New-York tribune., 1902-05-05
A CAUSE LOST TO BRYAN.
THE MISSOURI MULE NO LONGER \ FAC
TOR IN THE CAMPAIGN.
IBY TELEGRAPH To THE rRIBrxE.I


paign to prove that. except for the aid of the
administrative officials. England long ago would
have been driven out of South Africa, crushed
and humiliated and thereby the Bryanites
would have claimed that they were entitled TO
all the Irish vote and the German vote and
every other vote that is supposed to disapprove
the which Great Britain is waging TO sub
due the pIucky Beers. The strength the Mis-
souri, Mule has contributed to Great Britain's
army in South Africa to say nothing Of the
strategy this wise and indispensable animal has
brought TO bear upon the situation. is known of
all the world, for he figures in nearly every
bulletin that comes from the field of carnage.
It is worth while recalling that year ago.
while every Missouri Democrat in Washington
swelled out his breast with pride every time he
read of the part taken in battle by the Missouri
mule at the same time he wont to lay at
the door of Secretary Hay and the President re-
sponsibility for the devastation wrought by the
Kings proud legions they hurled themselves
against the kOpjes in terrible onslaught. or ned
precipitousy across the veldts from Dam Pauls
/ avenging and tattered columns. strange
change has come over the spirit of these same
Missouri Democrats in the last few weeks, and
now. although they boast with commendable
pride that their State produces more and better
mules than any other region of the planet, they
have ceased to demand imperiously that Presi-
dent Roosevelt and Secretary Hay put end to
the British Boer by threatening to inter
unless the British troops are withdrawn
from the blood soaked land of the Beers.
/ Webster Davis turned Democrat less than two
years ago on this very issue. and in the Presi-
Dental election that followed fast upon his
turning Democrat Missouri for the first time in
ts history came near going Republican. In
fact bat for the city OF 81. Louis giving large
Democratic majority and thus reversing her po-
Htical course in Presidential contests Missouri
would have fallen plump into the Republican
column
BRYAN'S CHANCES WANING.
Senator Vest the wisest and most astute poll
tican produced in Missouri since the days of
Thomas Hart Benton, explained the cause Of the
narrow escape of the Missouri Democracy from
more humiliating and crushing defeat in 1900
than Briton has visited upon Boer or Boer upon
Briton. The venerable Senator. grown gray and
bent in the cause of Democracy, returned 10
Washington a few days before the last election,
and was sore afraid that everything was lost 10
BRYAN in his State OF course. he did not talk
this publicly. but privately he expressed the
gravest fears Of the result why did come
back here before election day. he said, re-
peating the question of a friend. Because | did
not want to be in Missouri when the blasted
radicals carried the State. Maybe We viii
escape but the chances seem against us What
drove me back here disheartened and almost
homeless was a conversation ! heard between
two Missouri farmers in a barber shop. II was
in the little town Of Sweet Springs I was Gov
cred up in the BARRIERS chair and the farmers
did not know me. I heard one say to the other;
/ Jim. how are you going TO vote this time?
Well replied the man addressed, with n
promptness that startled me. I am goin' TO vote
for Mckinley. You know, Of course. that am
a Democrat that my daddy before me was a
Democrat, and that his daddy before him was
a Democrat and I'll lick any man that ques
tions my Democracy But look a here, ! am a
eettn' more for mules this year than ever ex-
pected to get and III be hornswoggled II tn
make a fool of myself by voting agin old Bill
Mckinley who has brought all this prosper
| ity.' '"
Then according to Senator Vest, the other
/ Missouri farmer made frank confession Of his
/ intention on Election Day. You know, Bill
that I'm as good Democrat as you or your
daddy or your granddaddy ever was, and, like
YOU I'll lick anybody that questions my Democ-
racy. but I'm gettn' more for hogs that l ever
thought hogs would bring again. and there amt
been no devastatin' cholera among EN-, neither.
I agree with you that real prosperity has struck
us at last and l amt a-goin' 10 do nothin 10
disturb 1t neither l think I'll just try Me
Kney once"
The returns from Missouri in 1900 showed that
Senator Vest was correct in his apprehensions
The rural districts went Republican. and as be
! fore remarked. the States electoral vote would
have been carried by the Republicans If st.
Louis. under the manipulation made possible
by an unjust election law, had not gone Demo
! cratic.
I THE ALLEGED CAMP AT CHALMETTE.
1t is thought that little conversation overheard
by Senator Vest in a village barber shop has
caused the Missouri Democrats in Congress to
| cease their demands for Secretary Hay and
President Roosevelt TO put a stop to the in
South Africa \ few weeks ago it reported
that the British Government operating
army camp at Lathrop. Mo. which is not
! many miles from Kansas City and st. Joseph.
two of the biggest cities in the State, but not a
Missouri Democrat in Congress has said any
thing about it, II is noteworthy, however that
they much decry the British camp at Chalmette,
| La Chalmette is the place to which are
! shipped all the Missouri mules bought by the
! British agents and destined to South Africa.
Governor Heard Of Louisiana is demanding that
! the camp be broken up by the Federal authori-
! ties, and in this demand he is backed by the
! Missouri Democrats in Congress but Governor
Dockery of Missouri has made such demand
upon Washington To the Missouri Democratic
| mind. therefore, the Missouri mule becomes
the foe OF liberty and the tool of oppression at
Chalmette but at Lathrop the Missouri Mule is
/ the friend of freedom and the instrument Of
! freemen. Not even Representative Cochran
| who represents the St Joseph district who two
years ago, in speech in New-YOrk, expressed
the fervent hope that unless England speedily
| withdrew from South Africa the price of black
/ Grape would rise in London, and who in the last
! Congress used to grow eloquent in denunciation
Of the administration for not putting stop to
the war has submitted no remarks uDOn th.