The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 1915. AN AMERICAN IDEALIST.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 39, 16 June 1915, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 1915. AN AMERICAN IDEALIST.

Thp prophecy of an American publicist that -Mr W. J. Bryan would never' make a President of the United States which was made many years ago when the "silver-tongued" orator was a much more popular personage than he is to-day, is recalled by a writer in the Lyttelton Times. It was said that Mr Bryan would sink under the first heavy load of responsibility he might he called upon to cany. This estimate of Mr Bryan's character is widely held in America to-day, and the cause is .set down to the fact that he is primarily an idealist. It is urged on his behalf that he does not lack courage for more than once he has shaped a, course in public life that has proved to be totally against his own interests and opposed to popular feel-1 ing. The same writer says it is interesting just now to call to mind the almost forgotten story of Mr Bryan's fust entrance on the bigger political stage. It is said that he addressed a great political meeting in Illinois when he was only twelve years old, and even then held hits audience spellbound. It was in 1888, when he was twenty-eight years old, that lie attracted special attention by his oratorical gifts. He was attending the Democratic Convention at Omaha, at which the delegates to the National Convention were, chosen, and brought the audience to its feel, by a rousing speech on the tariff. In 1890 he was elected to Congress, and at once took rank among the foremost orators. It is on record that the hour rule was suspended for his benefit; and he made such good use of the concession that after speaking for a second hour he was invited to continue for a third. In 189-1 he failed to win a seat in the Senate and launched out on a Free Silver campaign that brought him a big reputation but little money. The issue wa>s binietalisni, now almost forgotten in the United States, a s in other countries. When the Presidential campaign opened he was spoken of as a possible candidate, but the general (eeling was unmistakably in favour of Bland. Bryan was an outsider, hut his rivals feared his silver tongue,

and planned to crowd him out of the speeches. It was late when his chance

arrived, and the Convention Lad Leen irritated by rancourous spec-clies a >d windy personalities. He epoke \'ov the people, contending that their interests were all* important and that the needs of the day were not to be judged merely by the demands of socalled business interests. The Convention was soon in the mood for cheers, and at length the Free Silver enthusiasm broke bounds, and a reference to the "few financial magnates who, in a back room, corner the money of the world." brought a storm of cheers. For a space Mr Bryan continued to talk round the main question, and actually threatened to close the address without a definite reference to it. lint he was only playing with the audience, and having waited until the clamour subsided, he increased the tension, so to speak, introduced a note of indignation, and then expanded triumphantly with a declaration on the paramount issue.' It was the conclusion of this speech that became famous. He had been raking the gold standard advocates tore and aft. "If they dare to come out in the open and defend tlie gold standard as a good thing," said he, "we shall fight them to the uttermost,' having behind us the producing masses of this nation and the world. Having behind us the commercial interests and the labouring interests and all the toiling masses, we shall answer their demands for a gold standard by saying to them, 'You shall not press down upon the brow of Labour this crown of thorns. You shall not crucify man- , kind upon a cross of gold.'". The , demonstration that followed this speech lasted a full fifteen minutes,! and the nomination of the outsider was certain. The controllers postponed the voting in the hope that the effect of the speech would he lost, hut these tactics were of no avail, and State after State went over to the Silver Knight of the West. Mr Bryan at this time was no more than thirty-, live years old, the minimum age for the Presidency. But his idealism proved too strong and Mr W. McKinley was elected eventually as Presi- < dent of the "United States, MiBryan's silver currency not finding I favour in the right quarter. Since that time his political influence has never been very powerful. Mr Roosevelt and Mr fa ft had no sympathy with him, but in Dr. Woodr'TV Wil- ' son he found an appreciative friend. .Mr Bryan's attitude in this great crisis has brought upon him the outspoken condemnation of many of America's strongest men, who, like ex-President Roosevelt, have lifted up their voices against the attitude of -'professional peace-at-any-price" advocates, and who recognise that, despite ideals and belief in moral suasion as the greater force for good, the unspeakable horrors of this present struggle for Europe's freedom from the thrall of Germanism, must be met with some-' thing more than soft words.