Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-15
CAMPAIGNINGBY TRAIN
MANY PHASES OF POLITICS EN-
JoYED BEHIND THE SCENES.
Rear-End Platform Experiences-The
Davis Special an Example Of the
Modern Canvass.
Special From Staff Correspondent.

awaiting their turn and enjoying the play
that is going on before the crowd that as
sembles at stations. They have point of
View that only those who follow the COM
pany from station to station can secure.
The Davis special car that has been touring
west Virginia is only an example of all
these travelling companies that during cam
paigns move over the country. The big
actors on the Davis special are Mr.. Davis
himself. former Senator HILL Senator Dan
lei and former Governor William Pinkney
Whyte of Maryland.
From station to station the lesser political
lights come aboard, but on these four stars
devolves the success of the great play Mr..
Davis has been the first to present himself
before the political limelight. The others
sit within and listen. For the want of
anything else to think about they hear the
candidates stories over and over again and
anluse themselves by endeavoring to note
any slight variation that occurs The story
about a negro in the southern part of the
state who voted twenty-three times and
complained that he had only received VI
for 1T never loses interest. Mr.. Davis al
ways adds parenthetically that he does not
know that it is true that registration law
is opposed by the republicans in order that
that kind of voting may be kept up. He
says it does look that way.
Keeps Company Guessing.
Mr.. Davis after making his speech always
announces to the assembled company the
name of the actor who Is to enter next
Within sit Hill, Daniel and Whyte, wonder
ing which of them will be called. because
the candidate does not always tell them
just who he proposes to bring out.
But when he begins, I'VE have with US
a representative of the great empire state,
Mr. Hill moves about restlessly, and some
times when the crowd has caught slght ana
is calling for Daniel he enters INTO an ar
wit Virginia senator as 10
which should go first 1t then becomes
Alphonse Hill and CASTOR Daniel. -
GO ahead, Daniel he beseaches
Mr. Daniel shakes his head. and perhaps
by that time the cries have turned TO
Hill Hill" The struggle goes on untll
Mr. Davis calls out to one of them to come
out. -.
self When 1t rained during one or two
DAYS Mr. Hill had fine opening by telling
the people on the outside that democrats
could stand any rain except the feisn ~ ~
the republican party. That never failed TO
catch them The first day this was sprung
upon the West Virginia public 1t proved 10
be such good thing that afterWard IL was
always on tap. Mr.. Hill had become de-
pendent upon his story when he discovered
that the clouds were lifting and the sun
shining brightly. Then he was thrown INTO
despair. o..,,,,,,-
nition.' said Hill. Sunshine plays worse
havoc with my ammunition than rain ever
did with powder on the battlefield.
Speculation Over Clouds.
Looking out of his car window, MI Hill
will at times discover away off in the dis
lance an ominous cloud. He would watch
the cloud with all the fond care OF
father watching a growing child
Senator Daniel or Gov. Whyte, seeing
the cloud, would sometimes predlct ABOUT
what time in the afternoon the rain story
would again be in order: ..,
Hills campaign in west virginia a.
WAYS showed how shrewd a man he is.
Arriving at station, his sharp eyes
would scan the horizon. Lo! ana peholu.
To the side of the station ne Woulo see d
tannery That at once suggested local
coIorine and he would start to discuss
the beneficent effect of putting In 1oTce
the democratic doctrine of free hldes.
Most of the people gathered at that sta
ton would be employees of the tannery,
but later on when the honest farmers
gathered about and Mr.. Hill was aware
that he was talking to men VINO sell hides'
he had nothing to say about that beneil-
cent doctrine the result of which would
lower the price of hides on every farm IN
the country Campaigning means being
all things to all men, ~
paigners is Senator Daniel. With the race
OF a statesman that suggests relation
shin with Daniel Webster and mastery
of words that places him on a plane with
Demosthenes, he never fails to command
attention. Several of the places through
which he passed in West Virginia ne
looked around spying familiar LANDMARKS
and then informed the assembled crowd
that the last time he went through there
was during the time of civil strife when
he wore uniform of gray.
"Ahr he would sometimes say, pointing
over in the crowd, Il think 1 recognize
over there another old confederate.
Remark That Always Makes Hit.
I1.a hit Q6
one of the men to throw up his hand as
an acknowledgment that he was the
confederate referred to. When Senator
Daniel did this there was betting inside
the car as to whether he really did recog-
nize any one or simply took the chances
There was a preponderance Of bel1ef that
he acted on the principle OF the teacher
in the young ladies' seminary VINO Or
.dered the girl with chewing gum TO come
straight to the platform. The teacher
knew she would always catch some one
as the result of guilty conscience But
whatever the senator's method is, ne sener-
aIly strikes a confederate on these occa-
sions and the old soldier comes forward
to shake hands with the confederate ora
tor 1t is supposed that this proceeding
makes that old confederate vote the
democratic ticket whatever his political
Ideas may have been.
There have probably been as many old
friendships renewed between Senator Da-o
railroading as on any similar journey
Nearly everywhere the train stops the
old men come up to tell the candidate
that they used to work either as brake
man or conductor on the B. and o. road
at the time the millionaire candidate him.
self was brakeman.
That was fifty years ago, when the old
men were stalwart young fellows. Now
they looked into each others eyes, search.
ing for recognition. They always shake
hands heartily, each declaring that he re-
members the other as If 1t were but yester-
day they worked together.
But great men do not always inspire awe
on the part of those with whom they come
in contact.
Hill and the Barber.
At one station, for instance. Senator Hill
went into a barber shop to be shaved. The
barber looked him over carefully and re-
moved his beard as smoothly as possible.
He knew he was one of the stars of the
travelling company of campaigners. but he
was not altogether sure which one he was
When Senator Hill left the barber shop to
go back to the train the barber followed
him with inquiring eyes. and approaching
one of the newspaper correspondents,
asked:
us that the guy HIP
He was told that 1t was, and he returned
10 his barber shop and will probably relate
to his children and grandchildren all the
circumstances connected with the shaving
IIlr