The Washington herald., 1907-04-11
AT THE HOTELS.

The old lines separating political par
ties in this country have become 50 con-
fused that Il can hardly be- said that they
exist any longer" remarked that brilliant
lawyer and eloquent speaker. Col John
S. Wise. Of Virginia. at the Raleigh
Take the President, for example
Judged BY any sort OF familiar test, how
could he be called party man? lie is as
much a Democrat as he is "A Repub-
lcan. and thus it is that men of ali creeds
claim him. The only certain way /
would have Of describing him would be to
say that ne is a sublime egOtlst The
ego is his speciality. But he is something
more than an egoust-he IS the cleVerest
politician Of them all. beeause no one
save past master IN the art could have
been such "a mammoth success in winning
the favor Of the American public He has
the people with him, and has all the old
time leaders of the G. o. 2. bluffed to a
standstill They turn pale at mention Of
his name. Talk about the railroad fellows
spending 100000 TO defeat him. They
would gladly give up ten times that much
to reiegate him TO private life forever.
Most people believe he can easily be
elected his own successor. That may be
true. but OF one thing ] am certain. and
that is he viii not be able 10 dictate the
next President The voters may stand
for him, but his influence will not extend
TO the point Of telling them who shall be
the next White House occupant.
1T seems 10 me that in this chaotic
state Of things there would be chance
for reasonable and conservative men to
/ get together without regard to past affili-
ations and nominate some high-c!ass
American Of the Old-fsshiGned sort. with
a good prospect Of electing him. ] think
ex-senator Gray. Of Delaware, would De
an ideal candidate. and yet there is not
much chance Of Sufficient Democratic
sagacity 10 inspire hope Of his selection.
/ The Democrats viii. with their fatal IA
I ciiity for blundering, once more go down
I 20 defeat under Bryan's leadership. or
else will disgust the country with tie
nomination Of some smali-fry accident
like Folk OF Missouri"
"As a citizen Of town that has gone
a long way in municipal ownership u
such things as are called public utilities
/ / would unhesitatiugly declare against
that policy said MIR. A. b. Cassels.
! prosperous manufacturer of Glasgow,
/ Scotland at the Shoreham.
4 would in the beginning modify that
statement by excepting JUS two things
water and gas. I am firmly Of the
opinion that every town should oWp its
water works and its Illuminating plants.
Beyond this it is folly to go. We have
[ seen the foolishness Of il in Glasgow.
People may tell you that Glasgow's own
ership Of the street railways, the tele-
phones, and so on, has been q success,
but il is not SO. The telephone expert
I ment was such a failure that in Was
taken over by the pOst-Ofiice department
and incorporated is a part of the postal
system So far as the tramWays are con-
cerned il can be tTuthfully said that no.
body can tell just what their operation
costs OF how much they lack Of being
self-sustaining under city ownership.
Their management IS beyond doubt eN-
/ travagant. il not Wastefui. Expensive
and shOwy cars are bought because
something has 20 be done with the money
taken in; il would never do to show a
surplus of receipts and expenditures,
and hence there can never be any hnan-
cial advantage as long as the mUnici-
pality owns the lines.
But We have had some other failures
of this sOciaiistic doctrine in Glasgow.
The town council thought il would be "a
fine thing 10 build what was known as a
family home, d sort Of vast apartment
house for the benefit of folks Of moderate
means The thing was found impractiCa-
BILE. and no others were erected Again.
the council concluded TO tear down some
unsightly old tenement houses I'm order TO
improve the looks OF the city, and in
, their place was built a row Of big. fine
warehouses and shops. The rentals asked
We're so eXOrbitant that no tenants could
/ be found. and the buildings lay idle for
months. In the meantime the poor me-
chanics who had occupied the demolished
tenements were forced to hunt abOdes
r wherever they could. and they invaded
sections Of Glasgow formerly monopolized
by wealthy and fashionable people much
; 10 the disgust Of this upper class.
Take 10Y word for it, as one who has
studied and seen every phase of the mat
ter. the municipal plan, outside the two
excepted articles, is a snare and delusion.
= and the level-headed people of this c0un-
= try should spuru il. Even IF it had proved
a success in Scotland. which il has not. It
would not do to argue that it would be
equally good in this country with us
2 vastly different conditions. Finally. gov
ernmental, or municipal ownership is
+ wrong and vicious in principle FOR. car
D ried 20 any length. it means the demor-
3 alization of the people. il causes men 10
( look TO the government to supply their
D wants and TO lose their individuality,
4 their courage their ambition, their self
t respect
There is every reason to predict Demo-
cratic success in the elections eat viii
take place In Kentucky next fam said
= Judge A. p Humphrey, of Louisville, one
+ Of the foremost lawyers Of the Blue Grass
g State. at the New Willard
The Democratic party is in good cOndi-
$ ton. its forces are united. and the State
e ticket is generally satisfactory. Mr
- Hager, the nominee for governor. is a
}. very good candidate and will get out the
e full party strength. II il thought that he
K may be opposed by Mr.. Augustus +. VIII
a son. of the Louisville bar, who is prob
f ably the most eloquent campaign orator
n in the Republican ranks OF our Stat. If
not in the whole South. His nomination
would be a strong one, but ] do not be-
Ileve that it would be sufficient 20 cause
Democratic def5st.
- LAS a young man I spent several years
= in Japan, and nay experience with the
: crafty little yellow men led me TO the
conclusion that they are about the trif X