The truest style of eloquence, secular or sacred, is practical reasoning animated by stirring emotion. Eloquence is the companion of peace and the associate of leisure; it is trained up under the auspices of a well-established republic. On a winged word hath human wisdom been. willing to cast the immortal soul, and to leave it dependent for all its future happiness. As a vessel is known by the sound, whether it be cracked or not; so men are proved, by their speeches, whether they be wise or foolish. Words, as a Tartar's bow, do shoot back upon the understanding of the wisest and mightily entangle and pervert the judgment. There is no true orator who is not a hero. If you would kill an idea, deny it absolutely all expression. Eloquence is speaking out-out of the abundance of the heart-the only source from which truth can flow in a passionate, persuasive tor rent. Sometimes we say that the things of this work produce happiness or unhappiness, as the case may be. Speak we falsely when we say that? There is nothing in this or the other that in and of itself can make for our happiness. It is Our attitude towards these things that makes our pleasures or our pain. You remember the essay of the little boy on pins. He said something like this: "Pins are the most wonderful thing in the world, and they have saved millions of lives." "men." Then when he was asked how pins had saved life in so many cases he naively made reply: "By people not swallowing them." In like manner our refusal to be debased, discouraged or disheartened by any outward circumstances will make largely for the pleasure of life we so much desire. HON. WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN. NOMINATED BY THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY ON JULY 10, 1908, at Denver, COLO., FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. BY O. S. DUFF William Jennings Bryan, the man who by his masterful eloquence and his "Cross of Gold" speech electrified the National Democratic Convention here at Chicago in 1896, and who has since been twice nominated for president of the United States, was born at Salem, Ill., March 19, 1860. His earliest ambition was to become a minister, but as it was fitting that the son follow in the footsteps of his father, the idea of devoting himself to the pulpit soon. gave way to the determination to become a lawyer and his education was directed to this end. He received his training in the public schools of his home town, Whipple Academy and Illinois College of Law at Jacksonville, Ill. At the time of his graduation, Mr. Bryan was elected class orator and having the highest rank in scholarship during the four years' course at Illinois College, delivered the valedictory. He began the practice of law in Jacksonville, Ill., on July 4, 1883, and four years later removed to Lincoln, Nebraska, where he became actively connected with the Democratic organization of that state. In 1890 Mr. Bryan was nominated and elected to the House of Representatives. Two years later he was re-elected and his magnificent tariff speech made him one of the best known men in Congress. His immediate. prominence in public circles placed before us a man in the unique position of awakening one morning to find himself famous. His fame has steadily progressed. The wonderful speeches, combining powerful eloquence and forcible reasoning, delivered during the campiagn of 1896 have been followed by others equally impressive. Indeed, Mr. Bryan is today, perhaps, the best paid and most popular lecturer on the platform. He is greatly in demand and commands his own price. His speeches on many subjects, both social and political, are as well known and eagerly listened to and read in Europe as in his own country. His farsightedness, thorough grasp of his subject and his innate honesty have made him in a comparatively short time, America's foremost statesman. However, it was not as the result of luck that he so suddenly leaped into the public "limelight." His success is due to his conscientious work and intelligent use of his op portunities. He did not gain the great success. he has so far attained without hard work and effort, conquering difficulties and making the most of every opening. The Bryan of today is a stronger man than the Bryan of yesterday. He is also a wiser, more intellectual man than when he first appeared as a presidential candidate. But in principle and conviction he has not changed as much as the public has changed in its understanding and conception of his views. He is, he declares, as radical and extreme as ever in his beliefs but people have lived to see that that which was considered dangerous and anarchistic was really the outspoken opinion of a man devoted to the good of his country, and desiring the best that country could give for each inhabitant of it. Mr. Bryan's attitude is unchanged but he is brave enough to drop any phase of a subject that he sees has lost its importance. Thus, as the coinage question has ceased to be an issue, so Mr. Bryan no longer preaches silver. It is on the greater present problems that he concentrates his energy and power. His life has been spent not only in the study of our great national questions, but also in the review of the policies of the European governments. His wide international acquaintance. and his experience in public affairs have gained for him a most enviable reputation both at home and abroad. He has been before the public for twelve years and the people of this country know him, know his unswerving purpose, his ideas as to right and wrong, and the possible means he will use in fighting for the rights of American citizens should he be elected president. Mr. Bryan is a man of great moral principle, incorruptible, advocating what he believes to be right regardless of its popularity. To him. expediency is unknown. The only question is: will this line of action or