Evening star., 1902-08-01
Bull Pups and Catamounts in Politics

d-"diNIl4 ~ write IlS Hlo1DS am upon the
| seat Of my pants. Nc, stranger, IN tarry
right yeTe!
Bull Pups and Catamounts in Politics.
"'You fool yelled my friend, in disgust.
why don't you climb up a piece. cut off a
good thick sappling with your knife climb
down and beat the life out Of that speckled
pup
"'Climb up" shouted the anxious faced
man, his features takins'on a new form Of
painful anxiety. Climb up, stranger, Do
you know what's up this ere tree?
" Leaves and limbs, you idiot, 1 suppose.
What else can there he%
"A catamount, stranger answered the
man in suspense, taking two reefs in his
tightened hold on the tree trunk. A cata-
mount, with long, pussy whiskers, green
eyes, an active tail and agile jaws, jest
a-thirsting for me for breakfast. l won't
climb down and I'll be hanged if I'll climb
up. Jest get out and drive that ball pup
away or drive on, stranger for l can't go
neither way.
My friend drove on in high dudgeon. he
cause any self-respecting Kansas man
would not allow himself 10 be caught i'll
such a bad predicament
NO, 1 never heard how the man in the
cottonwood tree GOT out OF MS dilemma,
but, in either event, he was chewed or
clawed. In my travels over the country
this summer selling goods-and l am
brought in contact in the cities and villages
and on the trains with all classes of men
l find the condition of the democracy to be
like the man in the cottonwood tree; the
poor old lady can't go either way, and the
eastern and the conservative wing Of the
party all over the country is like my friend
in the buggy-mad and disgusted at the
dead 'uns, who won't die decently and give
the mourners a chance TO bury them, and
start in on new and fresh road toward
the White House.
While 1 am decidedly skeptical Of even
npSSih;litv of 10 IL &c
plain to me- as X is to all of my travelling
friends, that all over the country there is
an earnest, underlying desire on the part of
the democrats to get together.
Bryan and the Conservative Democrats.
What do you find to be the main obstacle
TO this end?' was asked.
There are many minor reasons, which
may be merged into one great contributing
cause" replied the travelling man, land
that one great cause is spelled in five let
ters-Bryan. If Mr.. Bryan would eliminate
himself from the democratic party as COM
pletely as the democratic party has en-
deavored to eliminate him in many states,
the democrats would give the republicans a
good run for their money.
Merchants whom l know to be gold DEM
ocrats have come to hate the Nebraska
statesman with bitterness which can be
appreciated only by those who come in
close contact with them, as We do. From
and west, all that Mr.. Bryan stands for
has been tried and found wanting, and the
democrats are hungry for new issues, new
leaders, new thoughts, new orators and
new conditions, but all of these are impos-
sble SO long as the gentleman in question
goes pranctng over the country speaking
and insisting that he is still the leader of
the democracy.
You see, times are good. We sell our
goods to the merchants and they sell them
to the people, and there is an ever-increas-
ing demand at both ends. Yet, these men
tell me, Mr.. Bryan still keeps up his free
silver talks, forces himself like a spout Of
water from an artesian well to the front.
and damns everybody else in the party. both
figuratvely and literally, who does not
agree with him.
"Oh. but this wing of the democracy is
sore But what can they do with the man?
You ought to hear the disguised, half-re-
signed way some of the business men /
meet talk. There are several good-sized
holes In the republican kite. but these in
telligent, new-issue democrats feel the fu-
tility of attempting to slit the apertures
still farther because of the domineering
presence Of the silver statesman"
The President a Strong Favorite.
How do you find the condition of the
business mind Of the country as to Presi-
dent Roosevelt?"
well balanced and easy. I think that
the business men realize that the Presi-
dent, though or strenuous, f0rceful ma
ture is nevertheless a careful and conser-
vative man in whom the businesss interests
are safe. His strong personality makes
him hot favorte with a man among men,
because men like brave and strong man
who is not tinctured with socialistic and
wildcat theories. Bryan comes under the
latter designation"
How is trader"
Never better. I go from Boston to
Texas, and If there is any hitch in the
gear of business I cannot discern it. except
on the score of trade union strikes and
these are isolated instances depending upon
local and not national causes.
II think that the ensuing congressional
elections going to be in many districts
the warmest in years. 1 am in business and
not in politics, but I think the democrats
will give the republicans in some of the
western districts close calls. But these In
stances, too, are largely local. Gold demo-
Gratis who would not vote the ticket of their
former party at presidential election,
will, as / understand it, in many cases vote
for their congressman, as they regard the
money question with democrat out of the
White House as largely settled. A man
who, at this stage, attempts to forecast the
next House is out of his depth. Both pa rites
are going to make gains and losses which
will prove surprises, and the question Will
be when it comes to counting up the results
ana striking the balance. The next House
will be a problem, but 1 think the republi-
cans will continue to control It."