a capable and experienced
writer, and those who are familiar
with this class of work can under-i
stand the advantage of having an
amanuensis who is always ready with
a word, a phrase or an idea. In this
respect the two are in perfect sympa
thy and together perform an incred
ible amount of work without apparent
fatigue. They intersperse this with
attention to visitors and other mat
ters.
Two interesting personages of the
Bryan household are the grandchil
dren, Ruth and Bryan Leavitt, aged
four and three. They are the chil
dren of Homer and Ruth Bryan
Leavitt.
Mr. Bryan has no office in the shop
in Lincoln where The Commoner is
published, but occasionally he drops
in to see how the paper is getting
along. This is a typical country news
paper office. It smells of benzine and
printer’s ink. Old piles of exchanges
are in the corner, and the man who
gets a chair with a whole bottom in it
is fortunate. Cartoons and prints
decorate the walls, and scraps of re
print are pasted here and there. The
flies feed on the flour paste and the
inkwells clog up with ants. The
smoking pipes of the printers are
older than the town and stronger than
the uplift movement in the office of a
reform magazine.
It is interesting to note that this
is the headquarters of the whole
Bryan movement. There are no
smart head clerks and liveried mes
senger boys.
It is said that The Commoner pays
its editor about $2 00 a month and
others “get a good living.” It is a
fairly prosperous . property, but no
strain is made to pile up big profits.
That is immediately plain to any
experienced newspaper man who
watches the way of doing things. Mr.
Bryan is apparently content to have
it disseminate his doctrines, to pay
its own way ana support its workers,
and give fair returp**^""^
JUDGE GEORGE GRAY,
Of Delaware.
Notes of the Diamond.
Manager Jim McGuire has the Bos
tons hustling until the last man is
out.
The Cleveland Club has reinstated
pitcher Jake Thielman, who was re
cently laid off without pay owing to
lack of condition.
Good old George Van Haltren is
still in harness, and is guiding the
destinies of the Oakland team in the
Pacific Coast League. The leg he
broke at Pittsburg when a Giant nev
er bothers him, and he is hitting the
ball with a vengeance.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEORGIA LEGISLATURE
IN THE HOUSE.
July 8.
Besides the introduction of a num
ber of new bills, the entire time of the
house of representatives was occupied
Wednesday morning with an instruc
tive address from Honorable John H.
Wallace, Jr., commissioner of game
and fish for the state of Alabama, and
a continuation of the discussion upon
the bill of Mr. Alexander of DeKalb,
for the extension of the Western and
Atlantic railroad to the sea.
Mr Alexander concluded his argu
ment in favor of the bill, which lasted
four hours, and at its conclusion he
was given the hearty applause of his
colleagues and many personal con
gratulations for the able manner in
which he had presented his side of
his argument.
Mr. Alexander w r as followed by Mr.
Boyd of Spalding and Mr. Hall of Bibb
both of whom spoke in opposition to
the bill.
A number of bills were put upon
their second reading, several reports
of house committees vvere submitted
and the house adjourned at 1:10
o’clock until 9 o’clock Thursday morn
ing.
July 9.
The house of representatives was
accupied all of Thursday morning
with a continuation of the discussion
of the bill by Mr. Alexander of De-
Kalb, providing for the extension of
the Western and Atlantic railroad to
the sea.
During the session Messrs. Hall of
Bibb (who completed his argument
begun Wednesday), Chamlee of Floyd,
Heard of Dooly and Ryals of Bibb,
spoke in opposition to the bill while
those in its favor were Messrs. Shaw r
of Clay, Hill of Monroe, Slater of
Bryan and Wright of Floyd, who had
the floor at the hour of adjournment.
July 10.
Debate on the bill of Mr. Alexander
of DeKalk providing for the exten
sion of the state road, w r as cut short
in the house Friday when Mr. Wright
of Richmond introduced a resolution
providing that the proposition be re
ferred to a special committee compos
ed of nine responsible men w'ho shall
make a report of their investigations
to the next general assembly.
The substitute w'as adopted by a
vote of 132 to 1. Mr. Tyson of Eman
uel was the member voting against
the substitute.
