National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-08-14
TILE CAMPAIGN SONG.
One OF tho Necessary Evils that I'm
ntot the Country Every -Four

fiiot the Country Every -Four
Years.
BIN Nc. IN The S. Paul Herald.
Along tho blessings of freedom and the
divine right of suffrage comes the incubus,
the blot upon our glorious institutions.
known as tho campaign song. Dynamite
under tho throne is bad, but when tho
shattered monarch is gathered together
in y royal gunny sack aud buried, peace
once more roigns over the kingdom, but
in republic we know that every four
years panics, plaques, and pestilenco will
be overshadowod by tho campaign song,
set to tho tune of John Browns body,
which is supposed to bo marching on.
Four years ago | had the honor Of
invonting and hurling forth upon the
nation song which did much TO deepen
tho horrors Of the campaign. 1t consisted
of song which was known everywhere
as tho adjustable campaign song, to be
warblcd TO tho tune of Empty Is tho
Cradle, Baby's Gone" II could bo used
both by tho democrats and republicans
equally we'll, and had vacant spaco loft
in tho chorus where by means of slat
and adjustable thumb screw the names of
tlliltT NhHuluhlb NOuiu ut innbANNhs
song was cast in solid plates. and hawkod
about tho country along with tho jail
bird woodcuts of tho candidates, aud did
much damage where no precautions were
taken against its Tavages.
The campaign song OF the present great
war is now upon us. Lot us be watchful
and evado IL whenever IL Is possible. 1t
runs TO tho tune of Mother, Is the Battle
Over" and two Dover'S powders 10 with
each song.
10 bo perfectly candid, l am little
down on manufactured enthusiasm.
Hirod bands, hired encore supes, and con-
vention boomers, receiving so much day
and board, do not strike my fancy, no
matter by which party they may be hired.
But tho campaign song, jerked out Of the
grave or the garret every four years and
new store teeth put in 1t fills me with q
namolcss gloom.
call to mind campaign song and n
glee club with which, several years ago,
we trained under most deserving candi-
date on the other side. He told the glec
club that he couldn't afford to pay its OK
penses, and tried to get out of it that way,
but tho chairman of our central commit
teo heard the club sing that campaign
song, and ho paid tho expenses of the
club out of our funds, while IL travelled
around through tho country, leading the
hordes of our enemies and leaying trail
of horror wherever it went.
/ would give you n stanza or two, only
am friendly toward tho whites at pres.
ent and do not want to leave the reserva-
tiOn.
The trouble Is that our campaign song
does not bring out our best talent. II il
the same with the wood cut of tho candi-
date. Campaign portraits arc generally
engraved on Eastwood with double
cared shotgun. 1t is an impromptu af-
fair. SO is tho campaign song. Sidney
Lanier aud Baron Tennyson did moi
writo campaign songs Neither does the
sweet singer of Michigan. Only the high
board fence poet ever writes campaign
songs that are sung to tho tune of John
Browns remains lie mouldering in the
grave, while his soul is in tho act OF
marching on. Very few writers of cam
paign songs die o natural death. They
generally die mystcriously and suddenly
with some other mans boots on.