Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-05-01

ming May Strike Him.)
and name Olney delegates to the ma
almost all bought with Offices or with
the hope of office. Sometimes they
change, but usually they remain true
to the individuals to whom they
pledge themselves. Lewis Cass, of
Michigan, bought supporters with of
fees, and he said: 'An honest poll
tician is one who will stay bought. -
Gathering in delegates more than
year in advance is one of the new
tricks in politics which Mr.. Hanna
developed previous to 1896. Those
who are far-sighted enough to do
this Systematically have what is
called "a good organization" That
is to say, that if one has an organ
lied army of ex-postmasters, all of
them hungering for political flesh
pots, he is political general with
whom one must reckon.
In the state of Pennsylvania there
are 5000 pOStmasterS and about 1900
deputy postmasters. These, with the
other federal and state office-holders,
make an organized army of political
workers numbering upwards of TO-
600 men, all of them working to re-
tain their positions, and all of them
under the skillful direction of Sena-
tor Quay; and yet people wonder
that Quay always succeeds.
Early in March, soon after his re-
entry into the senate, Senator Cor
| man, of Maryland, said to Champ
Clark, of Missouri: William Jen-
nings Bryan must be reckoned with.
While his friends may not constitute
the necessary two-thirds to nominate
in national convention he will I'M
doubtedly have more than a ma jor-
ity in the convention next year, and
will be able to dictate the platform.
Whoever overlooks this all-important
fact will find himself hopelessly in a
minority when the convention gets
down to actual work.
From this it is apparent that Mr..
German realizes, and fully under
stands, that Mr.. Bryan is burrowing
also for delegates, although not for
the purpose of forcing his renomina-
ton. 1t means that the eloquent Ne
braskan intends to remain a dom
inant factor in his party. This also
means that as long as he lives Mr..
Bryan will have hopes of getting the
prize for which he has twice so bril-
liaRtly contended. Here is story
about Mr.. Bryan which has never
been published:
During June, 1896, while the mar
rator was at the crowded counter of
q telegraph office at the ST. Louis con-
vention, sending special dispatches to
some large daily newspapers, a
bustling big fellow crowded in, and
received a stiff punch from an ener-
getic elbow. No resentment followed
the blow, but, instead. the writer
heard his name called cheerily by
one who said: SWon't you let a poor
working man have a chance to earn
his bread and butter?" Looking up,
the narrator saw the smiling face of
his old friend Bryan. Room was
made at once; Bryan's brief telegram
was written and sent to a small pa
per, which he said was paying him
$50 per week, and then he disap-
peared in the crowd. Three weeks
later he was nominated for the presi-
dency. There never was a better il
lustration of the possibilities in this
.
was such a meteoric rise from penury
to position and political power.
And so, white all of the others are
burrowing for delegates to gain the
presidential nomination, the astute
politician from Maryland says that
Bryan must be reckoped with"
When it is recalled that Mr.. German
is the only man who has been able To
lead his party to success in presiden-
tial campaigns, for well-nigh SO
years, it may be well for all of the
other burrowers to hearken to his
words of wisdom. And it is worthy
of note also that while Mr.. German
thus respectfully takes off his hat to
Bryan that worthy in his weekly pa
per says that German was regular,
but not too regular
SMITH D. FRY.