The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-06-23
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.
Washington, June %. -[spcciall-
Politics will have the center Of the
stage from now until the election In
November. The national conventions
have not changed the course of thought
save that more real attention is given
to the probable issues OF the campaign
than ever before. AS long as congress
Is in session Washington will be the
main center of political interest for
the men assembled In the capital will
have a great deal to do with shaping
the campaign and making the issues.
1t so happens, however, that both
parties have nominated men who do
much OF their own shaping. who have
no powers sitting behind them. but
who will be the chief figures I'm the
canvass. That IN itself Is an advan-
tage, because 1t gives the people a bet
ter view OF the contest
Have Two Men Passed7
Have the two men who have figured
so prominently in the politics OF two
great parties and two minor parties
passed from the scene Of political &c
tivityf Bryan and Roosevelt have been
the chief figures In the Democratic and
Republican parties. Bryan destroyed
the Populist party by amalgamating 1t
with the Democracy twenty years ago.
IL La possible that Roosevelt has de
stroyed the Progressive party by re
fusing TO be its nominee I'm 1910
AS / heard the last Roosevelt shouts
ut Chicago and heard the cheers for
Bryan in st. Louis. nearly as strong as
ever before, the idea came TO mind that
perhaps this Is the year of the passing
OF at least one OF two great political
personnges
Sorry For Bryan.
There were many men who felt sorry
for Bryan as they saw him at st
Louis. It was sad to see the man who
had been three times the candidate
sitting In the presence of another's
success, particularly as he had framed
a one term plank four years ago, de
signed TO stop Wilson at the end OF
four years. But the regret for Bryan
was that Ii did not seem likely that he
could ever again lead the Democracy.
Is he 20 go with the long line of promi-
nent men who never get the great
prize2 However, the warmth with
which his speech was greeted must
have been pleasing to him.
Convention Halls
IL is surprising that the great con-
vention cities, st. Louis and Chicago,
do not build as good u convention hall
as Denver. No convention has been
better taken care OF I'm respect TO a
large. roomy hall, with good acoustics,
as that held I'm Denver in 1909. Mel
Their the convention halls at Chicago
nor st. Louis a equal 1t.
Convention Clothes
In Chicago winter clothes and over
coats were In demand. In st. Louis
linen suits, Palm Beach suits and shirt
sleeves were In order. Ii was all o.
account OF the difference In the
weather.
Bands Do Not Know.
Tho average convention band left 20
itself does not know much. Think of
playing 1.-The Rosary" and operate Sc
lections Mt a convention! Doleful mu-
sic instead OF patriotic and ragtime
That happened at Chicago. At the st
Louis convention, made UP Of nearly
half southern men, the band kept play
ing Marching Through Georgia" and
John Browns Body" Those tunes
didn't get a hand In a Democratic con
vention. Those fellows cheered "Old
Kentucky Home" but they went Wild
1t Dixie"
Getting Back TO Business,
Those members who have been away
80 long nominating presidential candi.
dates found 1t rather hard to get down
to business again. Quite q number
took advantage OF the general leave of
absence to visit their home districts
and see If their fences were In good
repair. Many members of the house
think their campaigns depend upon the
presidential election.
Observations by Lewis.
Senator James Hamilton Lewis, who
was the delight OF the c~artoonists and
sketch artists at the st. Louis conven-
ton, made two or three political OBJ
servations the other day-viz:
1.-The elections In November are not
settled by the ides Of June, but depend
upon what may happen in October"
Roosevelt win support Hughes be-
cause he will want Hughes to feel that
he owes his election to him II Hughes
should be elected and for the further
reason that If Hughes is defeated he
does not want 1t said that he Roose-
velt) was responsible for the defeat"