Daily Kennebec journal., 1904-08-23
Hoou of Texas on Roosevelt.

the executive chair he was a hosl pie
turesoue figure with a lurid and COM
Mailing eIonuence which was in class
by itself. After he struck Oil and look
a trip to Europe he more nrhis
clinched his hold upon the Texan heare
by refusing to wear Knee-plee''
when presented to the various hloi-
archs who were honored by visits from
him. But now Hogg has slapped the
Democracy in the face by praisihs
Roosevelt and laundering "Who III heii
is Parker?" 1t was at the state con-
vention of the Democrats at Hous'o'''
and the speech he made will be reiiielii-
bered as long as the performances Oh
Davy Crockett and the devastations oi
the Galveston food. 1t was speech
vbicb made the heart Of the Texas De-
mocracy very sore and filled it with
sad. sad thoughts. The Denhlsoh'
Texas. Herald thus paints the scene a'
the convention when the Ex-Governor
addressed his friends.
The real ovation of the morn
ing session was when jim hoss
was called to the platform. Ihe
convention overfowed in its en-
thusiasm, and cheered Hogg for ten
minutes. and would have given MIN a
longer season of hand-clapplng and
burrahing. had not the ex-governor
stopped it. He had a large quid OF
yum in his mouth, and who had been
sitting during the cheering rather be-
hind the wings of the stage. partially
out of public view, with large palm
leaf fan trying to stop the exudatiOns
of perspiration which had overflowed
his collar much as the Colorado River
oyerfiowed Austin when the great dam
broke. The governor famed with one
hand. wiped up the floods of perspira-
tioa with the other, and all the time
kept his great jaws going at fierce
schoolgirl pace. chewing gum. Final
ly. he decided that he had heard about
enough, and he walked to the front of
the stage. and told his friends that they
would address them later in the day.
perhaps, on the issues-and he never
missed a lick on that gum.
In the afternoon, the convention had
practically nothing to do. Its commit
tees were working. and the conven-
ton had to wait on the reports. The
crowd wanted to hear from HOgg.
Hogg was a Hearst man. He is not in
sympathy in the Parker movement in
Texas. and after the nomination of the
New York jurist to head the national
ticket, he had not said a word for or
against it. Everybody thought he had
chosen this occasion to come out and
give the ticket its strongest endorse
ment. His friends were sure such was
his purpose.
He will make a rousing Parker
speech" said one.
H will give an endorsement to our
ticket that will make us all feel good,
said another as the ex-governor start
ed to speak, and all settled down in a
complacent and self satisfied mood,
feeling that they were to hear sOme-
thing that would touch and kindle
their old Democratic hearts and make
them feel the very breath of victory
| tanning their cheeks.
The convention was hushed into ST.
| lence and expectancy.
Hogg spoke. He told the people that
a great ten-mouthed dragon was lying
I'm wait at the doors Of the convention
| hall-aye might be crOuched under the
| platform, ready to spring upon them
and gObble them up, like Texas oil
trust at Beaumont with Hogg as its
| guiding hand had gobbled up all the
smaller fish-or words to that effect.
| He painted a background as dark as
the hinges of hades, and told the Dem
ocrats that such was their future hope.
He cuSsed the railroads, and intimated
that every railroad attorney In the
state was ring streaked and striped
| imp of Satan with a mouth like a thou
sand hungry lions seeking whom they
might devour. He paced along very
nicely at the regulation Hogg-in-the-
brier-patch gait, and then somebody
asked him about Bryan. He remarked
that Bryan was the greatest man that
| ever spoke, and rather let it go at that
Then somebody else was anxious to
| know about Roosevelt. He hesitated a
moment and caught his breath.
Hes warming up to give 'em HI
said one.
Hell tan Teddys hide good" said
another.
| And the hall was happy In expec-
fancy.
They braced themselves for a good
old fashioned HOgg denunciation OF
Roosevelt. The convention wanted to
hear it.
| The oracle spoke.
| Had a thunderbolt fallen through
the roof and blazed its fierce train of
| fire down the posts the convention
could have been no more confused and
| startled.
Hogg was speaking. He was paying
as great a tribute to Roosevelt as any
Republican has ever paid.
Summarized his speech pointed out
| that
THE race question is humbug. and
there is nothing to be alarmed about .
| Roosevelt is a hero and an honest
man."
Roosevelt is a trust buster"
/ Roosevelt is not a dangerous man.
Roosevelt will make as good Pres
ident as we can hope for from the
| Democrats"
The laud3ion of Roosevelt over. the
convention was disappointed-angry.
| What about Parker?" came a u1es-