Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-03
THE CAMPAIGN BIOGRAPHY
FIXING UP THE LIFE OF THE DARK
HORSE.
The Finished Product Work of
Genius Built on a Very Slim
Foundation.
From the Chicago Record.

The manager. trainer, mentor and deputy
creator Of the dark horse for high office
was closeted with his private secretary,
talking the mater over.
lone difficulty presents ITSELF" he said.
THAT is the biography Of the man. I have
talked with him about 1t and 1 have talked
with men who know him, and the thing IS
absolutely bad for political purposes"
SHADY, eh?' said the secretary, who was
a bright-looking young man.
No answered the manager. THAT
isn't the trouble. l wish that it was, be-
cause what we couldn't stigmatize as vile
Misrepresentation of perfdious perjurers
we could explain
Never explain" said the secretary. "Ex-
tol-that's the word. If something is going
to get out and you know it, help it along
with another face on it, If you can't choke
it, plaster it over with panegyric, magnify
it and glorify it until the other fellows are
sick to think that they ever mentioned it,
THAT amt bad doctrine. NEITHER said
the manager you're one of those babes
that drlbble wisdom once in a while. But
the trouble is with this man that there
amt anything to him one way or another.
He could keep out of states prison if every
thing he ever done could be proved, and
that's more than most of US can say. He
goes to church regular, but he amt looked
on as a pillar. He amt in debt, but he
couldn't borrow money at the bank on his
word He doesn't bowl up to any extent
ever, but he'll take a drink if anybody
asks him to- He amt the village idiot, and
at the same time nobody ever accused him
of being too brany for his own good. He
amt got any enemies and he amt got
any friends that would break their
necks) to help him out ia tight place.
He's married and he stays home night,
but I'm willing to bet his wife would
excuse him once IN awhile. When he was
in the legislature last year he introduced
Gurney's road bill that got in with the
,l;r blamed |
would be-, and he voted right because Pea
sleeve told him to. There wasn't nothin'
dom at the bank, so he kept out of trouble;
but he was elected on issues, and issues
won't pull him through this time. There's
got to be a personal element of popularity
in the campaign, and, as I say, the biogra-
ply is Sticker.
1T don't seem to me like anything but
ros chance for a biography" observed the
secretary. IF you say so I'll get at it right
away and if you've got any suggestions to
offer YOU can offer them as l go along. Was
he born in this state? Pennsylvania? That's
good The farther away the better. De-
scendant of sturdy German stock. l pre-
sumo? Well, If you don't know IN put
descendant of sturdy blank stock. it's
sturdy, anyway - Scotch-Irish, Swedish,
Eng,ish-don't make particle of differ
ence. From which he derives those rugged
virtues and that strength of character that
so pre-eminently distinguish MIN. no"
that?"
"All right I wouldn't wonder If you made
something OF MN a1tef all!
Now them He attributes much of his
success in life to the influence Of his
| mother, woman of high principles, rare
tact and a refinement uncommon among
the simple farmer folk of his native state
forty years ago. Education-how about
| education? Does he know anything?"
Enough to get along with; not enough
to hurt"
dustry and a logged perseverance he over
came the difficulties presented by lack Of
educational advantages and acquired solid
| knowledge of all of the commoner branches
purchased with every hard-earned penny
| he could scrape together, by the light of
| pine knot fire or candle ends after the days
work on the farm was done, as other great
self made men of our republic have done
before him. No objection to that, is there?
| All right, then. Now, as to his general
| characteristics at that time. guess We'll
! have him considered unsociable by some of
| his young companions, owing to his deter
| mination to let nothing interfere with his
studies. That vexes his sensitive soul, but
| ne coneeals his hurt and is consoled to
some extent by the warm friendship and
admiration Of few who can discern the
| noble spirit concealed beneath his thin
crust of reserve. One of these, Mr.. Silas
| Juggins, now prominent merchant OF
| Hoopersvi.-e, relates-what would be a
good anecdote to shove in here? How
would a dog do? His heroic defense of a
| poor little flee that the cruel boys were
| with righteous Indignation, steps in and
knocks the outfit silly. returning home with
| torn clothes, a bloody nose and the rescued
| dog to receive the proud concentrations Of
| his mother. Has naturally a splendid ply
| sique-no? Well. then, his frail form, ami
| mated by his indomitable spirit, has always
| been capable of sustaining strain that
makes those Of more robust constitutions
wonder at him. AS a young man it is said
| that he could pitch more hay and split more
rails in a day than any other farmer in his
township. Did he teach district school or