By unanimous consent the house
passed the bill by Mr. Butt of Fan
nin to amend the charter of the city
of Blue Ridge and adjourned.
July 11.
The house was in session but 42
minutes Saturday during which time
the following bills w'ere passed:
To incorporate towns of Williams
ville, Center, Kingsland, Leon, Vi
detee, Riverton and Chalybeate
Springs; to amend charters of towns
of Ochlocknee and Midville; to amend
act incorporating Hoschton; to re
peal act incorporating Fairmount and
to establish new charter for Fair
mount; to create board of health for
Athens; to create boards of county
commissioners for Glascock and Ap
pling counties; to repeal act making
roads in Terrell county twenty feet
wide; to authorize election on bond
issue in Cherokee county. Fourteen
new' bills w r ere introduced.
July 13.
The Foster service pension bill wa|
defeated in the house of representa
tives Monday afternoon for lack of
constitutional majority, after a morn
ing of heated debate and an extension
of time for its final disposition. The
vote for the bill was 113 and the vote
against it 24, the necessary two-thirds
vote being 122. The bill was, there
fore, lost.
The bill provides that all confeder
ate veterans who own property valued
at less than $1,500 and all widows of
veterans who married prior to 1870
shall receive pensions.
Messrs. Heard of Dooly, Shaw of
Clay, spoke in favor of the bill and
Messrs. Barrett of Stephens, Candler
of DeKalb and Wright of Floyd spoke
in opposition to the measure.
July 14.
After a long discussion, the house
passed a substitute to a bill previous
ly introduced by Mr. Shaw of Clay
county, which demands an immediate
investigation of the charges which
have been recently made against the
state prison commission, its officers,
employes, agents, the lessees of con
victs, the conduct of wardens, and in
fact an investigation of all matters
pertaining to the handling by the com
mission of the state’s convicts.
The resolution calls for the appoint
ment of a committee of five, of which
number three are to be named by the
speaker of the house from the mem
bers of the house, and two are to be
named by the president of the senate
from the'members of the senate. The
paper will be immediately sent to the
senate for action, as it is of joint char
acter and must be sanctioned by the
higher body.
Under the terms of the substitute
adopted, the committee of five can be
gin its work at once, but has leave,
if desired, to sit in vacation. It has
the right to summon j)efore it all wit
nesses desired, and tq punish them
for contempt as in courts of law.
The substitute passed by the over
whelming vote of 141 to 15.
The following superintendents were
elected: Chufjgh work, Mrs. J. J. Ans
ley; enrollment, Miss H. Augusta
Howard; literature and press, Mrs.
DeLaey; and legislation and petition,
Mrs. Jennie Hart Sibley.
The Medical College of Georgia, lo
cated at Augusta, is suing the United
States of America, claiming damages
to the extent of SIO,OOO for the occu
pation of property belonging to that
institution by Federal soldiers for a
period of three years immediately
after the Civil war.
The following resolution was pass
ed by the seventh congressional dis
trict Farmers’ Union at Cartersville,
Ga. “Resolved, That we urge our
senators and congressmen to secure,
if possible, the passage of the general
and local parcels post bills as advo
cated by our postoffice department.
IN THE SENATE.
July 8.
The discussion of the house bill ap
propriating $15,000 to the Georgia
Normal and industrial college at Mil
ledgeville, occupied a great part of
the senate’s session on Wednesday.
After a heated debate consuming
about an hour of the senate’s session,
Bill passed by vote of 35 to 6.
Senator Deen’s bill to require all
births of children to be reported to
the ordinaries of the several counties,
etc., was defeated by a vote of 25 to
15, but notice w r as given of a motion
to reconsider.
Two local bills which had been sent
in from the house w r ere passed.
The house bill introduced by Mr.
Tift of Dougherty, knowm as the en
gineers’ bill, prohibiting the employ
ment of inexperienced persons as lo
comotive engineers was then taken
up and passed by unanimous vote.
The resolution of Senator Hardman
to memorialize congress to establish
a national bureau of health, w r hich
was read on Tuesday, was passed.
July 9.
The question of the establishment
of new r counties came up before the
senate on Thursday and occupied the
attention of that body during practi
cally all of the session. This was the
only measure debated during the ses
sion, and the discussion w r as heated
and long draw'n out.
