The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-07-13
THAT SURPRISE PARTY.

| At first blush the technical notion oi
having a committee appointed to notify
a nominee of a political party that he
has been nominated, weeks after the
occurrence and after he had given
evidence that he knew all about it
by making extensive preparations fol-
receiving his guests, seems like non
sense, yet it is the prettiest custom in
connection with the entire campaign.
| There must be more or less formality
about such matters, not alone because
| of the dignity attaching to the high office
but opportunity must be given to dis
cuss questions Of state and no better
occasion can be afforded than by
visit from a representative committee.
And the notification committee is the
most representative committee that has
any connection with the campaign. One
man from each state in the Union is
chosen, save where the constitution has
suffered a warp and has become one
thing in one ocean and another in an
other.
While there is a suspicion about the
surprise feature in it, the acceptance Of
a nomination has to be made to some
body. OF course, when a fellow Is
nominated for coroner or some other
exciting office like that all he does is
just run. He doesn't have a commit
tee from Lake and Lexington and Perry
and Pike come to him and tell him.
He watches the primaries and when
he decides he mas more votes there
than the other fellow he gets out and
hustles some more, and tries to get
elected. If he is on the Democratic
ticket he gets there. This rule has
been subject to change sometimes, but
holds good this year.
the candidate for president is differ
ent. After a fellow is dead he doesn't
care much how he is sat on, but the
living are interested to know what is
going to happen to them in the event
of the success of the man who is nomin-
ated for q presidential sitting. And
the only way to find out is to have him
say something, or write something. And
he has to have somebody to say 1t ri
write it to. Holding conversation with
ones self has quite gone out of fashion
and the fellow who was in the habit
of writing letters to himself is occupy
ing one of those cute little cottages on
the hill Just south of Massillon.
So a committee to travel hundreds Of
miles to tell a man what he already
knows is sometimes a political neces-
sity, and the present is one of the in
stances. Now, take the case of Col
! Bryan. He was at Lincoln, only few
miles away, when the Kansas City con-
| vention was held. He knew very well
that convention was going on and knew
what 1t was about. In fact he was in
vited over to accept what 1t was about
to do. but he didn't go. He waited st
that a committee could be appointed t.
tell him all about 1t. He wanted al
opportunity to tell the people in form
al way what he thought about tn.
things that are vitality at issue. So h
is going to Chicago. Cleveland, Indian
apolis. or somewhere else. and meet tn
committee and great crowd OF peopl
and hear good speech and make
!. better one. 1t is a custom that can
not well be improved upon. Besides
|, in our home case. 1t brings people t
town. People bring money to town an
people and money. in Canton. are iiabl
to stray away from each other. tn
: police sometimes getting the one an
; the public very frequently the othe
: Besides. Canton is a hospitable cit
and Canton people like to entertai
visitors. They are always welcom
. whether they rush In on one OF our goo
citiseus and surprise him nearly int
20 \.