The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-06-15
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

washington, June 15.-ISpecial. i
One thing which many politicians and
political writers could not understand
In regard to the G.. O. Il. convention
was why the strongest men in politics
were not able to effect a combination
and down the favorite."
There were mighty big Republican
politicians at Chicago. Many of them
have been quite considerable figures
In former national conventions. Then
there were some pretty good politicians
among the bull moosers, and Roosevelt
Is regarded as one Of the best politi-
clans the country has known. And why
these men were unable to effect a
combination quickly was a mystery to
some of the political experts.
Retained Control.
But be 1t remembered that when the
politicians, the real shrewd ones. see
the tide going one way they do not
think II wise to try and stop 1t. BY
keeping In touch with prevailing sentt
ment they are able to retain control of
the organization and to keep at the
front Of the party. The popular poll
tician Is the man who Is able to keep
In with the wishes of his people.
That Is what a number OF men, com
monty known as the old guard. have
been able to do by failing to attempt to
force the convention to nominate a
man 1t did not want
Difficult Positions.
1t was hard for the friends OF differ
ent 'impossibilities" TO visit their head
quarters and try to look as If they
really thought there was a chance for
them to be nominated. To shake the
hand OF n campaign manager and tell
him you could not see how his candi-
date could be nominated was not a
pleasant proceeding. AS n consequence
the various campaign headquarters
were usually occupied by the friends
and workers of the different candidates.
The eff" Always Present.
There was an "tf" at nearly every
N OF the headquarters. IF Hughes
Is not nominated Fairbanks will be-"
n could lear the Indiana men say.
ha8 Yin " lOAA AZ
Weeks, Cummins and others, for Fair
banks and n could always hear the
same statement by the various cam
paign managers. They all believed
that If Hughes could be defeated their
man had a chance.
Roosevelt Enthusiasm.
There is n thing that must be said
for Roosevelt: Not since Blaine was
a popular Republican hero has there
been a man who could arouse enthusi-
asm like the colonel The mention of
his name always brought a cheer from
the crowds The shouts for Teddy"
were heard everywhere. There were
men for Roosevelt who would rather
go down I'm defeat with him than TO
victory with some other man. | have
noticed the same thing In the Demo-
cratic party In regard to William J.
Bryan.
Viii the Campaign Lack Gingsr7
Certain men have been asking IL the
coming campaign will lack what
Colonel Roosevelt calls ginger" That
depends upon the organization and the
manner In which the campaign is con-
Quoted. This fight OF 1916 might be
different from hat of four years ago.
and yet there might be considerable in
terest aroused before the voting begins.
| have noticed that party feeling gen.
orally gets a hold of people I'm a presi-
DENTAL year.
Convention Ethics.
It's all right for q man to'seek the
presidency; he car be on the ground
and make every effort To obtain votes;
he can do any amount OF legitimate
preliminary work to secure the nomi-
nation for the highest office and IL Is
all right. But a man must. not seek
the vice presidency. 1t Is not good
form to seek that Office. A.man may
not be more than a possible receptive
candidate; In fact he ought to- feel like
making a pretense of being coy and
exhibit a certain amount of stand
offishness. That seems to sbe the I'M
written law In regard TO the second
highest Office In the land and one OF
the two positions for whitehall the peo-
pie vote.
New Men In Evideace.
Time makes many changes. In a
score of years few men who were a
power In past conventions were pres
ent and exerted the influence they once
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