Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-09
IN OLDEN TIMES

/ In those halcyon days Of our boy
hood our fathers were not, of even
| ings, too tired TO spur our youthful DO
litical zeal with "reminiscences of the
days when the Know Nothings secret
ly spied upon all men of voting age
ad initiated new recruits in hidden
rooms and subterranean chambers;
when the Pierce partisans called Gen.
eral Scott "Old Fuss and Feathers"
and the Scott partisans accused Gen
eral Pierce of fainting from his horse
because of fear in battle; when city
and village streets bristled with hick-
DRY masts surmOunted by democratic
ROSTERS and pine masts Haunted the
emblem OF the wings, each party striv-
ing to display the greatest number of
these poles; when drum and fife made
the welkin ring with the battle hymn,
Rally Wings when bonfires bIazed,
cannon belched. men fought and wom-
en- fell over the comparative merits of
the nominees; when the night air
echoed with ratification meetings held
in honor OF "Old Buck" Games Bu-
chanan), or his rival, The Pathfinder"
John c. Fremont when the rival
armies tried 10 outshine each other in
the brilliance Of their torch lit page
ants; when the Free Sellers" Joined
by the old Line Wings" were faunt-
ing anti-slayery banners and wearing
upon their lapels badges adorned with
tintype portraits of Abraham Lincoln:
and when there were many knock
downs and scrimmages, brother even
striking brother.
That stirring campaign of so was.
indeed, the bitterest Of our history and
many were the encounters between
'Wideawakes" and Little Giants" or
among legions bearing the various bat
tie flags: THE Hannibal of America -
Millions for Freedom, Not One Cent
for Slavery" Millions for Defense"
Intervention Is Disunion," Popular
Sovereignty and National Union"
Free Homes for Free Men," THE Con-
stitution and the Union, Now and For
ever" Let Liberty Be National and
Slavery Sectional and M. Y. o. B."
(Which cipher was universally under
stood TO stand for the Douglas battle
cry, Mind Your Own Business.")
In preparation for the campaign raj
lies of the earlier days, women spent
weeks cooking yiands for crowds that
came from so miles around to throw
their caps in the air while they burst
into enthusiasm over the speech max
ing and marching. The parades were
more like present day industrial page
ants, individual trades and professions
floats that represented |
their occupations. Thus the black
smiths would be accompanied in line !
Of march by a real forge with sparks /
flying and showing blacksmiths sing |
Ing wing songs to the accompaniment |
0f an actual anvil chorus; and there /
were armies of stalwart farm lads on /
horseback bearing banners inscribed /
Our First Vote" The ship of state.
flying many sails and rocking with ter
-ible realism, depicted the perils which |
he nation was supposed to be facing
Inder its helmsman, Van Buren,, for
instance. There were also Greek and |
Roman soldiers in classic armor. and
while these Wondrous PROFESSIONS
moved through village and hamlet,
;hurch bells would be rung and can
ION discharged Yet, after all of this
Fondrous enthusiasm, the people had |
0 wait three weeks beore they knew
What candidate adsbeen- chosen.