Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-21
Xxx.


Xxx.
Pilgrims and Patriots.
From st. Louis I went direct to Bur
bank.
His heart had been set upon q grand
| speechmaking tour. He was fond Of wan
dering about, showing himself to cheering
| crowds; and he had q deep. and by no
means unwarranted. confidence in his plat
form magnetism. At first had been in
clined to give him his way. But the more
considered the matter the stronger
seemed to become the force Of tho objec-
| tions-it takes a far bigger man than was
Burbank at that stage of his growth not
to be cheapened by 'steeplechasing Tor
votes; also, the coming OF the candidate
causes jealousy and heartburnings over
matters Of precedence, reception and en-
| tertainment among the local celebrities,
where he found 1t enthusiastic. Further,
| it uses up local campaign money Ihat
ought to be spent In hiring workers AT
the polls, which is the polite phrase Ior
| vote-buying, as retaining Zee Is the po-
lite phrase for bride.
j, decided against the tour and for the
| highly expensive but always admiraoie anu
profitable pilgrimage plan.
Burbanks own home was at Rivington.
| and l should have had him visited there
had 1t not been on a single-track prahcIl
|
danger and discomfort the scores OF thou-
! sands we were planning to carry to ana
| from him almost daily. So, 1t was gwen
| out that he purposed as far as possible to
withdraw from the strife of the campaign
| and to await the results in the dignihed
calm in which he wished the voters to De
| termine it. He took-after Woodruff had
| carefully selected it-a retired house In
| the country"
And it was in the open country. A farm
garden adjoined 1t the one side, q
| wheat field on the other, large orchard
| to the rear. The broad meadow In front
| ing the Observation-Disclosures of the party OF
patriotism in his rural seclusion to
| hear his simple, spontaneous words OF wei
come. But for all the remote aspect or the
place, it was only five minutes drive and
ten minutes walk from station through
| which four big railroads passed. One OF
the out-buildings was changed into tele-
graph office from which accounts OF the
enthusiasm of the delegations and of his
speeches could be sent to the whole coun-
| try. On his desk in his little study stood
| a private wire telephone that, without dan
! ger of leakage, would put him In direct
| communication either with my study at
Fredonia or with Doc Woodruff's privatest
| private room in the party national head
| quarters at Chicago. Thus, our statesman,
| though he seemed to be aloof, In the
| very thick of the fray; and the tens of
| thousands of his fellow citizens, though
| they seemed to come almost on their own
| invitation inspired by uncomfortable en-
| thuSiaSm for the great statesman, were in
| fact free excursonists-and very trouble
i some, critical, expensive lot they were.
But-the public was impressed 1t sits
| in its seat in the theater of action and be-
| lieves that the play is real and ignores and
| forgets the fact that there is behind-the-
scenes.
| The party distributed from various CEN
| ters tons of 'literature.' And in adj
dition to the meetings arranged by
| state and local committees series of
| huge demonstrations was held in the cities
| of every doubtful state. Besides the party's
regular speakers, we hired as many in
| dependent orators could. But all
| these other branches of the public side of
| the campaign were subsidiary to the work
at the retreat" 1t might be called the
| headquarters of the rank and file of the
| party-those millions of principle" voters
| and workers who were for Burbank because
| he was the standard-bearer of their party.
| No money no brides of patronage have to
| be given to them; but it costs several mill
| lions to raise that mass to the pitch of hot
| enthusiasm which will make each individual
| in 1t certain to go to the polls on election
| day and take his neighbors, instead of
| staying at home and hoping the party won't
| lose.
| Burbank's work was, therefore, highly
| important But the seat Of the real cam
paign was Woodruffs privatest private
room in the Chicago headquarters. For,
| there were laid and were put in the way
of execution the plans for acquiring those
the balance of power between the two OPP
| posing and about evenly matched masses
| of principle voters / just now recall
| talk 1 had with my wife, about that time.
| She took no interest in politics and rarely
| spoke of political matters-and both of us
| discouraged political talk before the chill
| dren. One day she said to me: This cam
| paign of yours and Mr.. Burbanks must be
| costing an awful lot of money"
| "A good DEAL" said 1.
Several milhons?"
stir it up politically tor nothing Why
| do you ask"
who gives the money!" she persisted.
THE rich men-the big corporations-give
most of it."
| "Why?"
| Patriotism" said I. ITO save the nation
| from our wicked opponent
| How do Mr.. Roebuck and the others
| get 1t back2" she pursued, Ignoring my
| pleasantly.
Get what back?"
why the money they advance. They
| aren't the men to give anything.
l answered with smile only.
| She lapsed into thoughtfulness. When was
assuming that her mind had wandered off
| to something else she said: 1.-The people
| must be very stupid-not to suspect"
| "Or, the rich men and the corporations
very stupid to give l suggested.
do you mean that they don't get 1t
| back?" she demanded.
"Of course" said l, their patriotism
| must be rewarded. We cannot expect them
to save the country year after year for
| nothing"
| IT should think notv she said. adding
| disgustedly, II think politics is very silly.
| And men get excited about 1t! But l never
listen"
| Arriving at the retreat from the Scar
| borough convention, found Burbank much
| perturbed because Scarborough had been
| nominated. He did not say soon the con-
| trary, he expressed In sonorous phrases his
| satisfaction that there was to be "a real
| test of strength between conservatism and
| radicalism." He never dropped his pose,
even with me-not even with himself
II confess I don't share your cheerful
| ness" said I. "If Scarborough were a wild
| man we'd have walkover But he isn't,
| and fear he'll be more and more attract
| i've to the wavering voters, to many Of our
| own people Party loyalty has been over
| worked In the last few presidential cam
| paigns. He'll go vote-hunting in the doubt
| full states, but it won't seem undgnified.
| He's one of those men whose dignity comes
/ from the inside and can't be lost
| Burbank unable to conceal his an
| noyance-he never could bear praise Of an
! other man of his own rank in public life.