Senators Felder, Henderson,
Wilkes and Steed spoke in favor of
the measure, while Senators Wright
and Camp opposed it.
Despite the voluminous argument
offered on both sides of the question,
the senate adjourned taking action on
the bill.
July 10.
A message from the governor w r as
announced at the opening of the sen
ate Friday to be considered in ex
ecutive session. It referred to ap
pointments.
Senator Whatley’s bill with refer
ence of new counties was further dis
cussed. A call for the previous ques
tion w r as sustained and four amend
ments offered by Senators Akin, Willi
ford, Felder and Knight were de
feated. 0
The amendment of Senator Farmer
was unanimously passed.
On the final vote the bill as amend
ed was killed —ayes, 15; nays, 23.
A bill by Senator Wilkes to amend
an act to "establish the city court of
Moultrie was passed.
July 11.
There w r as no session of the senate
Saturday, that body having adjourned
Friday until Monday.
July 13.
Senator Steed w'as in the chair
when the senate convened Monday
morning in the absence of President
Flynt, who is still detained on account
of the illness of his father.
Senator Hardman moved that Sena
tor Felder’s bill for withdrawing the
appropriations for compiling the colo
nial records, and which was favorably
reported by the appropriations com
mittee, be re-committed in order that
ex-Governor Candler be given a hear
ing on the matter, the ex-governor liv
ing in his district.
Senator Felder and Senator Knight
opposed this action. However, the sen
ate decided to give the ex-governor
this hearing by a vote of 18 to 9.
House resolution by Mr. Candler of
DeKalb, looking to the University of
Georgia taking part in the $10,000,000
foundation fund by Andrew Carnegie,
w r as discussed in the senate.
This resolution, favorably reported
by the committee, was passed by the
house and was concurred in by the
senate.
At 11:45 o'clock the senate adjourn
ed to meet Tuesday morning at 10
o’clock.
July 14.
A motion to investigate the news
paper charges of misconduct and graft
in the convict lease system was adopt
ed by the senate Tuesday after a heat
ed debate.
The house bill appropriating $15,000
to the University of Georgia was pass
ed by a vote of 25 to 8. Senator
Knight gave notice that he w'ould
move a reconsideration.
The house bill introduced by Mr.
Tift, of Dougherty, to require rail
roads of the state to equip locomo
tives w'ith electric headlights caused
considerable discussion. A committee
on this bill had reported favoring the
passage of this bill. This report was
disagreed to bv a vote of 19 to 11.
As first business of Tuesday’s ses
sion the house passed the following
local bills:
By Mr. Massengale of Warren —to
extend the city court of
By Mr. Donaldson of Decatur —To ex
tend the time for beginning work on
the Georgia Southwestern and Gulf
railroad. By Mr. Sumner of Turner —
To amend act creating city court of
Ashburn.
The Uncle Remus Memorial Associ
ation has been organized in Atlanta,
its object being the erection or pur
chase of some suitable memorial to
the memory of the late Joel Chandler
Harris.
The largest new-born babe on rec
ord came to the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Will Thomas, near Senoia, a few days
since. It measured 28 inches "in
height, and weighed 28 pounds.
Around the muscle of the arm meas
ured 6 inches, and around its chest
18 inches. The baby was larger than
many 3-year-old children.
Anew rural route between Zoar and
B'litch, in the northern part of Bulloch
county, has been established. Another
route will be established soon, making
a total of seventeen in Bulloch county.
John Runte, German, who has al
ready faced two lunacy commissions,
is again under arrest * at Savannah,
and will be tried on the lunacy charge
Runte came into prominence when
he declared that he had found a way
of purifying all the milk in the world,
and that he had been promised $5,000,-
000 by the United States government
for his invention, $1,000,000 of which
was to be paid in advance.
Syrup
acts gently yet prompt
ly on the bowels, cleanses
the system ejjectuallv,
assists one in overcomiuci
habit uni constipation
permanently. To get its
beneficial effects buy
the Genuine.
Manufactured by the
CALIFORNIA
Fig Syrup Cos.
SOLD BY LEADING DRUGGISTS-504f.BaTTil
At Last.
