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The Commoner
JUNE, 1921
11 V
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Mr. Bryan Evades
the T
(From Kansas City Star, May 12.)
The door of room 839, Hotel Baltimore,
fawung open slowly. Inside, at a desk, a man
pat, head bowed over the stationery before him,
tfrock coat pressed against tne cnairs uacic, ms
Jmind intent on the work he was doing.
"Pnmfl in." he said, "you must have been
!in Topeka when you called. What took you
leo long?"
'I got in the wrong elevator," sname-mcecuy.
("Then I had to go back downstairs and try it
lull over again."
The man laughed.
"That's a novel-excuse, anyway," he said, a
scmile lighting up his serious face. "Do you
Smind if I shave while we talk?"
i "Not in the least, Mr. Bryan. Do you nice
lectur.ng in the city better than in the small
towns?"
"It's more restful in the city," the man said
tiredly. "The small towns, perhaps, are more
eager to hear one, but it's more restful in the
city.
William Jpnnincrq Brvan. roundine out on the
lecture platform the active career of his pifblic
life, is not far changed from tne winiam Jen
nings Bryan who stood on the speaker's plat
form in the auditorium in Chicago that sum
mer day in 1896 and told Democracy: "You
Bhall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold."
He is a far older Mr. Bryan, that is true.
The black hair that curled across his head has
gone from the top and only a fringe of gray
around the sides remains. The round, firm face
has lines now. But the transition is only the
natural one that comes between 36 and 61
years of age. The same steadfast, fighting look
is in Mr. Bryan's eyes. His vo.ee has its same
rare impressiveness.
How does it feel to have molded public opin
ion for twenty-five years, to have addressed
more people in public appearances than any
other man in Americatoday?
"That bring in the word 'I,' " he exclaimed.
'It doesn't sound so 1J3&; but it looks terrible.
Put anything l.ke that about me in the third
person, please."
So acceding to Mr. Bryan's request his
reluctance to talk about himself is novel among
public men, and most refreshing. And it is
very sincere. It's not that he is suffering from
false modesty. It is just that he doesn't want
a bored husband to announce to a sleepy wife
across the living room table about 9 o'clock
tonight "Ho hum ! Here's Bryan talking
about himself aga'n."
It is the same way about politics. Mr.
Bryan is absolutely nonpartisan these days at
least so far as he is going to let anyone find
out.
"Has the Harding administration taken any
Bteps you oppose?" he was asked.
"Don't let's get on that subject, please" came
the answer. "I'm talking on public speaking
this trip and it's very interesting. Should you
like to know any of the principles of oratory?"
"Not just now," hastily. "Here's a third
question who do you think is the greatest
man you've ever met in public life?"
Mr. Bryan's reply was as easy to forecast as
the weather the first half of this week.
"Comparisons are odious," he said, with a
quiet smile.
Isn't that just what you or I or anyone
would have said under the circumstances?
Whether Mr. Bryan admits that he has helped
mold public opinion for more than twenty-five
years, whether he confesses to having driven,
driven, driven for certain reforms until his ac
tual personal energy has helped put them across,
it must be immensely satisfying to the man to
see measures that were regarded as fetishes
when he first advocated them new laws of our
nation. .
Lady Somerset, when she was here thirty
years age dropped a saying that is more than
a little applicable to Mr. Bryan and his work.
"When one man sees a thing," the English
woman pointed out, "he is called a fanatic.
When many see the thing he is no longer a
fanat'c he is an enthusiast. When everyone
sees it, he is a hero."
Mr. Bryan advocated the popular election of
"United States senators and immediately became
a "fanatic."
"The man's crazy," people shouted, none
more loudly than the United States senate. "He
wants to revolutionize the government."
Mr. Bryan may have been "crazy" but he
espoused the measure in his first congressional
platform in 1890. Two years later it was in
dorsed by congress for the first time. Twenty
one years later, in 1913, it became a part of tho
constitution of the United States.
REALIZATION IN 23 YEARS
Wasn't it almost a reward from heaven that
saul that Mr. Bryan, as secretary of state under
Woodrow Wilson, should sign the last document
that made the popular election of sonators a law
that popular election of senators that he had
started working for twenty-three years before
as a "fanatic?"
"The income tax amendment that was
easier," laughed Mr. Bryan "That took only
seventeen years. That fight began in 1890
when the supreme court nullified the income
tax law of 1894 by the usual majority, 5 to 4.
That, amendment became part of the constitu
tion just before I became secretary of state, so
Philander Knox signed it."
Prohibition was the third "apple of his eye"
of Mr. Bryan's life. Women's suffrage was the
fourth. They both went across to smashing
victory with Mr. Bryan in the bandwagon on
each occasion if not actually driving.
The statutory amendments he has suggested
or has advocated have been as important. They
include the publication of campaign contribu
tions before the national elections, the currency
law, the farm loan bank law, the child labor
law, the anti-trust law, the Australian ballot.
"But you're not satisfied with having done
all these things, Mr. Bryan?" was the question.
"Please leave me out of it," came the answer,
true to form.
The shave was over. Mr. Bryan wiped off
his razor carefully, put the blade back with its
brothers, the holder back in its groove, snapped
the box shut. He leaned over to examine his
ruddy skin in the glass rubbed a finger tenta
tively over a place far back on his chin that he
thought he had missed, found he hadn't missed
it, smiled satisfiedly.
