amazingly powerful. In some areas the new political 

 party nominated its own candidates, but wherever 

 they met the farmers and their leaders were firmly 

 convinced of the righteousness of their cause and 

 were fervently dedicated to winning their battle 

 against oppression. Political meetings took on the 

 evangelical character of camp meetings under Al- 

 liance leadership."^* 



Although he strenuously denied it, Bryan was 

 rounding up support, courting the Alliance, and 

 pushing himself for the congressional nomination. ''^ 

 He was urged to present a Fourth-of-July oration 

 which would please the Alliance : 



A speech showing the dangerous tendency of the times 



in the growth of Millionairism which will in a few 



years more necessitate a standing army to protect these 



abnormal fortunes will hit our people about right."" 



Another Bryan supporter saw much reason for 



encouragement in the complex political situation, 



and he urged the candidate to strive for Alliance 



support. "This would practically insure success." '■ 



With his youthful enthusiasm and his air of earnest 



conviction, Bryan was gaining favor among young 



Democrats and incurring the dislike of older party 



members who viewed him as a "mere stripling" 



and a newcomer to Nebraska."- But the Nebraska 



we can get them to endorse you. why I am betting on the 

 result." See also, T. D. Worrall, Valparaiso, May 13, 1890, 

 and J. W. Barnhart, Auburn, July 22, 1890, to Bryan, on the 

 problems raised by the Alliance and the possibilities of cooper- 

 ating with the new movement. The Omaha World-Herald, 

 July 29, 1890, suggested that Alliance activity would split the 

 Republican Party, throwing the election to the Democrats. 



«* The Omaha World-Herald contains numerous references to 

 Alliance political activities during this period. See Vl'orld- 

 Herald (or July 5, 20, 28, 30, and August 15, 1890, for accounts 

 of Alliance conventions and plans. 



''» In a letter to Charles H. Brown, a rival for the Democratic 

 nomination, June 30, 1890, Bryan insisted that he would work 

 for Brown if he were nominated, that his political motivations 

 were strictly disinterested, and that he had not tried to under- 

 mine the strength of the other possible nominees. Enthusiastic 

 letters from friends throughout the district suggest that a great 

 deal of work and planning had gone into Bryan's nomination. 

 See, for example, Bryan papers, letters to Bryan from H. M. 

 Boydston, Nebraska City, June 3 and 23; R. W. Story, Pawnee 

 City, June 3 and 24; L. A. Simmons, Cortland, June 24; Edgar 

 Howard, Papillion, July 3; J. W. Barnhart, Auburn, July 19, 

 1890. 



""Ibid., letter from George A. Abbott, Falls City, June 19, 

 1890, to Bryan. 



" Ibid., letter from J. VV. Barnhart, Auburn, to Bryan, July 

 22, 1890. 



"- Ibid., letter from C. J. Smyth, Omaha, to Bryan, July 25, 

 1890. 



political scene in the summer of 1890 called for new 

 ideas and new political personalities. An enthusiastic 

 campaigner, firmly convinced of his own rightness 

 and familiar with the outlook and the rhetoric of the 

 country people, might be able to attract support from 

 the discontented farmers. The situation was ap- 

 parently ideal for young lawyer Bryan. 



A Voice and a Message — Three Great Efforts 



On July 30, 1890, the Democratic Party nominated 

 Bryan for Representative to Congress from Nebraska's 

 First Congressional District. Unable to hide his 

 pleasure and satisfied with the success of his plan to 

 achieve the candidacy, Bryan accepted the nomination 

 and promised to conduct a hard, personal campaign, 

 going into all parts of his district and offering to 

 debate the issues with Republican leaders in every 

 county seat in the district."^ Bryan's friends rejoiced 

 at his nomination; one enthusiast hoped that the 

 Democrats had discovered '"a Moses destined to 

 lead the chosen people out of their bondage of trusts, 

 tariff abuses and unnatural taxation.""* Even a 

 Republican recognized the candidate's "sterling quali- 

 ties which whether used in the pulpit on the stump 

 or in the halls of Congress redound to the honor of 

 our Common Humanity.""^ J. .Sterling Morton 

 offered his congratulations and liis assistance to the 

 candidate, not realizing, apparently, that the time, 

 the issues, and the more sedate and traditional 

 political techniques were suddenly changing."^ The 

 Omaha World-Herald was well satisfied with the 

 "young, eloquent, earnest, and able" nominee and 

 predicted a "lively campaign for tariff reform and 

 probably a \ictory also."" 



" With becoming modesty, Bryan referred to his political 

 inexperience and spoke of his need to rely on the Democratic 

 committee; Omaha World-Herald, July 31, 1890. 



" Bryan papers, letter from Eli H. Doud, .South Omaha, to 

 Bryan, July 31, 1890. 



"Ibid., letter from C. F. Harrison, Omaha, July 31, 1890. 

 Bryan received many congratulatory messages from friends both 

 in and outside of Nebraska. See, for example, the letters from 

 Ed. P. Smith of Seward, July 30; S. Hulfish, Wabash, July 31 ; 

 Carl Morton (son of J. Sterling Morton), Nebraska City, July 

 31; H. VV. Milligan, Illinois College, .August 1. 



"'' Ibid., letter from J. Sterling Morton. Chicago, to Bryan, 

 July 31 . Speaking before the Denrocratic State Convention two 

 weeks later, Bryan spoke of the Republican crime against the 

 public in demonetizing silver, an issue which later created a 

 sharp division between the two men. An account of this 

 "energetic address to an enthusiastic audience" is contained in 

 the Omaha (KorW-//oaW of August 15. 1890. 



■' Omaha World-Herald, July 31, 1890. 



60 



BULLETIN 24 I : CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 



