Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-07-27
Especial Correspondence.J

Especial CoTrespondence.1
No sharper contrast could be inn
| ngined than that shown by the demo
cratic national convention at Kansas
City when compared with the republic
can Pc. Torrance at Philadelphia.
The latter was boss-ridden from
start to finish. In the democratic con-
vention no man, nor even any set of
men dictated the proceedings.
In Philadelphia the reading of the
platform was received with apathy
and indifference.
At Kansas City the platform was re-
| ceived with unbounded enthusiasm.
The plank naming imperialism as
the paramount issue" called forth a
| flag demonstration unequaled in the
history of national conventions.
Among the democrats there was no
| cut-and-drieu platform. The commit
tee on resolutions held fourteen
hour session. listening to all shades
of opinion on the vital issues. The
platform itself was written only three
| hours before it was presented to the
convention. It satisfied everybody.
The republicans brought their
-house-manufactured platform
to Philadelphia and then the leaders
| quarreled- among themselves until
the platform has become a public
| scandal.
Hope and Harmony.
| The democratic platform is an ap-
| plication of the spirit of the Declara-
| ton of independence and the letter
| of the constitution to the new and
| momentous issues which have arisen
| in the past three years. It is a mes
sage of hope and encouragement to
every citizen who wants good govern
| ment and who knows that it never can
be compassed under a second term Of
| this administration.
The temper and atmosphere of the
| democrat tic convention was very sig
nifcant. There were gathered not
| only delegates from widely separated
| sections of the country, but also men,
| united as to the necessity for govern
| mental reform, but differing widely
on many details of the campaign.
| 1t was a convention where dissen-
| sion might easily have gained a foot
hold, unless repressed by some higher
| and stronger sentiment. There were
no bosses to keep up an appearance
of surface harmony, without regard
| to the real feeling, as at the republi-
can convention. Every thing was open,
above board and spontaneous at the
| democratic convention.
| The Anti-ImperiaIism Plank.
| Those who came to criticise admit
ted that all minor differences were
shelved in the face of the serious is
| sues to be met.
l II tho y,,oc& an@b.e;,e+so ~,o1.t
| ical convention ever held in the coun-
| try. 1t was at the same time the
most earnest and sincere.
The outburst of enthusiasm over
the anti-imperial:st plank in the plat
| form was entirely spontaneous. It
was 80 minutes of flag waving. cheer
ing,emarching. waving of banners and
singing of patriotic songs. There was
something awe-inspiring in the con-
| temptation of that vast assemblage
set wild by an enthusiasm as grim
and earnest and irrepressible as that
| of the Crusaders of old 1t was the
| protest of the flag itself against i'm
| Perialism.
Enthusiasm Over bryan.
The fact that the nomination of
Bryan was expected did not lessen
| the enthusiasm. The demonstration
at the mention of his name showed
how thoroughly he has fixed his place
In the hearts of the people as the
leader who is as great as his oppor-
| tunity. There was affection and adj
miration and trust and loyalty in the
enthusiasm which marked the NOM
ination of Bryan.
At Philadelphia Mark Hanna had to
force some shadow of enthusiasm for
the name of Mckinley. His puppets
creaked when they clumsily obeyed
his signals. and the hollowness of the
whole farce was apparent to the most
casual observer.
When Bryan was nominated the
cheering and waving' of flags lasted
SO long that it seemed as if the con-
vention could not bring itself back
to the transaction of routine bust
ness.
Stevenson's Nomination.
The nomination of the vice pres
idential candidate showed. how thor
oughly democratic was the Kansas
City convention. An hour before
Stevenson was nominated, no leader
and no delegate could tell whether
it would be he or Towne or Hill. It
was simply a question of the best
judgment Of the convention The
nomination gives satisfaction all
around. Stevenson adds strength to
the ticket in the great middle west
ern states. where the battle is being
fought and where the decisive vote is
to be cast. He is a thorough demo-
crat, loyal to the platform and de-
tod 10
deservedly popular, felt that his NOM
{nafinn xr0Yvld not 1,o tho