Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-09-22
Mysteries in Public Business.

st. Louis oba-Democrat:-In the
days of Daniel Webster and his con-
temporaries it was not the fashion for
statesmen to be "mobbed by an army
of girls" or for presidential candidates
to go into whirlwind campaigns two
years ahead Of time. Nor was it the
custom for conventions to spend half
an hour at stretch In cheering a
mention of the name of their favorite
of the moment, one of the dreariest
grand ovation and looked after all the
of performances to the observer who
knows that the thing is prearranged
and the continued noise pumped up In
candidate. who was acclaimed for thir-
details through his well-paid lieuten-
ants. Mr.. Hearst, man Of many MIL
lions, represents new order of Amer
lean politician. He ~ plutocrat who
is investing great deal Of wealth in
socialism, with the proviso that In the
new adjustment of the quality of man
he is to be governor of New York and
then president of the United States. AS
visitor to fall festival Mr.. Bryan
was suddenly beset by feminine
crowd in frenzy Of excitement and
trying to peck at his nose or ears with
their lips 1t seems to have been their
idea that Mr.. Bryan can not get too
much of sensational public attention
and clamor, and to be lynched with
kisses might be to him an enjoyable
climax.
1t was not so In the days of Webster
and the highly magnetic Clay, for while
they created enthusiasm as leaders,
they never had to face mad rush OF
"girls," ranging in ago from IL to 60,
and so persistent that the police Is
summoned to the rescue. Something OF
the same kind has occasionally hap
pened to Paderewski at the end of a
piano recital, probably because his
studied sensational makeup announced
his passion for inflamlng the magma
ton of the multitude. With an ordln-
airy haircut quiet evening dress and
sedate manner the musician would
have retired from the scene amid re-
spectful appause and not grain less
artistic appreciation. In a kissing rush
some of the girls Of 60 might so far
forget themselves as to bite the young
er set or even the inattentive hero him
self, who would naturally devote him
self to selected one, rather than hfty
He might be shorn of his locks by
those pushed to the rear, and though
his strength might not vanish, as In
SIMPSONS case, the average American
has no hair to spare, and Mr.. Bryan
in this respect, is no better off than the
average.
The United States has become a
large country with an immense
amount of important business to look
after. It's position as world power
is admitted. Is it getting to be more
hysterical than formerly? This Is
sober, timely question. at this moment
the limeiight is centered on Mr.. Bryan
and Mr.. Hearst. 1.-THE enormous Grove
went Wild" is the familiar phrase. Is
the country expected to go wild. anc
! stay wild, even in the off years OF pres
i fdential contests? A fear is expressed
that some deterioration is at work II
the American character. Americans
are composite sprung from Euro
pean ancestry immigration has vast
|ly Increased, and at the same time has
racially changed. Insidious dangers
might creep in and be at first almos
1 unobserved. Is the new order OF Am
erican politician as sound as that O.
fifty or a hundred years ago? Are the
people of the same high stamina, pat
riotic fiber and sterling Judgment?
they are, the prevailing Mysteries re
main to be explained.