The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-22
A FABLE IN POLITICS.

| the club, what would you think of a
| little pilgrimage TO the shrine of one yet
| untried who may later be an idol of the
| people? We could thus observe the pro-
| cess of deterioration from the noble pri-
| vate citizen TO the statesman. Perhaps
| by studying this process We may dis
cover the microbe that causes the wither-
ing up of candidates good Intentions
| Ali! said the Colonel Strengthening
up; you refer, / presume to the case
| of Judge Alton B. Parker. Well, sir,
| you have opened up a new idea. an ex-
tension of our mission. On this occa-
| sion, instead of the iabored attempt 10
teach some aged and infirm statesman
| 70 drain from the eggshell of patriotism
| us vltaliZing contents. we viii take the
| young dark horse in hand and put him
| through his paces.'
| 1t was arranged later that we should
| call upon the learned Judge at his coun-
! try home on one of the days when he
was free from his duties on the bench
| We found him on the front portico of
/ his home. seated in a hickory rocking
| chair, underneath which was spread a
| piece of new rag carpet His greeting
| had all that wholesale cordiality charac-
| teristic of the candidate presumptive On
| table near at hand stood a jug of
cider and beside it lay number OF new
corncob pipes and a bowl of tobacco.
Everything we have here Is plain and
democratic" observed the Judge; but to
such as it is ! bid you welcome.
Judge Parker" began the Colonel. set
ting down the cider jug upon the table,
1T has been our privilege of late to carry
to some of our statesmen in Washington
and elsewhere a message from the peO
pie. We have felt in some instances that
our message fell upon ears deafened by
the roar of party machinery and was
presented TO eyes blinded by the glitter
OF too many gilded opportunities; to
| hands bound by the tape of the Wall
street ticker. Hence. sir. we have come
10 you as TO one before whom lies the
virgin soil of a great political future"
But, my dear Colonel" interrupted the
Judge, Il am not a candidate for
any
But the Colonel continued. this cider
jug, sir. this rag carpet upon which 1
stand, these ccrncob pipes of the common
people, augur well for the conservation
of our eternal liberties when they are
found in the home of one whom the people
look upon as likely to lead the demo-
craI.c hosts out and
But l have no intention"-- again in
terrupted the Judge.
II quite understand the delicacy of the
situation" said the Colonel. Not hav-
ing yet had the formal tender of a
nomination it would be highly improper
IOf you 10 acknowledge your cdnoiudcy-
We will not urge it. Mr.. Skitt and my
self. nevertheless. have our own opinion
upon the subject
by the way, gentlemen" said the
Judge. rising, lit might interest you 70
see something of my simple rural life
here on the farm And the Judge led
the way to a large woodpile back OF the
house With a look of weary resignation
on his brow he picked up a brand new
nd daI fn larC offp
in two. The Colonel was delighted.
From the wood-pile we walked down a
lane to a grove, where number of tall
pines lowered above us. A glistening
axe, fresh from the hardware store. lay
a the foot of the nearest tree. The Judge.
with folded arms. looked gloomily at the
axe. i felt that l could read his thoughts.
"Pre-empted by Roosevelt" l muir
INJURED
Yes" said the Judge, there are two
great schools in politics. 1t has been a
mooted question whether 1t were bet
ter to chop and chatter OF to say moth
ing and saw wood"
And I fancied there lurked in his eye
the suspicion of a wink.
A moment of awkward silence was
broken by the distant cry of Whoa. haw,
Buck!" And Up the lane We saw coming
a boy driving a yoke Of oxen.
Here y'are, Judge" called the boy
when he got within hailing distance, my
fawther said you cud keep EN- till Mon
day Say 'haw' to go ter the left; gee {
the right: the off one is Buck and the
nigh one is his brother.
The Judge took the long whip from the
boy, swung it over the backs of Buck
and his brother, and we all moved to-
ward the house. We had gone about half
the distance when the strains of martial
music reached our ears. A long wagon
with bass drum and a few brass in
struments, very prominent in front, and
a double row Of gentlemen with high
white hats. bamboo canes and big red
badges occupying the rest of it, drove up
toward US. a long muslin sign on the
side of the wagon announced The Pie
Makers Are For Parker"
Whoa. haw, Buck," yelled the Judge.
as the piemakers pulled up before us.
Welcome. my friends; welcome Pardon
the unceremoniousness of your reception.
We farmers must keep close to the SOIL"
He should have said sod if he wants
TO keep the Irish VOTE growled the
Colonel.
We have just come In from the wood
lot" continued the Judge-''wboa. Buck
and have not yet removed the marks of
toll. But come upon the portico. gen
tlemen. and try some of your hard cider
Let me introduce Mr.. Skitt and the
a word or two to you
Gentlemen" began the Colonel how
can 1 express the emotions that are
stirred within me as l greet the pie
makers Of my beloved country. What
memories of my boyhood rise before met |
Yours is the proud distinction of spread I
ing JOY broadcast over our possessions
Let the pie plate follow the flag. say /.
The pie man has always stood fast /
for sound money No simple Simon could /
ever impose any wild-eyed finance on |
him Let us drink toast. in this honest |
cider. TO our host. What America wants |
is pie and Parker
After the Judge had made brief adj /
dress TO the pierakers and shaken hands |
with them individually. they drove away. |
well pleased with their visit
The Judge then excused himself for |
few moments and a well trained servant. |
whom We had not seen before brought /
us some excellent Havana cigars. In a |
moment he had whisked away the rag /
carpet the cider jug and the corncOb |
pipes. Some easy rattan chairs. a few l
sofa pillows. tennis racquet or two /
and a fine old KirGhis rug gave the por- |
tico different atmosphere.
Through the smoke Of our Havanas We I
presently saw emer-e from the hall our /
hostile elegant. suave man Of the world. l
in afternoon coat. trousers OF fsultless /
crease aud shoes OF glossiest polish. His 4
days work was done.
BY the horns Of the Beef Trust. Mr.. 1
Skitt" said the Colonel. as the Judge /
coachmau drove Us, behind pair of 4
housekeeping hacknSys. TO the station. /
IN another year that man viii be I
statesman,'-w. a. Rogers, In New York /
Herald.