Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-02-05

Continued from Page Four)s =
Post ana exploited chiefly by the New
York World was at all accurate. The
Post and the World. which are chiefly
interested in beating Bryan, discovered
ninety-eight votes for him and thirty
one for Governor Johnson of Minneso-
ia. Judge Gray had ten votes. and the
rest We're very much scattered. The
new poll, made by a nOnpartisan or
ganiZatiOn. does not show so very great
an increase in the Bryan vote. but does
show very material difference in the
vote for the opposing possibilities"
for there are no openly avowed Op-
posing candidates. The total number
of members interviewed was smaller
Mr.. Bryan's vote was larger-positive-
ly much larger relatively-than in the
first poll. Governor Johnson's vote
was mere half of what 1t was report
ed to be by the news collectors of tile
papers that are pressing him to the
front. But though 1 am in a position
TO declare it absolutely authentic, hav-
ing in my hands the names of the men
who expressed their opinions and the
personal assurance of the men who Sc
cured these opinions that they We're
correctly reported. / still attach COM
paratively little Importance to them.
One gets a better knowledge of polit
zeal opinion throughout the country by
travel and by association with the peo-
pie than he does by conversation and
association with the politicians who
l., >
they are high types of men, believing
that they know the sentiment of their
districts, but as n mere matter of logic
| when you find senator or a represent
| alive saying: Il think Mr.. Bryan will
be nominated, the people in my dis
trict are all for him, but l think he
| should withdraw in favor of strOn-
ger candidate" it makes you wonder
whether the speaker represents the peO-
| pie or his own ideas. If the people are
| going to insist on Mr.. Bryan's nomina-
ton, is it for Mr.. Bryan 10 decline it
or for any representative of the people
| to urge him so TO do?
Concerning Uncle Joe.
Harking back to something | wrote
| in these letters some weeks ago.
want to reiterate emphatically what l
| then said-that, while the Taft trum-
| pets blow, the Hughes hurrahs are
| loud and the Foraker fire alarm may
ring as it did in the brave days of old
it will be well for people who are in
| terested in public affairs to watch the
\ quiet progress toward a Republican
i nomination of one Uncle Joe Cannon
Il of Illinois. Today in Washington the
one argument urged against him is
that he is old. Even so. most people
would match him in a foot race against
Taft or i'll a contest of wit against
Fairbanks. He has had the best ma.
chine in politics-namely, the house OF
representatives. The other day Mr.
Shackleford of Missouri attacked him
II justifiably as the greatest car of mod
ern days. Mr.. Shackleford was abso
lutely right. Speaker Cannon wields
more power than the president. and
while the presidents power and infu
ence are diminishing daily. Mr.. Can
non holds his own and gains. 1t was
characteristic of him that while being
attacked by Mr.. Shackleford in com
mittee of the whole he sat at desE
before the orator and seemingly enjoy
ed the assault. 1t is characteristic
too. that much as the Democratic sid,
of the chamber denounces his method:
the members sitting there like the
man. He has a pleasant humor which
has made him popular wherever known
One story of him, not new one, illus
trates his quaintness of expression
They tried to nominate him for vice
president with Roosevelt in 1904. Witt
his cigar tiptilted and his inimitabI,
drawl, he said to a correspondent VIII,
asked him about it, my boy, at m,
time of life l don't intend to let then
pin peacock feather on the tail %
my coat and then watch me break m,
neck trying to admire my decorations. >
II Washington. D. c.
WILLIS J. ABBOTT.
Ill
/ Notice 70 L,ra&ar,