Figure 6. — Whistle -stopping during the 1890's, Bryan speaks to a small-town audience 

 typical of the hundreds which he addressed during the campaign of 1896. {Courtesy 

 Nebraska State Historical Society.) 



convinced of the efTectiveness of his energetic campaign 

 techniques."* 



His two terms in Congress established Bryan's posi- 

 tion as a leading Democrat of the new generation, but 

 much important work was accomplished outside of 

 Congress during these years. Between 1892 and 

 1894, the young man took over leadership of the 

 Democratic Party in Nebraska, supplanting the older 

 generation of Democrats. Although he had begun 



"8 For a detailed treatment of the campaign of 1892 see 

 Paolo E. Coletta, "William Jennings Bryan's Second Con- 

 gressional Campaign," Nebraska History (December 1959), vol. 

 40, pp. 275-291. 



his career in the state as a protege of J. Sterling 

 Morton, it is unfair to say that he had ever committed 

 himself either to Morton's political organization or to 

 his principles."" Bryan represented the interests of 

 younger Democrats as Morton would never do, and 



'" Paxton Hibben, op. cit. (footnote 2), pp. 122-124, argues 

 that Bryan had taken advantage of Morton when the younger 

 man first arrived in Nebraska. But once he had become well 

 known and had no further use for the "Sage of Arbor Lodge," 

 Bryan turned on Morton, attacking and undermining the latter's 

 political position; however, Hibben's argument is not well sus- 

 tained by the facts. Morton lost his control of the Democratic 

 Party in Nebraska largely through his own inflexibility and un- 

 responsiveness to new conditions. 



66 



BULLETIN 24 1: CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 



