The Washington herald., 1908-07-07
By wILLIAM ALLIES wHrrE.

BY WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE.
Denver. Colo, July 6.-POIiticians are
all alike The Republican politicians at
Chicago shifted more or less at "our
hero" and at war chief" and here the
politicians are sneering more or less in
private about the peerless one.
Roosevelt and Bryan have put the poll
tician out Of business in the national
conventions, so the politician does not
like Roosevelt and Bryan. The poll
tician has his side TO the controversy
He has 20 spend at least 800 OF his good
money coming 10 the convention Prob
ably the average would be more near
500. He has 10 take a week Or ten days
from his business. and 70 get the election
as delegate he has to make a fight IN
the district or State conventions. which
cost him more time and more money.
and when he gets to The national con-
vention he finds the Presidential candi-
date named the platform written at
Chicago and left 10 Bryan at Denver.
and all that the politician has 20 do with
the convention is to fuss with the dele
gates from his State over who shall be
national committeeman. and explain
when he gets home why he did not vote
for some one else for Vice President.
Delegates Fisureheads Now.
Time was when a delegate to a na-
tionaI convention was some one. but now.
under the regime Of Roosevelt and
Bryan, he is inconsequential as a Presi-
Dental elector. and this Denver conven-
] ton, which Is a replica OF the Chicago
/ convention in many ways. IS Ike IL In
the strong Undercurrent Of feeling there
is against the man In the party whom
the people delight 10 honor. A secret
ballot in this convention would defeat
! Bryan. and the way the delegates rushed
away from the Roosevelt idea 10 Sher-
man in the Republican convention indi-
Gated what a secret ballot might have
] done there.
/ Politicians obey orders. They smile and
/ pretend % Ike It. but they would revolt
[ II they dared: they have the theory Of
/ the Republican delegates that the people
/ are radical and that politicians must pre-
\ tend TO be. whether they are or not. So
| Alton B. Parker who might be a leader
/ here II the delegates We're candid and
/ sincere, is an old four-spot in new deck.
and while every one knows him. no one
]
may happen 20 Judge Parker will happen
\ if Bryan. in Lincoln. decides that Judge
/ Parker may rise and read the resolution
/ concerning the death Of Grover Cleveland
I Tuesday IN the convention. when the con-
| venJion adJOurns out Of respect 10 the
memory Of the ex-President. and in COM
pliance with the promise 10 the mer-
I chants Of Denver. who have been assured
a four DAYS convention.
Pnrker's Grief Circumscribed.
To be allowed mildly 10 mourn the death
/ Of the only Democratic President elected
in half a century. with strict injunction
not 70 allow his grief TO get into politics.
/ is a reasonably severe Limitation 10 be
put upon a man who led the party four
| short years ago. Il reminds one of Ter
nyson's line at the death of King Ar
thur, when the dead. rowed by the
| dumb. went outward with the tide" Il
/ is the last OF the old regime, when De
mocTacy stood Tor the least possible gov
erH=ental interference with private af-
! fairs"
The denatured grief Of the Democratic
convention at the death Of Cleveland Will
marx distinct epoch in the history Of
the Democratic party. II seems to De
settled that Bryan viii not permit any
concessions 10 the roactionaries OF the
South and East in the platform. There
was story IN the hotel corridors that
Bryan would give in 10 the reactionaries
in the matter Of the railroad plank and
| In the labor plank, but the story is not
true The labor plank Will not suit the
/ labor leaders. But il viii not suit the
conservatives, either. and just how much
| further IL VIII go than the Chicago labor
plank depends on how badly Mitchell and
GOmpers can scare the resolutions com
mittee. But the l0nesomest people in all
the convention crowd are Mitchell and
Gompers. The delegates have as little use
for them as they have for Bryan. and not
having 10 conceal the dislike for the labor
leaders. their hotel is as quiet as a prayer
meeting.
Labor Leaders Not Popular.
The fact that the Socialists cast nearly
half u million votes four years ago does
not interest the delegates even If It does
concern Bryan. This delegates are inter
esteG In the victory Of Guney in Pennsyl-
vania. In spite of Bryan's protest. they
are talking about the casting out Of Nc
Carren ~ New York and the side-track-
ing OF Harris, of Kansas.
The ears of the politicians are attuned
10 the clicking and rafting Of the various
little State machines but as for issues.
that is up 20 Bryan; and in the matter
OF labor unless Gompers and Mitchell
can rouse the delegates. they will get
about what they got at Chicago cold
hand-out, with perhaps a little mustard
on L out here 70 make Il more palatable.
If not more digestible.
In the matter Of q Vice President. New
York and Bryan are playing a fine game
Of Alphonse and CASTOR. each bowing
and scraping and exclaiming. After YOU.
Bryan seems to wish New York 20 settle
IT, and New York seems anxious that
Bryan shall settle it-but settle il New
York's way. So the whole situation lacks
life; it is dead. and even the bands and
the marching clubs and the banners that
bedeck the streets, and the obvious COM
pany manners Of Denver. though they
have inspired interest in the town. have
not put ginger into the situation.
FiEz Absolutely Lacking.
The situation is as hzzless as can OF
milk. The correspondents Of the great
newspapers have been at Lincoln for n
week. They nominated Bryan there. and as
this doesn't seem 10 be the time nor the
place TO elect him. there is nothing to do
but TO wait until events catch up with
last weeks news.
Copyright. 1908. By George Matthew Adams)