this measure help the country? Does it affect the welfare of the people? And a decision made, nothing can stop him in his course. He knows no surrender. He takes the initiative in party politics and has expressed himself so vigorously on governmental affairs that there is no doubt but what he is the strongest character to be found in the Democratic party. Mr. Bryan was nominated for the third time for President of the United States on July 10, 1908. The following is an extract from the speech of Mr. I. J. Dunn of Nebraska, who nominated Mr. Bryan for this office before the Democratic convention at Denver, Colorado. "He is the one man who, above all others, possesses the necessary qualifications and is eminently fitted for its leadership. His nominatton leaves no doubt as to where his party stands on every public question. His genius. for statescraft is shown by the constructive work he has done in proposing reforms, and by the ability with which he has fortified his position. He is sincere, brave and determined. Honesty is inherent in him. His convictions. have been his political creed. He has impressed those convictions upon others by arguments addressed to the judgment and the conscience. He has always been the friend of labor and was among the first to urge conciliation between labor and capital. He believes in peace-in universal Christian peace. He believes the destiny of nations should be determined, not by wars, but by applying the principles of justice and humanity." "The name calls to mind a man of ability with an ambition that brings forth higher aims and possibilities with each step forward. He is recognized today as the most representative citizen of the nation, the peer of any living man, shaped in that heroic mold in which the world's greatest patriots, statesmen and leaders have been cast. Speaking and writing freely on all subjects, his heart has had no secrets and his friends have increased in numbers and in confidence. The party which saw in him, when a young man, the signs of promise, places in nomination as the standard bearer of that party, the man who in the thrilling days of '96 and 1900 bore its battle scarred banner with fame as unsullied and fidelity as spotless as the crusaders of old." Note-Photograph of Mr. Bryan appears on the cover page. REFORMER. BY AMBROSE BIERCE IN THE COSMOPOLITAN. When the cheerful optimist declares with a ghastly grin that this is "the best of all possible worlds" we need not be hot and hasty in denial, for it cannot be known what limitations have conditioned its existence; but indubitably it is not the best of all conceivable worlds. That distinction belongs to the world. in which there is no sin, nor any kind of evilsuch a world as the good Christian believes awaits him when this world is done with him and severs its connection with him-in brief, kills him. As a habitation for man as he is, this world -the material spheroid upon which he lives as longs as he can-is a singularly inhospitable dwelling place. Upon only about one-eighth part of its surface can he live at all, and for only a little time, in an unequal struggle with the malign forces of nature. For man as he may be, the situation is less desperate, for some of these mindless malevolencies are evitable, others vincible. We cannot avoid the earthquake, but we can build against it. The tornado cannot be controlled, but some day we shall perhaps forecast it in time to save at least our lives. Already some progress has been made in baffling the snakes of India by staying away from there. For inundations Life is expression; repression is stagnationdeath. Blessed is the man who has found his work.-Elbert Hubbard. We have no right to expect to receive when there are the uplands. We now disappoint the mosquito that once slew his thousands with yellow fever, and many of the germs that lie alurk in the air that we breathe and the water that we drink. No, it is not a good world, but neither is it so bad as it seems to a delinquent attention, or one unduly concerned with a single detail, the fate of the individual. The whole is superior to its parts: what should engage our chief interest is not men, but Man—not the fortunes of human units, but those of the human race. The ignorance, the vice, the errors, the poverty, and the sufferings of our fellows in our own day and generation are painful to observe, and hard is the heart that is inaccessible to their pitiful appeal; but let us not forget that they are nature's ministers of the general welfare. Through all her works and ways "one increasing purpose runs": to "weed out" the incompetent, the unthrifty, and, alas! the luckless-all the "unfit." Doubtless an omnipotent power could have accomplished the end. without the means, but the situation is as we see it, and not otherwise. The method is cruel unthinkably, but the soul in the body of this death is Hope. The best or most successful man is he who invests and ventures the utmost skill and force of will in his enterprise Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp. Environment. Many of us attribute our lack of world success to our environment. Have you not often heard the young man, occupying a position in a country town, say, "Oh, if I could only go to the city I know I could succeed, but there's no use trying here, where I am not appreciated!" Or the city young woman, with an ambition to be a writer, exclaim, "Oh, if I were only away from this maddening crowd I know I could write. To be face to face with nature must be an inspiration in itself!" And so, many people go through life, each bewailing his environment. Now there is probably not a person living who is perfectly satisfied with his environment. But there are some who have learned to harmonize themselves with their surroundings, and have thus created a new atmosphere for themselves which will in time lift them to better conditions. Adapt