Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-11-08

land
Mark Hanna's egotisticaI effort to
break into the ranks of the spelibind-
ers excited only ridicule from Maine to
Texas and from Marthas Vineyard to
the Golden Gate. suppose it gratided
his vanity to see his words in print.
That was the net result Of his orator
ical caper except that he caused a good
many Republican statesmen to take to
hard eussing and furnished considera-
bic ammunition for Democrats.
Carl Schurz. Senator Wellington,
Governor Boutwell,, General John B..
Henderson, Henry N. johnson of Indi-
ana, ex-senator PETER, Colonel Camp
bell of Illinois, Senator Stewart. Web
ster Davis and other conspicuous men
who changed parties in the contest So
cured new audiences, but it may be Sc
riousIy doubted whether they In any
way enhanced their reputation or infu-
enee by their radical change Of base.
RooseveIt's Fury.
Perhaps the Republican who reaped
the most notoriety If not fame during
the campaign Is Governor Theodore
Roosevelt, who was constantly on the
go. He talked great deal Most of
what he said was well said. 4 great
deal of it was arrant nonsense-mere
sound and fury, signifying nothing.
Some of It was an insult to and libel
upon millions of his fellow citizens. but
rs ,..tIn ,.I,o 4
matical point of view his jabber was
all right Nevertheless. with all his
going to and fro, wandering up and
down and jawsmithery. when he comes
to take stock of himself and his doings
he will be seriously puzzled to deter
mine whether he was greater public
figure the day of the election than he
was the day of his nomination The
chances are that his rantankerousness
and bumptiousness have caused many
of his more sensible admirers to cease
to regard him as a presidential possi-
bility, but If he did not make a sub
stantial growth in reputation no Re
publican In this campaign did.
Among Democrats Hon. James D..
Richardson of Tennessee played In
great luck from the beginning and
came out of the campaign a much
greater figure than when he went in.
Richardson is tact personified, which
Henry Ward Beecher ranked above
talents The slim Tcnnesseean is the
most amiable of mortals. and very few
people viii envy him his new IaureIs
He takes things by the smooth handle
and makes no enemies. He got off on
the right foot every time during the en-
tire campaign Either a great many
opportunities came to him or be made
good many for himself, ] don't know
which
Campaigns ContraAted.
Third. .-lThe most talked OF feature OF
the campaign was its utter unlikeness
to the campaign of 1896. The enthusi-
asm, wild aud universal, of that phe-
nomenal year was not observable any
where In a general sense 1t may be
stated that in 1906 everybody argued
politics vehemently and In most un-
seemly manner and that in 1900 nobody
argued politics at all except candidates
=. .---s
slasm Of 1896 took on largely the char
acter of hystera en- both sides. 1t was
a supreme effort of both Republicans
and Democrats in fact. of the whole
American people When the contest
was over. interest In politics for the
average citizen was completely ex-
Tod fFl
1900. He may never entirely recuper-
ate, though the chances are that be
will, but my prediction is that for
many years to come all campaigns
when compared with that of 1896 viii
appear fat and stale. if not unproita-
ble We will jog along more leisurely
If not more comfortably
The difference between the cam
paigns of 1896 and 1900 is worthy of
the profound consideration of the
statesmen, politicians and philosophers,
for campaigns in a constitutional gov
crnment are matters of highest mo-
ment, of most serious import to all
classes and conditions of people. In
my judgment the principal reason for
| the comparative tameness of the cam
paign this year lies in the fact that ii
was recognized as merely the sequence
to and continuation of the great cam
| paign of 1896. From the close of that
| campaign 1t was clearly understood
that if Messrs. Mckinley and Bryan
| lived they would be pitted against each
| other in 1900. OF course Mr.. Mckinley
| has been constantly In the public eye
ever since by reason of the high posi-
| tlon which he holds, and Mr.. Bryan
has kept himself constantly In the pub
| lie eye by reason of his splendid genius
unequaled oratorical ability and con
stant speaking and travelling over tbs
country. People were used to McKin
ley and Bryan. They made up then
minds how they were going to vote
and they did not care very much about
talk. brass bands and parades.
| Fourth important lesson Of this
| campaign is to demonstrate over again
how few comparatively speaking, OF
the rank and file follow prominent po
| litical leaders when they flop. 1t hai
| always been true, but the fact was
never so patent as it was this year, be
/ cause the conspicuous foppers were
never so numerous before. A Lightning
calculator in good running order hal
been needed since the Porto Rican de
bate began in the house to keep tab OF
statesmen aud statesmen by breye
who Topped from Mckinley to Bryar
/ or from Bryan to Mckinley. In nt
| case did any one of them carry an.
great multitude of voters with him
which indicates that the American soy
| ereign does a good deal of independen
thinking. wears no mans collar, pins
his faith entirely 10 no leader, does al
he pleases and chooses his own party
| affiliations as fate or fancy carries
which on the whole, while not fiatter
ing to the leaders, is healthy indica
tion for the republic.
John sherman.
After an unusually long and success
full career In bis latter days John Sher
i man became pathetic figure. He ma,
not inaptly be denominated the Repub
lican Lear. The old king lost his crown
through ingratitnde Sherman wa
kept out of the presidency. for whicl
he painted even as the hart panteth 70
the water brook. by ingratitude. W