The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-17
DEATH or a WESTERN soss.
Father Of the Passive Policy, Political
Undertaken, Exile and Oniceholder.


Father of the Passive Policy, Political
Undertaken. Exile and Oniceholder.
"A man died in my town the other
day. said a st. Louis citizen to a New
York sun reporter. who had n singular
political history and a unique person
atty. He was the first man In this
country. so far rs I know. TO say that
the democratic party was dead and
buried, and yet he lived n died n
democrat. The assertion. made In print
in the newspaper which he edited,
caused him to be cut adrift by the
party in his state, reduced the circula-
ton of this newspaper opened the field
for a competitor. and. for the time be-
ing, removed the headquarters OF the
party from st. Louis, where they al
ways had been, to Kansas City.
He was the man who first suggest
ed In the West. at least. what was
known I'm politics as the passive pol
icy OF the democratic party. That. as
YOU know. resulted in the Endorsement
by the democrats OF the Greeley and
Brown ticket. Nothing ever infuriated
the democracy of Missouri like That
suggestion. But when the party In 9TH
err states fell in with II, Missouri ac-
auiesced under protest. The old con-
federate element was on top. out OF
tina campaign came the new blood
which set itself up in Kansas City. and
IL knocked the st. Louis ring. which
had always dominated the party, u
OF sight.
ut was at the close of this campaign
that the man who has just die print
ed a double-leaded editorial In his pa
per, one of the Oldest In the state, in
which IL was announced In cold type
hat the democratic party was dead at
last, and that h burial had taken
Mace. was travelling In Missouri at
the time. and the excitement caused
by this announcement was at a white
heat. Meetings were held In some see
tons and the newspaper and its cd
itor were denounced. Later on resolu-
lions in county. n congressional con-
ventions were passed ruling out the
paper as a party organ and the editor
socially and politically.
And vet when Cleveland became
president the first time he appointed
this man postmaster of st. Louis. And
under the second administration 81
Cleveland the man was appointed SUI
perintendent of carriers, and he had
Just finished the time for which he was
appointed when his death occurred.
Before he killed his party this nan
was popular with southern politicians.
when they went to St. Louis they
called upon him. A place nearby he
came the political headquarters. and
Tne DTODTltlOI DIadt u toitti th NV
business OF connecting mini juleps. As
often as one would go there In those
days one o see a caucus composed
of men in planters dress. with SOM
breros or anama hats. and there were
planned political campaigns. there the
log rolling took place. audit was there
that stephen A. Douglas found mis-
most ardent supporters.
"A few years later a new light came
up in st. Louis in the person OF Jo-
seph H.. McCullagh. He founded the
Globe. afterward consolidated with the
Democrat. McCullagh was fresh from
the army. He had a flashing. slash
ing way OF saying things. and before
long he had the editor of the oppos'-
ton turning on the gridiron. The old
fellows who came to st. Louis from the
interior and from the South resented
McCullagh's interference and besought
the editor OF their organ to call McCul-
lagh out, but this he never did. How
ever, personal journalism finally led
to n street encounter. and OF course
friends interfered. Still later. long aft
er the incidents mentioned. AMI long
after the paper denounced by its party
had partially recovered from its par-
tvs hypercriticism. the old town was
stirred by a republican administration
which had undertaken to suppress
gambling and shut up saloons on sun
day. Talk about hot times-why, SAN
tiago on the Fourth Of July was a re-
f%rigerator compared TO st. Louis under
this regime.
MIR. McCullagh was made foreman of
a special grand jury called to investi-
gate the evils. There never was a
grand Jury like that. McCullagh had q
keen sense of humor. He knew the cid
cronies OF ST. Louis who stayed down
town late and who had rooms in the
Planters house. They were merchants.
steamboat captains and retired politi-
clans. McCullagh had every n OF
them before his grand jury and he also
had up his friend the enemy. who
had killed the democratic party In the
state and nation. The weather was
Just as hot as the old towns blood.
and nearly every day for a week Nc
Cullagh a his old enemy before him
on the spider. Nothing came OF the
investigation except a series of arti-
cles in a third newspaper. written by
a young man who in some manner had
obtained the confidence of Mr.. McCul-
lagh. The stories OF how McCullagh
roasted and tortured his competitor
caused the town 10 laugh. and out OF
the hilarity grew a better feeling In
the community.
But for some years later the nan
who had killed his party became a
sort of wanderer. He left ST. Louis.
where he a 50 long been a power.
Financial distress followed him. He
failed in everything he touched until
at last he went hack TO ST. Louis and
became postmaster.
The story l have told you is about
Col. William Hyde. not only boss OF
his party in his city and state for years
but one who undertook to boss his par
~ in the nation"