Connecticut western news., 1908-07-16
oNE-MAN CONVENTIONS

The country has just viewed the un- usual spectacle of two national political conventions dominated by the will of two men, the republican convention at Chicago and the democratic convention at Denver. In the former instance the carefully laid plans of president Roose- vslt were carried out to the letter and to a hardly lesser extent Bryan dominated theDenver convention. Though neither man attended the gathering, his power and control was evident in every move, his plans were as carefully and as faithfully carried out by chosen ieuten- ants as if he had been on the ground to give personal directions.
 It was not surprising to the public to learn that the method employed in these instances was not popular with the politicians. In neither instance was it much else than ratification meeting so far as concerned the head of the ticket. The old political war horses in either party walked aimlessly about the con vention halls or the hotel corridors, chafing under tho inactivity which had been brought about by the pre-conven- ton conclusions reached at Washington and atLincoln, ,Neb. It was in such de- cided contrast with former years when it had been anyone s victory up, perhaps, to the last moment, where there had been situations to deal with which re- quired all the intrigue shrewdness and stratagem known to the world of politics and in the exercise of which the party leaders and workers found not only a sort of undisguised pleasure but also found the opportunity, by the exercise of their wits and their influence, to in crease their power Tn the political arena and to thus further the political ambition which is contained within the breast of every politician, be he high or low de- gree.
 And the effect. Will these one-man methods be sanctioned by the party rank and file? We hardly think so. It 50 happens this year that the voters can not show their disgust and disapproval of "steam roller" or "big stick" or Bryan1stic methods by casting . vote for the candidate of the opposite political faith for the reason that, in this respect at any rate, the democratic party Is as deep in the muck as is the republican party is in the mire. The democratic voter cannot reprimand Bryan for his dictatorial methods by going to the polls and casting 8 republican ballot and, by the same token the republican voter is restrained from expressing his disapproval of big stick methods if suoh disapproval he feels.
 The voter must cast his vote for one of the two leading parties. cast it fol ono of the lesser parties, who have not the slightest chance of winning, or re main away from the polls. Many will declare until almost the day of election that they do not propose to vote-at all very few will, rather than not exercise the right of franchise vote the prohibi tion or socialist ticket and a few, very few. will remain steadfast in their de termination not to vote at all.
 We do not believe the effect of tn, one-man power at either convention this year will be far reaching but we d. believe that this policy cannot be con tinusd by either party without disastrou results, It smacks too strongly of trus methods, which methods are in bad re pute with the rank and file of voters They realize that they ate powerless, b. any direct act of their own, to extricat, themselves from trust grasp but the, feel that when it comes to preventing the injection of trust methods into th councils of their party, they are in position where they have something t. say.
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