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The Commoner
26
YOU 15, NO. 8
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Welcome Mr. Bryan
(Editorial by Robert Montgomery
in The Puyaliup Valley Tribune of
Juir'24, 1915, Puyallup, Wash.)
The peoplo. of tho northwest are
glad and proud to welcomo William
J. Bryan. They recognize In hlra one
of tho foremost' Americans, and so
they aro glad to seo him. They draw
thojnferenco that ho knows ho is
among friends, and so they are proud.
The individual iii a nation of a hun
dred millions of peoplo who, by'the
force of his character, tlio blaine
lessness of his life, tho loftiness of
his ideals aye, by his tenderness of
heart and greatness of soul has
won his way to leadership, is a geni
us'. He is a potent force for good.
And Mr. Bryan, divested by his own
act of official stAtipn, going among
his fellows as a private citizen, bear
ing a message of peaceA is a leader.
He exalts love. As he speaks of
peace, in all his speech there, shows
the influence of the gentle Master,
and his face sepms to be illumined
as with a glow reflected from the
countenance of the Prince of Peace
he worships. A man of courage that
never flinches, of high purpose from
which no proffer of personal advant
age can swervo him, of fervent patri
otism, of broadest sympathy that
would extend to all tho world, the
benison of tranquility and enwrap
all peoples In tho bonds of affection,
ivir., Bryan stands forth .a noble fig
ure. Vituperation assails vainly, for
it does not disturb his poise nor
weaken his faith in human nature,
Falsehood's poisonous shafts, 'fall
broken from his armor of truth. Still
his voice uplifted in behalf of liberty,
fraternity and righteousness, and he
seeks to haBten the Kreat.dav. of his
vision, the day when wars shall cease
rorever, Ana when this, day shall
have dawned, and the grateful world
be asking who was Jts harbinger,
who, under Clod, its prophet, then
will the name of William J, Bryan
shin.e from the pages of history, and
the , nations of the earth honor 'his
memory. . , .
'
quenco, his sincerity. At Los An
geles the scenes were duplicated.
Vast gatherings pressed jto get within
sound of his voice. On the fringe of
each such gathering, and stretching
away into the distance, were un
counted thousands more who, al
though they 'could not hear, caught
the spirit of the occasion and, as the
waves ofapplause reached them, took
them up and passed them on clear
to tho outermost rim. Hardly could
they be induced to disperse-. Again
at San Diego, the orator had a sim
ilar experience. A man of the peo
ple, voicing tho knowledge and the
hope stirring in the breast of each.
or planting there the seed of a holy
uiuuuiun to promote, peace.
Sometimes tribute is paid to those
who have .wrought well and depart
ed. Thero aro tears and flowers then,
ana. words of appreciation that, to
tho ears of the dead, are nnthtner.
Wo. beliovo .in a tribute- to tho worth
that still abides and still engages in
lifting humanity to a better plane;
in making the world a happier place
and tho race spiritually richer
through a pervading comity. It is
manifest ihat this is a common feel
ing,, albeit not always given definite
expression. It is expressed in the
throngs that listen to Mr.' Bryan,
crowding to get within ranee of .his
voice, eager to clasp his hand. This
is tributo indeed. They look upon
him. as the embodiment of their own
rtasires; as thrilled with the emotions
thoy themselves have felt, but to
which thoy could not give utterance.
Here is one who speaks as though
with lips touched of fire, and. his
words burn .and smite evil or, with
exultant and sonorous -majesty, glory
in tlje coming triumph of good.
There ip not in this world; another
private citizen whose presence is. ab,lp
to summon such "a following; and
yet Mr Bryan offers no reward, asks
nothing, save only, to bo.. heard that
his message may reach the under
standings o the psipio, Qf wjiom he
ts que set apart by the splendor of
his.g,ift? tlip loftiness of nts benign
dos'ie, .
