, 1892-10-19

COMMENTS have been heard about the
general absence of open-air demonstra-
tions, such as have characterized other
presidential campaigns. Olympia, Taco
ma and Seattle have hambeau clubs, but
they only make public appearance upon
the important occasions. Speaking of the
general situation the Boston Herald SAYS
the lack of excitement is a subject of re-
mark on every hand. People are more
than ever surprised to find it continuing
week after week. 1t looks as if the old
order of affairs had passed away, and a
new method in our presidential elections
had come in before most people were aware
Of it. The music, the noise, the spectacular
display, the uniformed parading, that has
been wont to be witnessed for half a cen
tury, have gone out so imperceptibly that
parties which have been led to anticipate
them as a necessity, and to make prepara-
tions for all their paraphernalia, are left
nonplussed before this condition, and often
with material on their hands for which they
are without use. 1t is singular fact that
this extrayagance of effort and OF display
came into being about as unexpectedly
half-century ago as it is going out of it now,
and that its elimination was attained un-
der the first President Harrison very much
as its decadence is realized under the second
one. The first President Harrison's candi-
daoy will always be remembered for ex-
treme and eccentric demonstrations in con-
nectiOn with an election; the second ones
may be as distinctly identified with re-
turn to discretion and good sense almost as
well identified
1t has required fifty years for the Ameri-
can people to recover from the glamour of
that first Harrison campaign. The coun-
try really went wild in it. 1t has contin-
ued, with more or less modification, down
to the present period. The indications are
as clear as their appearance is hopeful that
this method has had its day. There will
be different ways of accounting for its be-
ing brought to an end. 1t seems to us
more probable that, as a people, we are So
bering down with a greater sense of respon-
sibility. This is the most encouraging
view of the situation. The press also is a
great agency, and it has had an important
part in public education. The arguments
in the campaign come chiefly from the
press. They nearly all originate there.
With their increasing millions of circula-
lation, the newspapers send them through
the country each morning. Occasionally
there is an able speech made by an orator
of one or the other side, and that, too, is
sent out by the press TO an audience
thousands of times greater than was conf
posed in that which heard it; but, when
the speech is examined, the chances are
that nearly, if not quite all, the material of
it will have been anticipated in the editori-
ais Of the press previously. The public
meeting furnishes these dovetailed into an
elaborate argument and an exhortation
with the charms of oratory encompassing
it, but when its substance has been read at
home before, its importance is Iessened to
large part Of the public The boys and
some of the younger men like the parades,
the music, the uniforms and the torches
still, but large class have got over the
idea that they are essentials in the cleo
ton.