yourself to your surroundings! Do the work that lies nearest to you just as well as you can! Regard failures in the light of experiences! Look not behind, but forward! Many of us let our environment so drag upon us that we make no effort to lift ourselves toward our ideals. The power to succeed lies right in yourself, not in the things about you. Have faith in yourself and go ahead! It is wonderful what we can accomplish and how quickly we can change an unpleasing environment when once we "put our hand to the plow." Persistency is a "winner out." Do In creating a new and more favorable environment for yourself do not rely entirely on mere physical activity. Your thoughts will do as much for you as your legs and arms. True power lies beneath, not above, the surface of things. A recognition of this fact may turn your life into more prosperous channels. Suppose your environment holds you in bondage, but you do not know what to do. nothing. Simply make your mind placid, free it from worry and fret. This can be done by reading inspiring books and associating with bright, cheerful, successful persons. Soon your mind becomes receptive to new inspirations. You conceive new conditions to which you may attain. Ralph Waldo Trine says that we cannot desire anything that we cannot attain to. That to have the power to desire gives us the power to attain. Desire awakens the power to do and dare. Now that you have the desire, realize that it is your will that can bring you the attainment of your aspirations. Will to be patient, courageous and firm. Live in the present. Act as though your whole life depended upon your taking advantage of this present moment. A man's environment does not make him great. A great man is not restricted by his environment. He adapts himself to it and lifts himself out of it. He uses his environment as a means of growth.-Cheer Up Magazine. Concrete Talks, The Bright Side. It pays to wear a smiling face And laugh our troubles down. What is trouble? Misery. What is misery? Destruction. What is happiness? Joy. What is joy? Our natural inheritance as denizens of Earth. And, at this time of year especially, with nature in her cheeriest mood, and the majority of mankind likewise; I cannot see where a pessimist has an excuse for being. Life today offers more opportunities for the acquirement of content than has any period of the world's history. Man has creature comforts undreamed of in the highest past civilization. Openings for the acquirement of knowledge have multiplied to the extent that rarely indeed is found the individual who has not the chance of educating himself in all the essentials. necessary to cope with what society demands. Besides this, there was never a time when the universal brotherhood of men seemed so likely of fulfillment as at the present. Morals are improving. Business ethics are at a distinctly high level compared with the past. And all in all this is the finest era the inhabitants of Mother Earth have had to live in. Pessimists there were in the past, and pessimists there are now, but the latter day dark viewing individuals are fast succumbing to the insistent wave of optimism sweeping, at least, over America-and American optimism and aggressiveness soon will bring round into the sunshine the balance of this planet's citizens.-Midland Trade Winds. Do as I Say, and Not as I Do. The teacher himself should be a good penman if he expects satisfactory results from his students. I heard a story not long ago, of a teacher who was so disgusted at the poor writing of one of his students that he wrote upon the margin of a paper, "Do this work again. I can't read it." In a few moments the student returned scratching his head thoughtfully, and holding the old paper in his hand. "Excuse me, sir," he said, "but would you mind reading me what you've written here? I can't make it out." The governors of forty-four states of the Union assembled in the East Room of the White House, on May 13 at the opening of one of the most remarkable conferences in the political history of the nation. The meeting was arranged by President Roosevelt for the purpose of discussing plans for the conservation of the nations natural resources. First row (seated), from left to right: Gov. Harris of Ohio, Gov. Hughes of New York, Gov. Davidson of Wisconsin, Andrew Carnegie, William Jennings Bryan, James J. Hill, John Mitchell, President Roosevelt, Vice President Fairbanks, Mr. Justice Harlan, Mr. Justice Brewer, Mr. Justice White, Mr. Justice McKenna, Mr. Justice Holmes, Mr. Justice Day, Mr. Justice Moody, Secretary Cortelyou, Secretary Bonaparte. Second row (standing), from left to right: Gov. Post of Porto Rico, Gov. Proctor of Vermont, Gov. Fort of New Jersey, Gov. Blanchard of Louisiana, Gov. Burke of North Dakota, Gov. Folk of Missouri, Mr. Norris of Montana, Gov. Hoch of Kansas, Gov. Woodruff of Connecticut, Gov. Higgins of Rhode Island, Gov. Glenn of North Carolina, Gov. Deneen of Illinois, Gov. Warner of Michigan, Gov. Hanly of Indiana, Gov. Comer of Alabama, Gov. Brooks of Wyoming, Gov. Buchtel of Colorado, Gov. Gooding of Idaho, Gov. Noel of Mississippi, Gov. Hoggatt of Alaska. Third row, left to right: General Mackenzie, Chief of Engineers of the Army, Congressman Burton of Ohio, Senator Bankhead, Dr. Magee of the Agricultural Department, Gov. Kibbey of Arizona, Gov. Ansel of South Carolina, Gov. Cutler of Utah, Gov. Lea of Dela ware, Gov. Dawson of West Virginia, Gov. Floyd of New Hamshire, Gov. Wilson of Kentucky, Gov. Swanson of Virginia, Gov. Crawford of South Dakota, Gov. Stewart of Pennsylvania, ex-Gov. Hill of Maine, Gov. Frear of Hawaii. Fourth row, left to right: Mr. Shipp, secretary of the conference, Gifford Pinchot, chief of Bureau of Forestry, Herbert Knox Smith, F. H. Newell, Chief of the U. S. Reclamation Service, Henry T. Clark, Thomas Pence, Gov. Currey of New Mexico, Gov. Johnson of Min |