Spray courier. (Spray, Or.) 1???-19??, 1916-05-25

tory like u partial eclipse Of til
sun. 1t is as II the spot-ligh
OF the solar system were turned upo
the area Of hattle-iields. while all tn
other nations stood like spectators a
n moving picture show, watching il
darkness.
The attention of all peoples outsid
the realm of conflict being thus fasci
mated by the awful scene. their owl
affairs have seemed trivial. and llav,
been neglected or forgotten In tn.
flushed thrill that has held the hear
of the world.
This phenomenon alone can accoun,
for the fact. obvious to every one IN
the United States, that the approach
ing presidential campaign has not lie
veloped 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 iii
America begins TO rise about d year
before each recurring national cam
paign. reaches fever heat about the
time of the conventions. and shows
boiling blood before the election. In
this year, 1916. the popular mood that
ordinarily would have been manifest
in January. Is barely discernible in
May. The whole political season is
backward. But. for this very reason,
we may well expect that from now on
there will be a quick-step in the march
of events. to make up for past tagging.
and By the time the conventions are
over. the American people win be
ready for the fun swing of our quad.
renniaf contest. Even tile European
war will then drop back to second
place: and this for two reasons. first,
because the political campaign. by the
sheer insisterce of issues that can no
longer be postponed. will crowd its way
to the front: and. second. because, as
the English writer II. G. Wells so apt
~ puts It. the conflict abroad has pass.
ed the stage of initial onset and reach
ed the period of drag. when the result
is to be determined rather by endur-
ance than by impact. and by-stGndcrs
are always more interested In quick
assault than in a prolonged tug
Contest Unique In American tiiatory.
The conventions of the two great
parties are now Immediately before us
Every day and every hour quickens
the interest, reveals new phases of the
situation and presages contest unique
In American history. Already Con
gross is restless, and the leaders OF
both parties are considering an early
adjournment, or, at least. recess. IN
til after the nominations arc made mt
Chicago and st. Louis. But more uIt-
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-
peiience of the present generation.
While it has several times happened In
recent years that the candidate of cne
party or the other was foregone c0n-
clusion many months In advance Of the
nomination, there has been. ct least. an
interest in the platform or in soIce
other incident OF the convention. For
example. the second nomination Of
Cleveland III 1898 was assnred while
the probable Republican n1ula!ce was
Il riddle: YET both conventions attract.
ed the liyeiiest concern, because II was
not known how far the Dcmocitifs
xvof4IU f9llny,- thnit, tn..dn...s In4..,r,&tir-,
for a radical reyis.cn Of the tnriif. Sp
IN 1896. while the probable choice of
tie Deiaoerats remained Il a-laystciy III.
III t..e day 81 tie eonyeAti0n thnaHy
goiig IL q inaA taU>toftre without
aattora9 fpna@fil the nomination. Of
Azs. sSf..c WIS ~.'ii f{srC"tSt 'iy events
f'pf t5s fsa eof, 3tt0fs sese easily
N ssHtss 'ssng. ls@alsi ~ t.i9ss ttic
aii.ss,sg 4rs if.ss fpf tiit f,cNgadicaifs
sns',f' .se IS = e'.Hrsasbl;s S:and f'4f