Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-25
NOTABLE u. .ABsENTEEs
Some Who Will Not Attend the Chicago
ooAaSvsention.
Prominent Democrats Who Will Be
Missed-Old-Tllhe Leaders Who
VIII Have Other Business.

est. announcements already made show
that a number of men who have given color
and consequence to the proceedings of past
conventions of the democratic party will
not be in evidence on that occasion. Some
will be absent for one reason, and some for
another but all are known to be laboring
under the disgruntiement and discourage
ment which seem to aff1ict the democracy in
every section of tie country.
Richard Croker Will Be Absent.
To begin with, Richard Croker will not be
present He has gone to England to race
his horses and will not return until Au-
gust He was picturesque figure at Chi
cago four years ago-this grim, bearded,
stocky, silent man. who marched at the
head Of the Tammany tigers, and fought so
hard against the inevitable. The galleries
surveyed him with the livelest concern, and
he played to them with very fine Bowery
effects His entrances and his exits were
capitally managed and If every other part
of the anti-Cleveland crusade had been so
well played as Tammany's was the result
might have been different. Who will march
at the head Of Tammany this year?
Bourke Cochran Is Shelved.
Nor will Bourke Cochran attend. Mr..
Cochran has been laid on the shelf by this
same Mr.. Croker. Four years ago they
were like brothers. They seemed to be in
disDensable to each other, also to the
success of Tammany Hail. When a battle
was to be planned, Mr.. Croker was the
man; when a speech was to he made or a
magazine article written in the interest Of
the Hall, Mr.. Cochran was the man. But
now there is war between them. MIR. Cock
ran could not today secure the humblest
favor from the organization, of which he
was at one time the pride and oratorical
ornament. He possesses exceptional power
q audience CIV ay 1aoo
vocabulary. the great carrying power of
his voice, his Irish readiness of reply, and
his cagerness and earnestness. all combine
to steer him straight to the heart of the
listener. He captured the convention Of
1892, although he did not sway it's decis-
ion. His protest against the denomination
of Mr.. Cleveland was very generally pro-
nounCed the oratorical gem of the occasion
Who will be Tammany's gem-maker this
year? Sulzer? Sulzer after Cochran, the
New Workers Say, is like settler after
champagne.
Watterson Going Abroad.
Then there is Henry Watterson, who has
Withdrawn from politics, and Is to sail in
April for Europe, to be gone until after the
November elections. This is regarded as a
distinct loss to the gaiety of the party. Mr.
Watterson has always managed to get a
great deal of fun out of politics. and at the
same time to contribute to the entertain
law. and probably, had as little of it ex-
ecuted, as any leader of his caliber in the
country. He speaks and writes with equal
ease and felicity. He can construct plat
form Of his own, or pull to pieces that of
the other fellow. with surprising amount
of entertaining ingenuity. Mr. WattersOn
has attended every national convention of
his party since 1879, and upon every one
left some impress of his individuality. But
these convention seesses which have known
him SO often and so well will know him no
more forever. He himself has said it.
German il Out of 1t.
Mr.. German annoutsces that, contrary to
his CUSTOM he will take no part in candi-
date making this year. And this will be a
loss. The Maryland Senator is a very
shrewd man, and pulls wires with the best
of them. Great interest has always attach
ed to his maneuvers at national conven-
tons. and the galleries have been accus-
toned to train their glasses on the smooth
and imperturbable man carrying, as was
thought, the vote of his state in his inside
pocket. Four years, ago MIR. German was
a presidential quantity. He was the hope
of the anti-Cleveland people, and all of his
moves were examined with marked curios-
ity. But the scheme failed-largely, it has
been charged, because of Mr.. German
surprising lack of assertion at the critical
moment-and today he is out of it, and
content to eonfine himself to the humdrum
of his senatorial duties. Who is 1t that
mourns for German now?
Opportunity for YOungsters.
But. of course, even with so many of the
old actors left out, the play will go on.
The opportunity for the aspiring youngsters
is all the more alluring. Regulations great
err than those that have gone before may
be made at Chicago next summer, and
this in itself will lend interest to the con-
vention. Political observers will all be
present to note the new men and appraise
the more promising ones for the future