BRYAN.
BRYAN.
sympathy with Mr. Bryan's business life. Until
1887 he practised in Jacksonville, 111., removing
in that year to Lincoln, Neb., where he became
a law partner with Mr. Talbot, but did not share
in his railroad business. He early took an in-
terest in political affairs, was a student of the
science of government, and soon became known
for his knowledge of political questions. In 1890
he received the unanimous nomination of the
Democratic party as representative from the first
Nebraska district to the 52d Congress. He was
elected in an overwhelming Republican district,
receiving 6,713 more votes than his chief com-
petitor, a result attributable largely to his
exceptional ability as a platform orator and the
persistency with which he personally prosecuted
the canvass. His reputation had preceded him
to Congress, and he was placed on the ways and
means committee, one of the youngest members
to be ever thus honored. His speech on the
tariff, delivered March 16, 1892, was made a cam-
paign document in the canvass of that year,
resulting in the second election of Mr. Cleve-
land, and was universally commended for its
lucid statement of the tariff question then at
issue. Though a Democrat, and running on a
Democratic platform, he was re-elected in 1892 in
a district which gave the Republican state ticket
a plurality of six thousand at the same election.
In the 53d Congress he was again placed upon
the ways and means committee. He also took an
active part in the silver debate, which began
with the extraordinary session, and on Aug.
16, 1893, made a speech in favor of "The gold
and silver coinage of the constitution." In this
speech he advocated the free coinage of silver at
the ratio of sixteen to one, without Avaiting for
the consent of any other nations, claiming that
the adoption of a bimetallic standard by the
United States would force the other nations,
England only excepted, to adopt the standard as
final. On July 4, 1892, he made a notable speech
in Tammany Hall, New York city, that greatly
increased his reputation as an orator, and on
May 30, 1894, he delivered an oration at Arling-
ton cemetery, Virginia, at the memorial services
over the soldiers' graves, which was listened to
b}^ the President and his cabinet, and was widely
published as an exceptional oratorical effort. As
political editor of the Omaha World Herald he
represented his paper at the Republican conven-
tion at St. Louis, June 19, 1896, and there was
the fir.st newspaper man to obtain a definite
acknowledgment of the intention of the leaders
to stand for gold, notwithstanding the declaration
in their platform in favor of bimetallism. This,
to him, radical measure greatly increased his
faith in the success of the Democratic party, if it
could be induced to adopt the free coinage of
silver as the political issue of the campaign.
Wlien the convention met at Chicago, July 9,
1896, Mr. Bryan was a delegate, and while await-
ing the report of the committee on platform he
addressed the assembly. His speech electrified
the audience, the different delegations bringing
forward their standard, and clu.stering them
around the young orator. One of the oldest con-
servative and experienced newspaper corresi^on-
dents of a gold organ telegraphed to his paper:
"As he (Bryan) spoke I thought I could see the
presidential halo about his brow." The next
day Mr. Bryan was found to have captured the
convention, and after the heroic fight made by
the gold standard Democrats to stem the silver
tide, Mr. Bryan was nominated as the Demo-
cratic standard bearer. At the national conven-
tion of the Silver party at St. Louis, July 24, Mr.
Bryan received the nomination of that party as
he did that of the People's party. In the can-
vass that followed Mr. Bryan took the stump, and
in the cour.se of the campaign made 592 speeches
in 477 cities and towns, in 27 states of the Union,
travelling 18,831 miles between July 12 and Nov.
2, 1896. This was an example of industry and
earnestness unprecedented in the history of
politics in America. At the general election
Nov. 3, 1896, he was defeated in the election,
receiving 176 electoral and 6,351 ,042 popular votes.
He became colonel of the 3d Nebraska volunteers
July 13, 1898, and joined the 7tli army corps at
Jacksonville, Fla., which corps was ordered to
Savannah, Ga. He resigned from the army Dec.
10, 1898, and entered actively into the campaign
again.st the annexation of the Philippine Islands,
declaring that the United States could not per-
manently endure "half republic and half colony
— half free and half vas.sal." He was nominated
a second time for president of the United States
by the Democratic party in 1900, and was de-
feated, receiving 155 electoral and 6,358,133
popular votes. He received the degree LL.D.
from McKendree college in 1897, and pulilislied
The First Battle (1897). In 1901 he establislied
and edited The Commoner, a weekly political
journal, at Lincoln, Neb,
BRYANT, David E., jurist, was born in La Rue county, Ky., Oct. 19. 1849. He removed to Gray.son county, Texas, with his parents in 1853, and was graduated at Trinity college, Durham, N.C., in 1871. He studied law, was admitted to the Texas bar in 1873, and engaged in practice at Slier- man, Texas, until 1890, when he was appointed U.S. ju(I.u:e for the eastern district of Texas.
BRYANT, Edwin Eustace, educator, was born in Milton, Vt., Jan. 10, 1835; son of John C. and Lorina (Green) Br3'ant. He attended the New Hanipsliire institute two years; was admitted to the bar in 1857, and practised at Monroe, "Wis.,
