accounts of the debates given in the World-Herald, 

 there is little doubt that these meetings created an 

 extraordinary amount of public interest and en- 

 gendered much enthusiasm for the Democratic 

 cand date. Commenting on Bryan's manner, the 

 sympathetic World-Herald called him an orator, "not 

 an apologetic speaker but a commanding one," 

 "enamored with his cause," "impregnated . . . with 

 the idea that his cause is righteous . . . ," a speaker 

 who inspired "a sense of exhilaration." Yet, despite 

 his high seriousness and the righteous quality of his 

 addresses, Bryan's arguments were leavened by "a 

 pleasant wit, and even a spirit of mischief." ""' "You 

 do us proud," wrote one admirer. Another wrote: 

 "Am glad you are knocking Mr. Connell out of the 

 box. We are all praying for you." "" The final 

 debate at Syracuse on October 29 was declared to be a 

 triumph for Mr. Bryan, in which he summed up the 

 Democratic views on prohibition, free coinage of 

 silver, the McKinley tariff, and other issues of the 

 campaign. As a grand climax to this final meeting, 

 Bryan presented Connell, his opponent, with a copy of 

 Gray's Elegy as a tribute to the humble life. Three 

 cheers were given for each candidate, then a local 

 Democrat stepped forward to present Bryan with two 

 floral pieces, one lettered "Truth," the other "Elo- 

 quence." In a brief speech to the conquering hero, 

 the Democratic spokesman asserted that the floral 

 tributes "express every shade of our respect, admira- 

 tion and honor for the brightest and purest advocate of 

 our cause in Nebraska." "'- 



The Republican press was disturbed by the power 

 of Bryan's oratory and his growing popularity. 

 Opposition newspajjers attacked him on two fronts: 

 he was rumored to have made a speech in fa\or of 

 prohibition, and he had stated that he was tired of 

 hearing of laws made for the benefit of laborers 

 working in shops. Bryan countered both arguments, 

 declaring that he had been more outspoken in his 

 opposition to prohibition than any of the Republican 

 candidates, and explaining that he was against legis- 

 lation such as the tariff which discriminated against 

 one class, farmers, and favored another.'"^ Never- 



io» Ibid., October 18, 1890. 



"" Bryan papers, letters to Bryan from H. M. Boydston on 

 October 16, and from George W. Davy, of Fremont, on Octo- 

 ber 17, 1890. 



102 Omaha World-Herald. October 30, 1890. 



103 Ibid., October 25 and November 1, 1890. The Demo- 

 cratic press traded charges with the Republicans, declaring 

 that Prohibition hoodlums were terrorizing Omaha. 



Figure 5. — During William Jennings Bryan's 

 first campaign for the congressional seat of 

 Nebraska's First District, he took part in a 

 debate with his rival, W. J. Connell, on 

 October 29, 1890. F'ollowing the debate, he 

 received two floral pieces from his admirers. 

 Rural audiences throughout the southern and 

 western portions of the district were impressed 

 by the candidate's sincerity, his serious man- 

 ner, and his eloquence. {Courtesy Nebraska 

 State Historical Society.) 



theless, his apparent prejudice in favor of the farmers 

 was used against him. But Bryan's opponents had 

 little ground for personal attacks on the young candi- 

 date. In contrast to many political figures, he was 

 young, clean-cut, apparently honest, and innocent of 

 corrupt connections with the old Democratic organi- 

 zation. Democrats, not surprisingly, were jubilant 

 at the impression which he created : 



Mr. Bryan comes nearer being the idol of his friends 

 than any young man who has appeared in politics in the 

 history of Nebraska. His style of oratory is so different 

 from that of any other speaker that it has the charm of 

 originality as w^ell as uniqueness. There is no effort to 

 produce an effect by high-sounding phrases, demagogic 

 appeals to passion or prejudice .... He thoroughly 



PAPER 46: BRYAN THE CAMPAIGNER 



63 



