East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-07-09
WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE DESCRIBES THE
DEMOCRATS

william Allen White, one OF the ed
ltors of the American Magazine, and
perhaps the most brilliant newspaper
writer of the United States today,
writes of the opening of the demo-
cratic national convention at Denver
in the following entertaining way:
This is a convention crowd wherein
the barbaric yawp which Walt Whit
man speaks OF is the keynote. In the
republican convention was the still
small voice of Roosevelt in the hearts
OF hypnotlzed delegation. In this
convention the only trouble will be In
COMPRISING the snort of the unterrl-
fled into polite language. II 1t Is
charged that in its platform the re-
publican convention didn't mean all 1t
said, 1t may be pretty sure that this
convention will not say all II means.
The average conservative citizen to
whom squattlng in a cold bath tub
of water is a startling adventure, will
take no comfort in the two platforms
of the great parties this year.
For the democratic platform will be
dictated by Bryan he is the conven-
tion. 1.-THE bo'sum tight, the mldship's
mite. and the crew OF the Nancy Brig"
And as between the platform which
satisfies Mr.. Roosevelt and the plat
form which pleases Mr.. Bryan, the
only question which occurs to the
conservative citizen is shall lawdefy-
ing wealth be turned down or blown
up. That is the choice between the
parties. To him the republican con-
ventlon was an assemblage of fire
brands and this is a gathering of dy-
namiters.
Still 1t was calm here today until
Oklahoma lit. The Oklahomans came
with a band and a procession, and
when they arrived NJ their hotel they
had species ana pow-wowing and
for a few moments there was a sound
Of revelry by night which made Jim
Ham Lewis with his pale pink whis-
kers and his sky blue hat band. who
was the most audible thing in the
town. sink into silence sweeter than
summer night.
Loud Roar of Necktie.
But when Oklahoma dislntegrated
the loud roar OF Mr.. Lewis haber-
dashery rose above the din and not
even the white flannels of the south
ern delegates. the broad hats of the
Texans nor the lrridescent breath OF
Tammany could quel Mr.. Lewis. II
the republican convention had It's
steam roller Mr., Jim Ham Lewis Is
the sartorlal fog horn of this momen-
tous occasion. And he is no Tone
peak of Darien" either. There are
others. This gathering of the great
plain peepul is certainly a clothes
congress.
There are more high hats,' sllurian
and post-tertiery formation, at this
uprising of the oppressed than ever
assembled west OF the Mississippi be-
fore. II this thing is going to continue
when the bastile falls In this country
and the guillotine takes up its work,
the mob that greets plutocrachy will
look those panoramas OF fashion be-
ginning with the Goths and ending on
Fifth avenue that used to adorn the
tailor shops of the countries In the
eighties
Philosophy of Clothes.
But declaration of independence in
clothes merely expresses the unfet-
tered uncombed and unterrified soul.
Bryan dominates, but he does not con-
troll He has no lieutenants. There Is
no card index in the situation There
Ia no boss. no sub-boss to system here.
There is not the semblance of a ma
chine. The congressional crowd is
glad to be alive with a license to
breathe regularly. 1t does not arro-
gate to itself any authority as II does
conventions wherein there Is a con-
gressional majority. In the days when
there was a democratic congress, there
was democratic machine, but now in
this convention the man who would
try to organize anything through the
congressional machine would be spit
ting into tidal wave.
SO three things are settled. Bryan
will be the candidate, Bryan's idea of
what will beat Taft will be the plat
form, and Bryan will be the vice-pres-