La Junta tribune., 1904-09-24

On the evening Of Sept. Z. l004. -
land was At peace. and No augurise -
dread possessed it. Vermont had sat4
its say, in no unmeaning manner. a.
all was calm in city and country, whi1D
in New York was gathering band. tue
. few faithful editors Of Democrats
enfeceaents. to talk over the political sie-
ustion. and incidentally deyOur that
square meal which. when eaten in pubic
and accompanied by speeches. 10 called
banquet.
Among the chivsiry which gathered
there was Henry Watterson Of kes-
lucky. The moment he was seen At the
festive board those editors and speets-
tors who are accustomed to observe tAo
usual progress of events knew that soms-
thing was going to happen. They d.
vined that Henry had been seeing
things" 1t is way he has. And thss
he says things.
Time rolled on. The rich New York
viands, prepared for the unaccustoms6
paiates OF the visiting editors, the 6sry
cocktails, the generous wines, the nips -
strong waters. all these had met tAe
fate prepared for them. And then cams
Watterson, as chief speaker of the even
ing.
watterson Is at times an excitable
man. This was one OF the times. He
was not only excited, he was pAinfuIIy,
morbidly. scared. And OF an things 10
the world, this brave. loyal. chivaiross
American gentleman was afraid OF az
other brave, loyal. chivalrous Americas
eentleman-the President of the Unitee
States, Theodore Roosevelt.
There was rant about ''raising the
black flag" 'scuttlins the ship Of civil
service" "and cutting the throat OF re-
ciprocity" which made Watterson's hear
ers turn pale, though they knew no more
than did the speaker to what these truce
lent words referred. aa
The trembling editors listened. appaiI
cd. Waiterson lowered his voice ed
muttered forth charges Of ruth and rBia
against Roosevelt past. Roosevelt pres
ent, Roosevelt future. Again be paved
the earth, shook his fists nloft and bes-
lowed his predictions OF an everlasting
candidate for the presidency, and an ~.
erlasting President in the person OF 1he.
odore Roosevelt. IL the Republicans -
tinue in power. Watterson's audttese
thought ofCarter II. Harrison !. and Car
ter Ii. Harrison H.. perennial and ewes.
blooming Mayors OF Chicago. but, -
these examples of political longevity ~
long to the Democratic party, 1t calneA
the nerves OF the wrought-up banqust-
ers, and they were able TO brace up sd
listen to the impassioned gentleman froO
Kentucky.
The food of oratory went on and o.
and when 1t was over the editors felt ~
lieved, because no seizure of . fatal
character had made fitting climax to the
utterances OF the cholerc speaker, who's
eloquence has been whetted for yearas
upon the obtrusivc angles of his OWE
party.
And then the telegraphic wires bore.
as upon the wings Of the wind, tho
words of Watterson. to be printed in the
morning papers that there could be read.
by tlfc toiling millions. the fatal words
OF objnrgation. adjuration and divina-
ton.
The public read the burning worde
of Watterson with that fatal apathy
which grcets the efforts OF those who, II
the first place, talk too much, and in ths
second place, habitually overshoot ths
mark. There was good-natured laugh
perhaps, as some stalwart American
glanced over the scare heads" Of ths
morning papers, and one or another q
the great army OF frecmen said to his
neighbors, as he looked mp from the
warnings, denunciations and predictions
OF the hystericnl orator OF Louisville.
"watterson's broke loose again"