The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-10-11
BIT TERNESS MARKS
PRESENT CAMP A|GN
Not for Twenty Years Has
There Been Such Feeling
As at Present.
PEOPLE ARE THINKING.
OVERLOOKING MANY OF THE
PERSONALITIES NOW BEING IN
DuLGED IN, CONSIDERING 1T
ALL MERE AMUSEMENT.

Washington, Oct. 1O.-Politicians OF
al parties and all shades of belief are
agreed on one proposition, that the
present is the most bitter presidential
campaign for more than twenty years.
It is necessary to go back to 1884 to
ind year when the personal element
entered SO largely into the struggle for
the presidency. The Cleveland-Blaine
campaign of that year will long be
noted for its acrimony. There were not
great issues between the parties and
the campaign descended into the of
personalities. By 1888 Cleveland. with
his tariff message to congress, had vi
talized that issue and in succeeding
campaigns the differences between the
parties were sharply defined and the
country was spared a deluge of person
alities.
History does not record a more ex-
citing contest than 1910, the hard CT
der" campaign. There were no vital
differences between the parties and the
Wings did not even adopt platform
but with the cry of 'Tippecanoe and
Tyler, too" they reused the country
to q frenzy of excitement and swept
everything before them at the polls.
In times past the personal feuds and
animosities Of party leaders played a
largo part in campaigns, and the fol-
lowers of a popular idol were ever
ready to make his quarrels his own.
This is not true to nearly SO great an
extent today, but we still find that
personal feeling is not absent from the
utterances of even those most highly
placed. The indignation of President
Roosevelt for Senator Foraker's alleged
shortcomings no doubt was accentuat-
ed by the presidents personal dislike
Of the Ohio senator, and we find that
Mr.. Bryan does not hesitate to casti-
gate those who have fallen under the
ban of his displeasure.
But 1t is doubtful If the public cares
seriously about the personal likes and
or Mr. Bryan. That both have their
own infirmities will be admitted by the
most ardent partisans of both, some
thing that never could have been true
OF former generations of partisans. In
the earlier days a popular idol either
was a demigod or a william, and there
was no such thing as calm appraise-
ment Of his merits.
And so, while the present campaign
- v,orcopoI {f{oS fc hincv IF n Shncly
to those who had thought our politics
had advanced beond that stage, feeling
IL not likely to be carried to the extent
1t might have been fifty or even TWEEN
ty-five years ago. With the growth of
newspapers, in numbers and circula-
ton, the people are doing more of their
thinking for themselves and they are
likely to regard some Of the happen
ings of the present campaign more in
the light of entertainment than as SER
ious reasons why they should vote for
one candidate or the other.
The gathering in Washington of the
many big conventions has again strik-
ingly demonstrated the need Of suit.
able auditorium at the national capt.
tai. Foreigners at the tuberculosis
Congress were shocked, when they
were conducted for the first time to the
new national museum, where the ses-
sions are being held. The structure it.
self is handsome enough, or will be
when it Is completed, which it lacks
a lot of doing now, but the accommoda-
tons were entirely inadequate for such
q gathering as this. and the way to the
building is through about the most
disreputable-looking part of the city,
The scientists from other parts OF the
world had heard much Of the wealth of
the United States. and Of the beauties
Of its capital and when they were in
vited to hold this greatest of scientific
meetings In Washington they had ex-
pected to be accommodated at least as
well as they would have been in one
that they were thrust into an I'm.
finished. cheerless, barn-like auditor.
ium with almost no arrangements for
their comfort or convenience and told
to go ahead and solve the problem
more vital than any other to the hui
man race-the elimination of the
great white plague
A president is to be inaugurated next
4th of March. and for more than half
century one of the features of IN
augural ceremonies has been the ball
In the early days the attendance was
limited and the balls were held in
hotels. But their popularity and the
crowds increased and of late years the
inaugural ball has been held in the
pension Office building. In order that
1t may be held here a special act OF
congress always is necessary and the
work of the bureau always has to be
suspended for about week.
Four years ago congress gave con-
sent for the use of the pension Office
only with the distinct understanding
that by 1909 a suitable structure fol
such gatherings should be provided
The citizens Of Washington assumed
this obligation. but they haven't dis.
charged 1t. So they are either going tc
hovn 40 horl- -, rNp rrroc. 49,