Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-02-16
The OIney Boom.

| Somebody has been telling the New YORK
Sun that thirty-eight out Of the fifty men,
| bers of the democratic national committee
are in favor of Mr.. Olney for standard
bearer In 1904, and these are the interesting
particulars:
These thirty-eight members of the COM
mittee are to work through the eastern
middle western and far western states and
especially in the southern states. for Rich
ard Olney of Massachusetts. The thirty
eight members of the democratic national
committee look upon Mr.. Olney as the con-
sentative candidate to be presented to the
people Of the United States four years from
now. The thirty-eight members Of the COM
mittee and Mr. Olney are In full accord on
the trust question. We believe that Mr.
Olney would be the best candidate Tor the
democrats to nominate four ears from
now. Mr. Olney has always been regarded
as a wise and careful man. He Is not
cheap politician like Hill. He is not playing
for the nomination like Hill. 1t Is simply
matter of belief on the part of the demo-
cratic party in Olney. The thirty eight
members of the committee do not want
anything to do with Cleveland any more
than they want to have anything to do with
HILL but they do have an abiding fa1th In
the possibilities of Olney.'
If this were midsummer, and the times
were dull. yarn like this might have
run and pay its way. But with Congress
English throne; with the young Dutch
queen bride: with the war in South Africa
still in progress with the powers chaffering
for heads in China; with Cuba on the eve
of asking for independence-with such
wealth of topics as the American press but
seldom enjoys. why should the reportorial
ear be filled to OVERLOOKING with such
ghost story? 1t Is bound to fail Of the
Of ba cnnnetifiOn
Facts for the present have the right Of way
over fiction.
And yet one does not to dismiss the
story without a thought or two. Fancy the
task those committeeman have set for
themselves who are to mold Olney senti-
ment in the middle west and the far west.
Fancy the enthusiasm with which the anti
trust democrats and populists in those sec
tons will receive the suggestion of the
name of the most accomplished corporation
lawyer in New England for their presi-
Dental candidate, Fancy the SOUTH after
its experience with Mr.. Cleveland, throw
ing up its hat for this frigid gentleman,
whom few of it's leaders have ever met and
none likes
But the difficulty will not end here if any
movement is seriously undertaken in Mr..
Olneys behalf. He is quite as Objectionable
to the real Cleveland men as he is to the
real Bryan men. Several reasons are Of
fered in the gossip on the subject. One of
them is that Mr.. Olney was the only mem
Der of Mr.. Cleveland's second cabinet who
managed to secure any individual credit in
connection with the performances of that
administration. The credit for what all the
others did Mr.. Cleveland himself absorbed
But Mr.. Olney somehow became known in
the public mind as the author while Attor-
ney General Of the policy putting down
the Debs strike at Chicago and as the au-
thor while Secretary of State of the famous
Venezuelan message. He and his chief were
not on cordial terms when they parted in
March. 1897, and if they have met since
newspaper history has not recorded the
fact.
An Olney boom might have its uses in a
dull season as matter of passing enter
tainment. but why jolly so dignified gem
tleman on so serious a subject three years
and half before the meeting day of the
democratic national convention?