Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1916-05-27


tory like partial eclipse of the
SUM- 1t Is as If the spotlight
or the solar system were turned upon
the area of battle-fieids, while all the
other nations stood like spectators at
moVing-picture show, watching In
darkness
The attention Of all peoples outside
the realm of conflict being thus fasci-
mated by the awful scene their own
amaIrS have seemed trivial and have
been neglected or forgotten in the
hushed thrill that has held the heart
Of the world
Th1s phenomenon alone can account
Tor the fact, obvious to every one I'm
the United States, that the approach
ing presidential campaign has not de-
Veioped an appreciable fraction of the
interest and agitation which USUALLY
prevail for many months before the
meeting of the great party conventions
Usually the political temperature in
America begins to rise about wear
before each recurring national cam
pa1gn, reaches fever heat about tha
time of the conventions, and shows
boiling blood before the election. In
this year, 1915, the popular mood that
ordinarily would have been manifest
ms anuary, is barely discernible I'm
May. The whole political season ta
Dack ward But, for this very reason,
we may well expect that from now ON
Inere Will be quick-step in the march
OF events, to make up for past tagging.
and by the time the conventions ara
over, the American people will be
ready for the full swing of our ousd-
rennial contest Even the European
war viii then drop back to second
pace; and this for two reasons. first
because the political campaign. by thu
sneer 1nsistence of issues that can m
longer De postponed, will crowd its WAY
" the 1ronts and, second, because. an
the English writer 81. G. Wells so ant
~ puts It, the conflict abroad has Dass-
ed the stage of Initial onset and reach.
eo the period of drag. when the result
Is TO be determined rather by endur
ance tnan by impact, and by-standern
are always more interested in Quick
assault than in a prolonged tug.
contest Unique In American Historx.
The conventions of the two .graot
parties are now Immediately before ma
every day and every hour outckens
the interest, reveals new phases of tho
situation and presages a contest UNIQUE
IN american history Already Com
sreSS Is restless, and the leaders Of
ootn parties are considering an early
adjournment, or, at least a recess. un-
I'll after the nominations are made at
chicago and st. Louis But more nm
usual and significant than any other
aspect OF the situation is the fact that
the mind of the whole country is in
tent upon one convention only. This
Is true for the first time within the ex-
perience of the present genera ton.
while 1T has several times happened in
recent years that the candidate of one
party or the other was a foregone con-
eiusion many months in advance of the
nomination. there has been, at least, an
interest in the platform or in some
other incident OF the convention. For
example, the second nomination of
Cleveland in 1888 was assured. while
the probable Republican nominee was
riddle; yet both conventions attract
eu the hvelfest concern, because ii was
not known how far the Democrats
would follow their leaders declaration
for radical revision of the tariff. So
In 1896, while the probable choice of
the Democrats remained mystery I'M
III the day OF the convention finally
going to a man Heretofore without
nauonai renown) the nomination of
mckinley was well forecast by events
1ec the two conventions were easily
Oh equal import. because this time the
question was how far the Republicans
would go Ina q courageous stand for