Bud Dozier was making his first ba!
loon ascension.
“Cast off!’’ he cried, and the balloon
slow r ly left the earth.
“Not rising very fast,” he remarked
to his pilot.
“No,” said the pilot, "throw out a
sack of sand.”
He did so, and some time later h
the night he awoke and found his pi *
low' on the floor. —St. Louis Despatch'
TETTEBIXE-A RELIABLE CURE.
Tettebine is a sure, safe and speedy
for eczema, tetter, skin and scalp diseases
and itching piles. Endorsed by physicians
praised by thousands who have used i;
Fragrant, soothing, antiseptic. 50 , at
druggists or by mail from J. T. Shuptbine
Dept. A, Savannah, Ga.
Some men have money to burn be
cause they don’t burn it.
Hicks’ Capudlne Cures Headache,
Whether from Cold, Heat, Stomach, 'or
Mental Strain. Iso Acetanilid or dangerous
drugs. _ It’s Liquid. Effects immediately.
10c., 25c., and 50c., at drug stores
It is better to be born plucky than
rich and unlucky.
GEE! DON’T THAT CORN HURT!
Stop the pain and get rid of the corn
quickly and permanently. Abbott’s east In
dian coun paint will remove any corn, bun
ion or callous spot without cutting, burn
ing, or ‘'eating” the flesh and leaves no
soreness afterwards. Applied with a brush;
mighty little trouble. 25c. at druggists .or by
mail from The Abbott Cos., Savannah, Ga,
BOOKS RETURNED AFTER YEARS.
One Came Back to Philadelphia
Library After a Century.
With the best systems and most
careful watching books go astray, but
it is hard to write them off as entire
ly “lost,” sanee they have a way of
turning up that is only paralleled by
the c.at of lyric fame.
The other day at the desk of one
of the oldest city institutions 'the Phila
delphia library, at Locust and Juni
per streets, there w'as returned by a
fair borrower a book that bad been
out a little over three years. For
tunately for the borrower no fines
w'ere exacted, and after she had gone
the question as to whether the wom
an had not established a record was
asked.
“>No, indeed,” said the librarian.
“We have in this library several
volumes that were held ten, fifteen
and twenty years, and one book that
was returned to us after being gone
for over a century! It is one 0: a
valuable set of the classics, and ait""
succeeding in hiding itself so long
finally turned up in Holland, where
dts label declared its lawful place 0-
abode and the honest finder lost no
.time in forwarding it to Philadelphia.
Yes, sir, w r e have hooks out stnl
longer and I have not the least doum
that some of them will yet find w 1
way back to our shelves.” Pinlade
phia Record.
DIFFERENT NOW.
Athlete Finds Better Training Food.
It was formerly the belief that to
become strong, athletes must ca.
plenty of ‘meat.
This is all out of date now, ana
many trainers feed athletes on
well-known food, Grape-Nuts, niat*c
of wheat and barley, and cut the me a
down to a small portion, once a day.
“Three years ago,” writes a Mien
man, “having become interested -
athletics, I found I would have to -
eating pastry and some other k .-
of food. . ,
“I got some Grape-Nuts ana
soon eating the food at. every w a •
for I found that when I went on
track, I felt more lively and ac 1 • _
“Later, I began also to art >
Postum In place of coffee and t - * ■
I gained muscle and strength on
diet was certainly jreat. On t e
of a field meet in June I weighed -
pounds. On the opening of tne 1
ball season in Sept., I weighei -
I attributed my fine condition ‘
good work to the discontinuation
improper food and coffee, an
using of Grape-Nuts and Postum,
principal diet during training
being Grape-Nuts. r
“Before I used Grape-Nuts I r *
felt right in the morning a '
kind of ‘out of sorts’ with my b
ach. But now when I rise I feel go
and after a breakfast large*. of
Grape-Nuts and cream, and a >1
Postum, I feel like a Dt
“There’s a Reason.” Rattlo
Name given by Postum Co -* t 0
Creek, Mich. Read “The Road
Wellville,” in pkgs. ne *
Ever read the above letter *.
one appears from time j“^ bun ,a
are genuine, true, and tu
Interest.