The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-15

Days of Absence.

The washington Evening STAR" which
has developed into a most earnest sup
porter of Mr.. Mckinley in his campaign Tor
reelection. calls attention TO an interest
ing fact in current politics which has not
escaped the eyes of the National Democ-
racy. Ii is that when the Kansas City Con-
vention is called TO order. there will be
absent several gentlemen of national
celebrity and former party distinction and
influence most of whom have seldom If
ever failed TO be present on such quadren-
NAL occasions for the past two decades or
more. The individuals referred to are
William c. Whitney of New York, James
Smith of New Jersey. Josiah Quincy OF
Massachusetts,, Arthur P. German, Of
Maryland, John R. Mclean of Ohio. Don
NJ. Dickinson of Michigan, William F.
Villas of Wisconsin. Horace Boies of Iowa,
and Henry Watterson of Kentucky.
Fully understanding the arduous work
before the Democratic party in this Presi-
Dental year, and the necessity for united
and universal effcrt. if the organization is
to win, these gentlemen for the first time
in modern history are too modest and self
sacrificing to insert their personalities
into the campaign, but wish us well and
farewell. and slip off to Europe or HE
them TO their country seats with calm
confidence that the cat of the future will
jump as God wills. They cannot be and
are not in the smallest degree In the dark
as to what the Kansas City Convention
will present TO the world in the way of
Ttoir
imposed observation at this time justifies
the inference that in the results of that
Convention they have no personal interest.
But suppose that those results should
happen to be different to what the alb
sentee leaders or ex-leaders expect! Sup
pose that the verdict Of the people at the
polls next November should seat Mr..
William J. Bryan in the White House and
his running mate in the chair of the SEN
ate. what then? Is it not a perfectly
reasonable presumption that Inauguration
day would find every one of the absentees
in Washington proclaiming his presence
with clamorous yell, and declaring that
he is regular, that he is the original
Bryan man, and that he is the person TO
be consulted in regard to the distribution
Of Federal patronage in his State and in
respect Of the party future in the same?
Returning from Paris, or Venice, or the
Riviera in such circumstances. invigorated
by travel and bearing no battle scars of
the campaign they have lodged, do peo-
pie OF the kind We are discussing imagine
that the successful chief of their party
would provide triumphal arches and Sousa
marches for their homecoming, and kill
every fatted calf in the White Lot as
means of winning their forgiveness? We
think that their reception would be unlike
that.
The Hon. William J. Bryan is a man
Of probity, principle, and deep convictions.
In thoroughly unobtrusive way, he is
violently impressed with the belief that
he is creature of Divine Providence,
charged with the sacred mission of lead
ing the children of America out of the
wilderness Of slavery to the trusts. We
are also satisfied that he inherits from
his good old, blue Presbyterian father a
fine red Indian capacity to remember
friends and followers who may have de-
serted him and their colors in the pres
ence OF the enemy. This reflection gently
conducts US to the conclusion that the
returned exiles would not be apt to find
much fresh pie on the Executive shelf,
at least for them. Then there would be
another weary four years spent in trying
to get back into the synagogue. and most
Of the people interested are getting too
old to wait that long. THE battle is not
always to the strong" but, as far as we
know, the fruits of victory are never to
the absent-except, of course, in the case
Of Sampson.