The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-04-01
HAMM ONO TO FOLLOW.

These are serious days for Hammond.
wants to sing the old songs. but the or
gan on which his accompaniment is
played gives other chords. He wants
the votes of the people and knows that
his election will be hailed as a vindica-
ton of their defamers. He has to say
things which the prudent Lannan is too
shrewd to say, and to give the assent of
silence to things with the vindictive
Lannan hopes to accomplish.
But that isn't all his trouble. After
he has said these things and assented
to others. until he froths at the month
and trembles like an aspen-top, the
fearful and fortuitous Hammond feels
an inly gnawing apprehension that the
boss may at any time renounce him,
throw him over. contradict him. fling
him 20 one side, eviscerate him and
what not.
To be the personifcation of a plat
form that says nothing, promises moth
ing and expresses entire satisfaction
with everything and a Discrimination
didate Hammond's idea of political in
| dolence, opulence and luxury. To be
the photograph of great political boss
is a distinction of which the candidate
no doubt feels proud. To speak for
eminence is an honor when one is sure
of eminence. But in Hammond's case
his political paradise is continually lap
/, ~ q -, =
tainty.
When eminence is not cocksure of
Itself, when it is only using a phono-
graph for experimental purposes to test
the scope of public endurance, popular
credulity and party passion, the phono-
graph-the jimmyphone-is apt to be
crushed into kindling wood under the
heel Of the boss or Of the public at any
time.
This is Hammond's case. Alma Ed
redge was a predecessor of his, and
Alma is no more. He is politically de-
| funct. He is officially less than a re-
| ceding reminiscence. Whether from too
much whistle for the amount of steam,
or from a silence on questions of public
concern rendered all the mere ConSpic-
uous by the lung power expended on
other and eXtraneOus matters, his polit-
| ical demise was followed shortly by a
partisan funeral in which the well
known obituary expert played his tear
full part.
Then there was Holbrook. He also
ran. Boss Lannan led him to the top
of a high mountain and showed him
everything that didn't belong to him,
and offered it to him then and there,
and Holbrook accepted it, gave Lannan
| a receipt in full for it, clutched con-
vuleively at it, and went down into the
valley of the shadow Of oblivion, to
that bourne whence no Lannanized can
didate has ever vet returned.
When Hammond reflects that Ed
redge was and is not, that Holbrook
rose and fell, he must realize that only
| one more addition is required to plant
political trinity of too previous per-
sons in Boss Lannan's private grave
yard. And he seems TO know he is on the
way. His voice is taking on a sepulchral
sound. His official character is becom-
ing filmy, transparent and ghost-like.
He hears the rumble of the hearse. The
populace is pointing him out to the un-
dertaker. The grave diggers are jok-
! ing as they make his bed. These are
solemn times for Hammond.
From Holbrook down to Eldredge,
down to Hammond!
And all our yesterdays have lighted tools
| The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief
candle,
Lies but a walking shadow; a candi-
date
| That struts and frets his hour upon the
stage,
! And then is heard no more.
First Holbrook; then Eldredge; now
Hammond
Poor James!