The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-01-12
AsroRIAN PUBLISHING COMPANY.
4 RANK TAILENDER.

n kANh IAlLENDEh.
Formerly candidates for the presidency were nom
mated by caucus of congressman, says the Call
This was before conventions had been devised. Th'
first national political convention was held IN ls3.
40 nominate a running mate for Andrew jackson
Prior to that time there was not much platform max
ing. Mr. Jefferson's inaugural served as the plat
form of the republican party, which he organized
Sometimes an action in congress or resolution II
caucus was all the expression of partisan purpose
that was necessary and then the people fell to and
fell as foul of each other as they do now.
The convention of 1882 changed all of that. 1t was
seen national convention was better place than
congress to bring men together for consultation The
party orators who had mixed spellbindng with grain
binding in campaigns in the rural districts, were
proud to put their figures of speech on the market
in great convention So political oratory rose as
the conventions gained in Importance and reached
its climax in Ingersoll's speech nominating Blaine
Since then no nominating orator in any convention
state or national, has ever got away from the as
criptive 'the man who,'' until Mr.. Lane was nomi
mated for governor of California. That nominating
SpccCIl, ICtH was h"NoA ~ 5NoN
taste and was free from the Ingersollian echo.
There is evidence abroad now that the power Of
the convention is about to be shorn at least in the
democratic party There is a visable tendency tC
settle the presidential nomination by agreement OF
congress leaving to the convention the higher duty
ing to speeches With this in view there is repeated
polling of democratic members of congress, to de-
velop their presidential preferences In these several
poings the strength of of the candidates tuc-
tuates 1t ebbs and flows like the tide, and rises and
falls like the sounds Of the night But one candidate
holds his strength without varableness or shadow Of
turning He holds his own every time. His party
In California will be proud to know that this in
flexible and Notwithstanding candidate is Mr. William
Randolph Hearst.
While Cleveland, German, 0lney and Parker ex-
perence the vicissitudes of political fortune,
own William Randolph simply and strongly dittos
his vote every time. But when the matter is looked
at in another light its features are less reassurng
His total strength is three votes. While the others
up into the scores he gets always three votes
more, no less. When it is remembered that since
the middle of November William Randolph Hearst
has been seated in the house hobnobbng with his fel
low members and meeting the large numbers who
have been his guests on yachts and special trains, and
who have acted as commissioners of his several
papers in setting the gyrations of the solar system
this seems a small result
But who are the three? Livernash is one apd it
is said that another hired man Of Mr. Hearst graces
a seat from Chicago, who makes the second But
who is the third? Perish the thought or at least let
something unpleasant be done to the thought that i'll
is the Hon William Randolph Hearst himself! He
informs every day in his newspapers that he is
the noblest American and the dandiest leader now
up for public inspection and what we must think of
6ur countymen, at least that part Of our fellow
citizens who sit on the democratic side in congress,
if this leader Of leaders is compelled to pull himself
from oblivion by the seat Of his political trousers
by voting for himself to make it three
What are we to think of Cleveland getting more
votes than Hearst More do we say7 So much more
that the champion Of the people, whose left hand
stands yelling its achievements at his right until his
dexter paw has the earache, seems not in it, What
ails his unappreciative brother members! Don II
they take his newspaper and read therein what al
matchless man he is?