Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1908-05-09

The ordinary political convention is
q collection of wild animals, whose an
tics are extremely amusing, but abso-
lutely without form and void. Nothing
outside of cage full of monkeys can
present such an example of futile ac-
tivity. Each delegate is duly ticketed
and loaded with his proper credentials
and fondly fmagines that he really is
OF some Importance in the gathering;
| that is, he does if he is green
hand" If he is a seasoned campaign
er, he knows that he merely repre-
| sents the people," and the chairman
and secretary of the convention "rep-
resent" the delegates, and the boss
es' represent the chairman and sec
rotary By means of this sliding scale
of actual power it will be seen that
the bosses" represent the people,
| 1t was my deep delight to have at
| tended a number of political conven-
tons. The will Of the people stood
about deuce high" in the political
| deck. The will of the bosses" was
| always the ace and it could be and
was turned from the bottom or top
Just as the emergencies demanded.
| Imagine long, low, rakish hall, the
atmosphere a wavy blue with tobacco
smoke. Aisles are cut through to the
| platform, generally three in number.
to admit of committees on this, that
and the other to go forward to the
platform and hand in their cut-and-
dried communications The different
wards and districts are ranged about
the hall, each with its particular spot
to stay in, like checkers on a board
before the game begins. Many of
these delegates are in their shirt
sleeves, and many are talking wildly,
| SeSuculating powerfully and in other
ways molding the destinies of their
country. The very few who are not
smoking are choking.
On the platform are two tables, at
which the chairman of the convention
sits, he having been chosen by the
powers that be- He is a mere puppet
In their hands, understanding what
| they want, and at any and all times
ready to carry out their wishes The
secretary is a mere echo; the assist
ant secretaries mere assistant echoes.
Two or three highly respectable
stoughton-bottles of various titles sit
on the stage to deceive the unintelli-
gent observer into the belief that
things are ION the square" A pitcher
of water is on the chairman's desk,
for he will open the convention with
speech. In that speech he will glorf-
fy the proud history of his own party
and skin, salt and nail to the political
smoke-house the hide of the opposite
party. This is species of buncombe
which is always INDUCED in.
Sometimes a convention is opened
with prayer. This is something which
cannot be touched on at length. for
the devil himself could not conceive a
more grotesque blasphemy. Most con-
Venlons are opened with political
11mmies, being burglarious aggrega-
lions, brought together for purposes
of plundering men of their political
rights. The chairman has his speech
carefully learned by heart. and he is
invariably eloquent, pungent. witty.
scholarly, terse, dense, fiowery and
tong-winded. But he finally subsidies.
and then, after the committees re-
ports and the platform are finished.
and some more political red tape is
gotten through with, the work of
nominating candidates is begun. But
before the convention has reached the
point OF being ready to vote there
have been number of battles fought
- q AAiSA DSIOTG the various commit
tees on credentials.
In certain wards of the cities or
certain districts in the country. there
may be a~dispute about some dele
gates, these claiming the right to rem
resent the people," those putting in
a -counter-claim for recognition. In
such cases, contests are begun and
the respective claims thrashed out be-
fore the committee on credentials
Whlch nave the power to review these
disputes in the various districts or
wards.
No one but the contestants and the
committee and the other delegates are
allowed in the committee rooms in |
these contests, it being a sort of fam
lily AFFAIR. Usually, the contests are
determined according to the way the
posses want them to be decided |
but If it doesn't matter about a vote
or two, the bosses allow the com |
nllttee to do as they please Evidence |
IS heard, speeches are made, and the |
committee picks the winner.
The bosses" keep accurate tab"
On the number of votes they need. |
but are ready to achieve results by
any means they consider necessary. |
One unseated delegate rushed madIy |
up to boss" on the floor of the CON !
venuon and screeched out: What |
dye mean by THROWN me out? There
amt no contest on me at ALL The
wr-rr - y