Thousands listened to him at San
, Francisco, and they were drawn into
complete unison of purpose jrtfch,
him. They knew they had. heafS
a great man, a good man; they weilp
carried away by his logic, his elo-
Who shall analyze this remarkable
man? What has he done? Wherein
lies his greatness? Ho has been
goverried by CONSCIENCE. He has
adhered to his- principles. He has
put the welfare of his country before
his own. He has been far above the
political level that the briber has
dared to invade. The mission that
seemed to be his destiny he has re-
garaea as a sacred trust. All the
strength of lite body and mind has
been devoted to the performance of
duty. He has shirked nothing be
cause of sloth or indifference. He
has sought nothing under the im
pulse of greed: Such honors as came
to him he accepted when he believed
acceptance to be wise; otherwise he
WOUld have thfust them nn'fdo - Wlc
utter unselfishness was demonstrated
afresh When he resigned thn nnnf nt
secretary of state. There was an act
that required couratrA. npff.nhnorQ.
tion. His position made him a prom
inent factor In the affairs,'bf civiliza-
uon. it caused his name to h& her
alded in all lands. He esteemed
President Wilson. Politically he had
made President Wilson. To do this
required all tho mierhtv influennn i,
wat able to exert. His pride must
iave oeen involved in the success of
the administration. The natural
impuise would have been to remain,
but ho resigned. becanso hn wD r0
Fussed of the stupendous thought of
u worm wunout war, and believed he
could-do more to advance this plan
-iwm ui uie same time make easier
ii o miorcs or the president to set the
Old World a good example if loosed
from official ties. Now he is free
a'd is making the most of his free
dom, not with bitterness towards
those who hate him, who had sought
to embarrass him, misrepresent his
conduct as secretary, and his purpose
in leaving. All that he can do for
the president he is rininr t i.
conviction that he could accomplish
vjiu u mo course ne took than by
any other course, that decided him
Personally, the sacrifice was vast. It
meALt the relinmiiniiJnw n ,.m
ity. It waived distinguished honors"
k Bumu man couia not have done it
Bryan did. not hesitate.
speech on the Wilson bill, had much
to do with making Bryan known, to
the country at large. Then at the
Chicago convention he made a speech
that set him at once in the forefront
of partisan statesmanship and wbn
him fame as an orator. This fame
he retains. He 4s a speaker pf.gra-
nfmiH manner, -with a .diction, that
charms, phrasing in strength, aim-J
pllclty and beauty his rapiaiy uow
Intr th mi trills, and winnintr by his
earnestness. .Twice since bis frst j
nomination has he been chosen to
ibear the standard. And, wbo does
i vftmowhAV Vita titotiin nh10Ufl-
ment in the St. Louis convention in!
1904 the year Parker, was nomin
ated? Packed by the reactionary
element in the democratic party, Bry
an, as a member of the resolutions
committee, had on the stage of the,
convention contending almost single-handed
and alone thwarted
their attempt to invito plutocracy's
favor for repudiation of. certain car-j
dinai tenets of' the two fbrmVr dem
ocratic platforms. In. the history 6t
American politics no such triumph,
against odds so seemingly over
whelming,, had m ever before , been
scored to, the credit of one" man. In
1912 when again he was nt a can
didate, still he swayed the organiza
tion ,to his, will, and caused the nom
ination of Woodrow Wilson. To do
this caused other sacrifices cheerfully
made.
Ha made a trin abroad after one
campaign and was everywhere re?
ceived with all the honors that would
have been given the highest official
of the land, and yet ho had gone as
a private citizen; claimed to be nqth
ing more. His oratory electrified.
London. There was no stinting of.
the praise, he received from the press
ana, trqm ,m.em,uers , ofuhegoyrn-,
ment. A. speech made by him was,
tho direct cause of one of Mia 'most
beneficient, provisions endorsed atLmTse1
mU TJ . Ti 1 i il.l ... Pv n '
The career of Bryan has been
unique. Three times has he been
candidate of tbe democratic party for
the presidency, each time conduct
ing a. notable campaign. More votes
nave ueen cast ror him than for any
other candidate of his party ever be
fore me country. Yet lie never
forced himself forward. When he
went forward it was from fiA ,
pulse of inherent strength. So did
uu tower auove rivals that the choice
was inevitable. Ho .had been in Ne
braska politics, and had served in
congress. There, hardly more than
a boy, he had -been pitted against
Bourko Co'ckran in debate, and the
veteran orator knew speedily that
he had met a worthy foe. This de
bate, together ,with his masterly
The Hague. It, was about this time,
tnat tne "interests" began to notice
Bryan as other than a. target for
aouse. Tne eastern newspapers-peg-pecially
those of the so-called "inde
pendent" class, t opined, after con
sulting the magnates that perhaps
Bryan had become "safe and sane,"
meaning that he might be docile and.
take suggestions from them were
they to get behind him. His recep
tion nt New York upon his return
was tho most magnificent thai avr
had been tendered a privato citizen.
Tne "interests" were ready to be no
tified that Bryan would be "good."