"Do you th nk of anything we've missed?"
he asked through a fervid brushing of the
teeth.
"No, I don't think of anything."
The vest was brushed and put on. So was
the frock coat. So was the low collar and the
string tie was tied with a facile handling that
bespoke much knowledge of string ties.
A young man sitting near the door rose
nervously and coughed.
"We go first to the Athenaeum and then to
the chamber of commerce, Mr. Bryan," he said.
"First to the Athenaeum and then to the
chamber of commerce," Mr. Bryan echoed with
a smile. "All right."
He turned to h's visitor. ,
"I'm glad to have met you," he said.
"Thank you."
He turned back to the young man.
"Let's go."
.."All right."
William Jennings Bryan, congressman, party
leader, secretary of state, three times nominee
for President, had started his day's work.
"WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN
Honorable W. J. Bryan has been speaking in
Kansas City every night for a week.
Neither years of service nor political defeats
have weakened Bryan's leadership or detracted
from the constant courage he shows in stand
ing squarely for the things he believes to be
right.
He can well afford to look back over the
last twenty-five years with satisfaction and he
is so big that he has not been embittered by
the unreasonable attacks of those who have
fought him without cause.
Practically all the national issues which
Bryan advocated, and which, indeed, were first
advocated by Bryan, have been enacted into
law and practice.
We have prohibition, woman suffrage, direct
election of the senators, direct primary, income
tax, a Federal Reserve bank system, and a moe
clastic currency.
Multitudes have praised him and a public
press has jeered him, and vicious interests
have fought him without mercy.
Though lie may have lost some battles l:c has
won his cause.
Many people idolize him and down in their
heaits even his enemies respect him.
To us Bryan did not require success in politi
cal battles to make him great. For fidelity to
purpose, for conscientious adherence to his
ideals, for standing square to tho front in corf
science upon his principles in public lifo and
private life, in victory and defoat, ho is our
country's greatest example of a Christian
gentleman. Olathe, Kansas, Register.
RUIN IN FARMERS' FLIGHT
"You aro real estate men. I want to loave
with you the thought that it is of utmost im
portance that you understand tho foundation
upon which this city is built."
For more than a half hour yesterday William
Jennings Bryan had talked to the members of
the Real Estate Board about his career. Ho
had joked about his unsuccessful efforts to be
come President, then suddenly he delved into
more serious things.
The great problem today is tho plight of the
farmer, the Commoner said. There was no mis
taking Mr. Bryan's conception of how serious
the agricultural situation has become. He was
fervent, eloquent and ruthloss in picturing tho
r.in of tho country if profiteering and crop
gambling are not curbed and the business men
do not join with the farmer in obtaining relief.
CITY'S LIFE DEPENDS ON FARMERS
"You cannot hope to live," Mr. Bryan con
tinued, speaking of the foundation on which
this city was built, "unless the agricultural
country is prosperous. If you allow these farm
ers to be driven back to thoir sod houses, you'll
starve.
"Stop your stealing! Drive your profiteers
out of business! They are tho big, fat middje
men bearing down on the producer and crush
ing the life out of him. He's reaping the prof
its. Limit and restrain the profits of the mid
dleman." Bryan on the stump could not have preached
the issue of the day more ardently. Grain gamb
ling and the profiteer were attacked as tho
ruination of the farmer and tho Commoner was
there to defend and fight for the protection of
the producer.
He sketched the ruin that will result if the
farmer declines to produce at present prices.
The heaviest blow eventually would fall on the
manufacturer.
FUTURE CROPS WILL DEPEND ON PRICES
"If these farmers are not going to get more
for their produce than they received ten years
ago, and have to pay twice as much for what
they buy, they are going to buy only half as
much," continued Mr. Bryan. "And when that
condition develops idle men will fill the streets
and you'll have to feed them when they cry for
bread.
"You cannot afford to allow this to happen.
You must help the farmer now. Every man
in the city is on the side of injustice and the
people can have no relief. If you can't do the
things because they are right, then get down
to the lower level and be restrained by fear of
consequences."
Warm applause, cheers and finally a stand
ing tribute indicated the" realtors' appreciation
of what is wrong in the period of economic re
adjustment. Kansas -City Star.
IS THE YOUNG MAN SAFE?
Ft. Wayne, Ind., May 23. Speaking on three
of the great dangers confronting the American
nation, Williams Jennings Bryan gave his fam
ous lecture, "Is the Young Man Absolom Safe?"
before a cheering crowd that had driven into
Fort Wayne for miles a-ound and packed the
gymnasium of the Y. M. C. A. at 3 o'clock yes
terday afternoon at the last of the association's
Sunday afternoon meetings for the present sea
son. Mr. Bryan spoke in the evening at the
Wayne Street Methodist church, before leaving
for Winona Lake, where he was scheduled to
address the 133rd General Assembly of the Pres
byterian church at 10 o'clock last night.
Declaring that he had chosen as the theme
of his lecture the story of the unhappy ending
of the rebellious son of King David, because
ho wanted to call to the attention of men the
anxiety of a father's heart as his children grow
up. Mr. Bryan asked whether we are today
pointing out the perils confronting the young
man, and trying to make society safe for him?
The anxious thought of King David, even in
the midst of the battle waged in rebellion
against his own authority, was for the safety
of his son, and the news of that son's untime
ly death. Mr. Bryan said, gave utterance to the
greatest and most beautiful expression of love
and sorrow in all literature. "I want to make
"men think of their sons."
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