The San Francisco call., 1896-10-08

and life that usually characterize a place
of that kind during the progress of Pres
1dential campaign.
Mr.. Afford is popularly known "as the
boy manager of the boy orators cam
paign in California" but for all his popu-
larity, his urbanity and his conceded
ability to entertain visitors as 'a single
handed talker," Mr.. Afford does not ap-
pear to be able to draw together a satisfac-
tory crowd of prominent or influential
Democratic politicians. This is not the
fault OF Mr.. Afford. 1t is not because of
the lack OF personal magnetism on his
part, but results simply from the ia ct that
the brainy men of the Democratic party,
those upon whom dependence for victory
has hitherto been placed, are no longer
willing to put their shoulders to the
wheel, when to do so would be to advance
the cause of Bryanism, with which they
have little or no sympathy. There is an
other reason. They do not believe that
Bryan can be elected and therefore have
no personal interest in his canvass.
In the still watches of the day, overcome
by the soporific influences of the drowsy at
mosphere, Mr.. Afford yesterday INDUCED
himself in a siesta, during which his oft
repeated wishes took the form of a vision.
The alluring mirage of dreamland con-
jured uD great many delightful scenes
that, alas, are to exist merely as the
phantasms of an overstrained imagine
ton. For instance, it seemed to 1.-The boy
manager of the boy orators campaign in
California" that Governor Jim Budd had
started to make a TOUR of the State, intend
ing to duplicate his famous blackboard cam
paign. taking for his slogan, bryan and
Free Silver" with unrestricted coinage of
sophomore eloouence on the side. The
vision pictured Senator Steve White act
ing as Governor Budd's advance agent
building bonfres and putting up posters
and pictures of Bryan. For the moment
dull care was dispelled by this beauteous
apocalypse, and Mr.. Afford forgot that
Senator White has gone to the Colorado
Canyon for a hunting and fishing trip,
while Governor Budd can find very little
time to devote to National politics.
John II. Wise, the influential Collector
of Customs for this port, Internal Reve-
nue. Collector Welburn and Postmaster
Frank McCoppin appeared to the en-
raptured senses of Mr.. AIvord as trinity
of ministering angels carrying the glad
tidings of Organism to Democratic house
holds throughout the length and breadth
of the land; yet had he been aroused
from his lethargy at that moment Mr..
Afford would have recalled the fact that
he had not been able to induce any of
those gentlemen to fill appointments at
the many important points throughout
the State where public speakers were actu-
ally needed to stem the current of public
opinion that is setting so strongly for Nc
Kinley, and which threatens to over
whelm the disorganized and faint-hearted
Bryan forces, turning their certain defeat
into disastrous Tout.
Anon the elusive and mischief-loving
elves of dreamland whispered to Mr.. Al
ford that be might have the powerful in
fuence of the venerable warhorse, Bill
English, enlisted on behalf. of the boy or
ator, at the same time obscuring the stern
fact that Mr.. English, like the other
brainy men of his party, is too much oc-
cupied with personal affairs to give even a
moments consideration to the interests OF
Mr.. Bryan, the eloquent young man from
the shallow Platte.
Then from the dream, as from bowl oi
poppy juice. arose the radiant apparition
of Hon. J. J. Dwyer, and it seemed to the
distempered imagination of Mr.. Afford
that this new-f1edged member of the
Democratic National Committee was ca
vorting wildly through the interior of the
State, anxiously looking for an oppor-
tunity to fill some of the aching voids that
exist on the Democratic rostrums through
ont the land. But Mr.. Dwyer has no such
inclination. His law practice is growing to
an alarming degree, and it appears more
than probable that it will monopoiiZe his
valuable time from the present date to the
Sd of next month.
Although the venturesome genius of Mr.
Affords dream even painted Colonel John
p. Irish in the act of making a speech in
favor of Bryan, even after the eloquent
Naval Officer had denounced the Chicago