He had expressed no indignation;
had, in fact given no sign that he
Knew or the scheme. And then feu
made a speech that took the breath
from them, advocating as it did ul
timate government ownership of
railroads unless certain conditions
were .changed. This settled over
tures. It meant a renewal of war on
Bryan, just as -he knew it would, and
war by the most unscrupulous and
powerful aggregation that ever made
and unmade o dministrations.. . Siniply
another demonstration tbat .. Bryan
was beyond the reach of a tainting,
influence. Here was a chanca, the
acceptance ot( which would have involved-no
open disgrace, and wouM
have been followed by triumphant
election, for Bryan could im wi,i
his own following, and the "Interr
usia . nave aono the rest. But he
had a conscience and his standards
of self-respect. He hurled the bribe
back to those who tendered it. Ever
since, they havo hated him, and in
the knowledge that, they dp hate
him, he has grown more beloved by
tho people. . ; J
If. this country is to escape war it
will be due to Hia wi, i X?5 ' ll
&! Js. .-i.wS
,7T , -... i, 6 civilization, this tnn
ill be due to Bryan. His" name a
peara no- in thirty trARHQ ,....
tions representing three-fourths of
tho population of the world. He h
?,?eimiich for currency reform. Tho
bill that even the onnnnm ...
concedes to be wise went through in
A6vi mcanme uy ma euorts. He has
done.muQh to qqrrect the wronc and
inequalities of tho .tariff. His advo
cacy. pf a.n incomc.tax and of popular
election, of , United .States senators
contributed immeasurably to tho ac
complishment of thpso reforms. Ho
has stood for the .good and ever
,againstvthe e-vil. - Jiis example has
bpen a. veritablo hlessing, setting a
pattern, ven as he- pointed the way
He doe not boast, though, he must
realize ,how muclu lie has accom
plished. He pleads, not as one su
perior, but as a brother. Yet he
would not be human did. ho nf n-i,.
in the work, he is doing, for peace,
and feel a pride that the name signed
to the thirty treaties, is. his nam n,i
the treaties, themselvesr his insmVa.
tion.
This is something about the man
William J. Bryan. Hastily com
piled!" it' is only' a sketnhv RPrfoa nf
suggestions of his' familiar and hon
orable record'; but' it "makes clear to
any who may not. have understood,
why Americans are delighted to re
ceive him 'as the1 irrkat'pRt- nninnw
them, 'and why' the people of this
community will 'next week throng to
hear him when fie comes to the city
o TacomaV ' f
MR. KELLEr A RECRUIT
Lincoln,. Neb.,' July .6. To the, Ed
itor of the Omaha World-Herald: Be
ing at my homp in Lincoln for a few
days,. niyt attention has. been directed
to ap editorial in your,, paper of, June
17, iq.wmph.ypUvtake pqcasion, in an
dttaclc , upon, .VlrVyan -therein, to
make, certain, statements, cpneerning.
'"Permit me ta,sav-in reference to
,the statements made, as to my polit
ical views and acts, that what you
have s.aid is. untrue, and; wholly false.
If you ,are really desirous to know
the truth: and the facts, let me. here
with inform, you. - , -
"For many yeara here in my city I
have, been a believer-in the political
principles advocated1 by Mr. Bryan,
but have taken small part in partis
an politics as such. It is true many
years ago I was a -republican and
was known as such, but this has not
been true for a 'dozen or fifteen years
past I voted for and supported Mr.
Bryan for the presidency in 1908. I
voted for- and supported Senator
Hitchcockin his canvas for the sen-atorship-
in our state in 1910. In
reation to- this Mr. Editor, I refer
you to the senator himself, who will
no doubt -recall several conferences
had with myself here in Lincoln, and
he knows that I was a warm -advocate
of his for the senatorship. If you
arp so inclined, and wish to know the
truth, you might also inquire of Hon.
J. A. Maguire, three times a member
of congress from this district, as to
whether or not I supported and voted
for him each time he was a candidate
for this office. If you wish to know
a little more of the truth, it will not
be difficult for you to 'discover that
I voted for, and. supported Woodrow
Wlfsfhn in 1Q19 Rnnnn fnrhids any
mention of -local' and tate politics in
recent years, but ' the above state
ments which I make are
well known to practically ev
ery man who knows 'me in my
home city of Lincoln, and yet in spite
of this, you have the- effrontery to
state in the article referred to that I
am "a blown-in-the-bottle republican
(whatever that Is) , iKho has fought
Mr. Bryan and th) democratic party
in adroit and gingul .attacks,!' etc.
to
... W-."F.KELLEY.
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