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The Commoner.
2
VOLTJMB 8, NUMBER 4
4
Ho says what Is tlmoly and appropriate, ground
ed always In thoso principles that are eternal.
That Is why ho novor makes mistakes.
As an orator, ho stands without a peer.
His stylo Is that of simplicity. While the com
position of his speeches is prosaic, it is effec
tive. Ho Is In no danger of being misunder
stood. This stylo is direct and forcible. Ho
leads up to his climaxes through a series of
undulations that hold the Interest and burst at
last into tho-full force of forensic finality. On
the road to his conclusion ho is an agreeablo
nntortninflr. hut when ho reaches his climax you
feel the power of the super man. He is the
no plus ultra In the realm of speech.
Mr. Bryan is as modest as ho Is great. Ho
announces himself "a moon shining by reflocted
light," in comparison with Jefferson, from whom
ho has derived his inspiration, yet he Is a greater
man than Jefferson. He has been In no aggre
gation of men for twelve years In which ho was
not acknowledged the greatest. When in the
presence of kings and emperors ' and czars, he
was the colossus and they the pigmies. Though
the hand of nearly every delegate in the demo
cratic national convention In 1904 was against
him, ho went out of that convention as he en
tered It, far and away the greatest democrat
of them 'all.
Nature did much for him. He has a mag
nificent presence. He looks distinguished. In
a crowd ho could not be other than the cyno
suro of all eyes. Nature has set her mark
upon him so that the whole world may read
"This is the man." Ho has assisted nature
materially in hjs development. Ho has been
a hard student. Ho has .learned his lessons
,wplj. . In the choice of a life partner he was
particularly fortunate. His wife Is a queen In
the larger sense of that word. The White House
has never contained her superior if it has held
her equal. Sho is withal the, most learned and
cultured matron we have ever known. We have
observed her in her home as' a sacrificing daugh
ter, a sympathetic and helpful wife and a proud
and accomplished mother.
Mr. Bryan is today the greatest moral
force in thh? republic. He is a Just man and
ho believes that justice will do more toward
civilizing theJiuman race than powder and ball.
He has more confidence in righteousness than he
has in armies and navies, and yet he belieyes
in war as a last resort when human rights are
at atalce and peaceful methods fail. He Is not
only a teacher by precept, but 'he Is a teacher
by example. He asks no man to be better than
he can, but ho expects every man to render, to
society the best returns of which he is, capable,
and he, himself, sets an example it would . bo
well to follow.
The election of Mr. Bryan is demanded by
every state in this union. Wherover -m ,n are
endowed with sympathy; wherever the, weak are
oppressed; wherever men toil without just re
compense; wherever business Is suffering the
unjust competition of the trust; wherever legiti
mate trade is at the mercy of predatory wealth;
wherever good Impulses dominate the conduct
of men, thore Is a demand for the election of
William Jennings Bryan.
This fact was apparent at the recent great
national convention of the democratic party at
Denver. Forty-five of the fifty standards rep
resented in that convention, from every land
over which the flag floats, flocked around the
standard of Nebraska that had offered to the
nation the services of her most distinguished
adopted eon. It was the greatest gathering of
representative men in the entire history of the
party. It is true .the Nebraska-n had nothing to
give them. It is true that he had no big gtick
to compel the support-of tho delegates. It is
true he had no federal office holders to make a
show of force and enthusiasm. It is true he had
no administration behind him to threaten and
intimidate, but ho swayed that convention from
his homo at Lincoln, and the two demonstra
tions of over one hour each were the vocal ex
pressions of the love and devotion and fidelity
of the common people who had "heard him
gladly."
What is the use to talk of another man for
president? In all that is good America de
serves tho best. Sho ought to show to the
world that sho appreciates a groat man when
she has one. Sho ought to recognize merit
. when it is so palpably apparont. Sho now has
a chance to recognize her greatest production
and the world Is looking on to see if she will
bo equal to the emergency.
Is not the fact that every state wanted
Bryan nominated sufficient to justify his lec
tion? Is not tho fact that no state wanted Taft
nominated sufficient to justify his defeat? Do
the people want a man who stands upon his own
A Word from Mn Bryan
WILLIAM (JENHINft BRYAN ;
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merit or do they want an echo of another? Have
we reached the stage of degeneracy where we,
a sovereign people, will permit a president to
name his successor or have we retained enough
vitality to assort our rights of free choice? These
questions nTe big with interest and demand an
answer in this campaign.
Of course Mr. Bryan can not please every
body. Lincoln had bitter enemies. Washing
ton was abused by foes. No man who does
something for his fellows can expect to escape
the censure of the jealous and corrupt in heart.
Bryan has been the victim of more abuse than
any man now living, and paradoxical as it may
seem, he is tho most beloved. He has a world
grasp on affairs of state, a clearly defined policy
on all problems of discretion, and if the Amer
ican people do not elect him to tho office of
president the loss will bo irreparable. It will
not be his loss, but theirs. Bryan has survived
two defeats and is greater today because of
them. He can survive another or a dozen; but
It is doubtful whether the republic can fare
as well.
TWVen'H h,Jlbla8t of Prejudice dries up
the brain of its victim an oasis becomes a desert.
Nothing can grow in territory so afflicted
Prejudice defeated Bryan before; will it do qo
again? It is the fae of good men to be mis
understood. Bad men are sometimes forgiven
but good men pay tho penalty. This is
wrong, but It is true. Mr. Bryan has paid the
penalty of goodness. Because, he was as true
as the needle to the pole he was humiliated.
Because he was faithful to the cause of the
people he was defeated. Because he would do
something for his fellow man he was denied the
opportunity. Because he stands four square
to all the winds that blow he is accused of
shifting. Because ho is as inflexible as fate he
is called a radical. Because he is absolutely
just he is branded as dangerous.
The facts are that Mr. Bryan has in him tho
material for the greatest president this nation
has ever seen. He has the capacity for illumin
ating the history of this country as no other
man has ever illuminated It. His danger lies in
his goodness and his greatness. He is therefore
made the shining mark for the corrupt and
dangerous and the envy of the small and menu.
God grant that the better thought; the bette
conscience, the better impulses of our people
may triumph in the election soon to come and
that Bryan shall be exalted and the natlou
glorified,
Put 'this copy of The Com
moner in the hands of some
republican voter. , -
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