m?m - "SP r JIFT " U jf" V ftv rJf t The Comjhoner1 t SET VOI, 20, NO. 1 HHvmmmnfpiauiii 41 , The Burials of Bryan By DUDLEY REID, in Kansas City Post On every word and action, the devil it outbid And damneMm if he didn't and damned hin J BURIAL I. too flcono was ot Chicago, some twenty years aso, Tho west was all oxcitod, as older people know, 'And. silvor was tho Issuo and like a roaring tido iWftfl riding on tho hordor and swooping far and Wido. And on tho eastern seaboard, tho slogan it was gold, With followers as lusty, and leadership as bold, And hearts as firmly centered in what they thought was right; And it was plain to every one that there would bo a fight. Tho oastorn cause was managed with smooth finesse and skill By men llko Grovor Clovoland and David Ben- nott Hill, Who sought by spoclous ploadings and super- . flcial thought, i To run o'er western farmers their golden jug- gornaut. But back upon tho bonches, unknown to fame thoro sat A young man with' a lemon, tho "Boy from tho Platto," Who calmly suckod tho acid and blew tho"soods away. And shaped tho goldon cadence of destiny that day. His wisdom was convincing, his logic was re plete, His oloquonco was mad'ning and swept men from their foot, The choers wore long and doaf'ning, the crowd was all aflamo, Tho wost had found, its loaderand Bryan was" his narao. ( And how tho golden thunder of his supremo campaign Reechoed from tho hill-tops and swept o'or fiold and 'plain, TTntll.it thrilled tho country and pooplo roso in mass To smito tho hosts of Mammon and-government r by class. But, ah Again the precious emblem of equity and light Wont flown before tho legions of' power and greed and might, . And Bryan he was buried so dep in drifts. of snow It seomed that God Almighty his gravo would never know. BURIAL HI. But down at old St. Louis, ono thousand-nine-and-four, Ho had again arisen as healthy as before, And mot there singled-handod tho boasting gold bug clan, And blocked their bold maneuvors, and beat them to a man. Yea, wrested from tho straddlors a platform truo and sound, And. gave unto tho party some honest fighting ground, Till Parker spoiled tho -prospects and made his race a sham By adding to tho platform a plank by telegram. When Parker was defeated, it blocked the Wall Stroet plan, And, sick and tired of humbugs, tho peoplo asked a man, And so they called to Bryan,' and onco again he came And touched tho hills and prairies with elo quence and flame. But tho tho cause was gaining, the time was yet too soon, The clock had not yet strickon the hour of golden noon, So Ephraim hugged Lis idols and hold ,them fierce and- tight, And once again the leader went down in gallant fight. And then again his comrades picked "up his mangled bonos And placed .thorn in tho grave-yard and covered them with stones, But as in tear3th.ey left him, their hearts some- - what in doubt. His two big toes were active and slowly wricgled out. But when tho hate and slander and calumnv havo passed, And all tho fires of envy have burned awav at last, 3 All mankind will remember he worked without surcease For thirty golden treaties to keep the world at peace. At last when war-clouds gathered and con- . science and belief Would not permit him longer to travel with his Chief, Ho shook his head in sadness, but calm as man could be, And faced tho roaring breaker's and jumped into tho sea. BURIAL IV. h, tho hosts of Mammon, unscrupulous tenM1mi nmn ! Wo- . " . and bold, . - punon came the big convention of famous Balti- With, tons of filthy lucre bought up the day for gold, . And Bryan ho was buried, jwhilo toarsVoE tender grief , , . Bowed down tho hoarts of millions who idolized their chief. BURIAL II. But God Ho sent His angels unto tho lonely tomb, And broke tho soal of silonco and made the flowers to bloom, And Bryan rose in glory from darkness and the gravo,' ' To load' again tho banner of all tWjust and bravo." Again his clear-cut logic, his eloquonce and youth, His magic and hia mannors, his zoal for right and truth ' Aroused the loyal millions that followed him bc- foforo, . And ljko a flame of glory ho swept from shore to shoro. This timo tho burning issue on which he made his fight Was but tho cause of froodom,tkelprivil6go and right x - , Of pvory land and country to rulo its own do- j main, ' . - " . 7&voxo.d by wars vt conquest, by outsidogreod .' or gain. , . But how thoflag was" flying and Spain was at ' our feet, , : j The drums and fifos wore ringing and gladness was ropioto; And found him strong and activo as in the days of yore And Morgan, Belmont, Murphy, and all the Waif Street crew, ' Wont down before his onslaughts with briskets black and blue. He beat them tp tho key-note and pitched it truo and sound; And then ho wrote tho platform, the best that' could bo found. - And picked out Woodrow Wilson to stand upon it, too ' And thisft seoms was plenty for any corpse to And aoform was rip'ningr on every hill and Th brain; ' th wIsdm of hIs Xt werVwhUe' " hU And Domocrats pressed forward to rloan thn sheaves of light. G n tho The ws triumphant, and Wilson felt Ile bright to Billy Bryan the biggest plum he And asked tho noted leader tnn?f i. t . Ana-h-jWm in thoS .And Bryan, ho accepted and lent a wll'lini. h.n i To overparty meaeuro flt WhSW cfee SU? ' canning H6 SU1ef1l!8an'I,nr?BnhtdUSt'er" kn them And nil the hopes of Bryan and what ho argued 'Ho made a good official, although ,, for , . chine,' UOU5n tne old. ma- mXZ"UP mU3l'a-d ""0W WWtU J"" WUU a mali!e .ta seldom FINAL RESURRECTION It would havo seemed' less bitter to see him die on land, Engaged, again in battle, his broad-sword in his hand, Than have him bravo the. ocean and perish in the sear And have no resurrection at loast nono seem ingly. , '; . But' fortune always favors tho honest and the brave, - And soon his smiling features appeared abovo the wave, His big, strong arms out-parting tho angry wave bofore, His vision calm and steadfast and headed for tho shore. As soon as he had landed, ho stood with strcam- - ing hair, And spoke for love and patience and mercy everywhere, For justice and forbearance, and all those tender ties -That knit man tottxis brother and bloss and k civilize. ' - While others talked of soldiers and armaments and guns, Of shot and shell and powder and battleships by tons, And other horrled engines for taking human life, Sle preached the gentle answor that always con quers strife. Again at old St. Louis he was the biggest man, Became the honored leader of public thought again, And sounded there the slogan that won the most applause And made the hope of triumph seem brighter for the cause. But the elect wore blinded and feared to send him easJL Lest he mighrspoil their chances, or damago them at least, So in the south and central, and in the north and west, They told him to unlimber and do his dog-goned best. But when the votes werp counted, the east it went for Hughes By such astounding figures it" seemed tho cause would lose, Until the western country, whore Bryan had been sent, Rebuked the eastern Jingo.es and saved tho president. , " And those who scoffed at" Bryan, should take the map and see .. " Along his path-of travel tho sheen of victory, By precinct and by precinct, byw hamlet and by town, It was the same old story of truth that would not down. Although the east was maddened and voted blood and war, ' . ; And battleships and soldiers and strife that all abhor, The west it bade the cannon and gatling-gun surcease, And voted love and mercy and charity and peace. And so to Billy Bryan no mail. should say good bye, Like truth he is eternal simply will not dio; And tho' he may "bo buried in grief and tears today, Tomorrow and her angels slraU roll the stones awa.v. ' jg' jbltt&aaX" -' toiM to.