Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-09-16

beyond and above the average capacity
of men for judging of political situa-
ton. Robust and self reliant, he travels
all over the United States alone, car
ing for himself. And so when he
came into my Office the other day to
tell of the conditions he had found In
the states in which he had spoken all
the way from Oklahoma to Ohio he
was listened to with notable respect
by all present.
He declares that, in his opinion. the
Bryan sentiment has ceased to be an
undercurrent, but is a tidal wave.
And. like nearly all who have been
out In the political work Of the CAM
paign, he ascribes the foundation OF
this sentiment to the growing admira-
| tion for Mr.. Bryan's character and eth
les and the sudden outburst Of enthu-
siasm for the Democratic ticket to the
| wider appreciation and knowledge of
| the merits of the system of guaranty
of bank deposits urged by the Demo
cratic party. Curiously enough, as
| Senator Gore was talking on this sub
| ject letter came in from a repre-
| sentative of the national committee
who has been touring Ohio. He re-
ported that the ostensible reconcilia-
ton solemnized by perfunctory hand
shake between Judge Taft and Senator
| Foraker at Toledo was not regarded
with any degree of enthusiasm by the
followers of the latter. As the gentle
man who wrote has been for probably
| forty years active in Ohio politics and
| as in this trip he has visited every
county in the state, his opinion is of
value. More than this, he reported
that leading banker of Springfield
O., W. S. Thompson, who had always
| been a Republican, was so impressed
with the merits of the guaranty propo,
| sition that he was making public
| speeches in its support.
| A Foraker Story.
| And, speaking of the senior senator
| from Ohio, here is story about him
| the truth of which will not vouch for
but which, after having watched his
course in the last two sessions of con
gress, seems to me quite probable. The
narrative runs that Democrat rar
across Senator Foraker on a train In
southern Ohio. Naturally the tall
turned upon politics. Said Foraker
doing by way of organizing the negro
voter Il am afraid they are doing
nothing" was the response. Il an
told they are very short of funds
"Well," responded the senator, ''yOl
could do nothing better than to juml
on train and so to Chicago and tel
those fellows at Democratic headquar
tiers to do that work even If they hav'
to rob bank to get the funds" TIL,
story is characteristic, and 1t throws
some light on the reality of the recon
Citation of Foraker with the residuar.
legatee of President Roosevelt.
The Democratic Campaign Book. :
| 1 have had a long and rather regre,
full experience with campaign tex
books in the Democratic organization
Usually they come out about the tim
the campaign is ended and even 1
properly prepared would be at tina
date of no value whatsoever Those O
1900 and 1904 set side by side with tn
Republican publication of the same ne
ture were enough to bring blush eve
| to the hardened cheek of the Demo
cratic politician, but the text book c
this year was out before that of til
Republicans and is admirably prepare
and edited 1t is fair that credit shoul
be given to the three members of til
text book committee Hon. j. Z. Lam
of Indiana, Hon. Josephus Daniels c
North Carolina and MIR. Richard ]
Metcalfe. the managing editor of NJ
Bryan's Commoner. The book is
fact text book and is packed full {
meat for speakers. writer's and st,
dents of politics. 1t is long, narro'
volume of about 800 pages, shaped S
as to go readily into the pocket. n
one who purposes taking an actiy
part in the campaign should fail to s.
cure one. While prepared, primaril
for gratuitous distribution anon
Democratic speakers and journalist
the committee viii have a sufficieI
supply on hand to furnish copies
those who may write for them at IL
price of % cents each, post paid Ordel
should be addressed to the text Doc
committee, Democratic national hea
quarters, Auditorium Annex. Chicago
Colonel Lewis In Maine.
There is no more picturesque n,
scarcely any more misunderstood a.
ure in American politics than Colon
James Hamilton Lewis of Chicag
!. Partly no doubt the latter is his ow
5 fault Nature heaped upon him ce
r tain mannerisms which his frien(
think he sometimes cultivates. Bl
the man whoepieks Jim Ham, as
is called both affectionately and joe
larry, for fool will find that he h.
picked up an exceedingly hot propos
ton. He demonstrated this fact fir
when he was In congress as q repr
sentative from Washington. There h;
never been a Democrat, at least durir
my experience, at the capital so apt
retort as he. Even Tom Reed, wi
the biting tongue, hesitated TO attat
Colonel Lewis.
However, this is all beside the fat
What / wanted to say is that Colon
|