Omaha daily bee., 1919-02-18

Miami -(Flal Cor. 81. Louis Globe-D emoerat.

Henry Watterson, being a winter resident OF
Miami, who keeps sharp and clear lookout
upon the country and the world at large, and is
suspected Of having had, in his time, some
Illuminating political experiences a reporter for
the Globe-Democrat called and put to him the
direct question, will Woodrow Wilson be the
democratic candidate for president in 1902"
IF Mr.. Wilson wants the nomination he can
have it. because the party machinery is wholly
in his hands, and there is no one of national
character and standing to oppose him" was the
reply:
What about the third term issue"
Il am afraid" said Watterson, that the
democratic party of the period is not much
moved by issues. Its objective is rather the
concrete things OF public life, the governmental
patronage, the emoluments of place and pelf; in
a word, the loaves and fishes. For the matter
Of that, all Our parties are more or less afflicted
with the disease known of old as 'ofieitis' 1t
is still with the party leaders it has been,
What are we here for?"
you don't give credit to the claim Of the
headers that it is the country, the whole coun-
try, and nothing but the country, they seek to
serve"
"The trade mark of the professional politi-
clan" the veteran answered is the party label;
his asset popular najorities or the hope OF pop
ular majorities. Apart from these he is moth
ing. You may recall that ingalls, of Kansas
once described statesman as aApolitician out
PGAANANANAA
job calls himself statesman, and his claim al
lowed by the riff-raff who rattle round as voters
some of EN- banal and some of EN- vulgar, but
all Of EN- hayseeds and crackers"
THAT seems hard on our southern people,
the reporter observed.
"The southern people" exclaimed the old
confederate. They are a race of degenerates.
| know them not passed the better part OF
my life fighting southern battles. The south
came out Of an unequal war into which the
widest folly had preciptated it, picked bird.
Reconstruction menaced it with political extnc-
ton.
"The southern extremist of secession van
pushed, impoverished, ruined, was met by the
northern extremist of radcalism, impervious
savage of temper and malignant of countenance,
proposing to yield his beaten adversary two
rights, and two rights only, the right to be
hanged and the right to be damned. Enlight-
ened conservatism and patriotic devotion to re-
publican ideals rescued him from the beacon
strictor of sectionalism. Once more he became
a free man. Then what happened? AS soon as
he got on his feet, or thought he was on his feet,
he plunged successfully into greenbackism and
free sverism, and was licked to FRAGILE in
both, as he deserved to be. He is now plung-
ing into prohibition. Such an animal deserves
not his freedom, because he neither values it,
nor it fit for it."
But" interjected the reporter is not the
president coming to the rescue of the better
classes of the people and will he not save the
country from what you, Mr.. Watterson, have
anceY
do you happen to recall" said Watterson,
what happened to the frogs who took Jupiter
for their king? Mr.. Wilson is very able and
very astute person He hasn't taught school for
nothing He hasn't aread history for nothing
He has a mighty comfortable berth in the
White House; he likes it; he is of no mind to
move, and, like the wise old rat upon his hunk
of cheese, he delivers beautiful lectures upon
the glory Of life and living the virtue of sweet
ness and light
Il do not relish the idea of breaking in upon
his beatitude or calling time upon his inten
tions, or in any wise of criticisng his exata-
ton, though, whilst copy-book maxims seem to
be going and have weight with him, cannot re-
sist reminding him that exploitation may be car
ried too far. That pride sometimes rides for a
fall, and that his passion for breaking precedents
is dangerous indulgence"
Can you mean his foreign Journey which
has aroused such enthusiasm in England, France
and Italy, and brought kings and queens, as well
as people and governments, to his feet?
81 am an old-fashioned democrat and take
precious little stock in royalties of any sort.
When George III reminded John Adams that,
being an Englishman born. he ought to love
England the sturdy old patriot sententiously re-
Piled: Sire, love no country except my own
| do not like to have the president of the United
States quite so persona grata to the great ones
of Europe. | do not like the hobnobbing with
crowns and scepters, stars and garters, or as
the saying used TO be, ripping with old Eurip-
ides and canting with old Cantharides'
1.-TWO pictures have just reached me from
the other side which will make excellent cam
paign material for the republicans One OF
these represents Mr.. and Mrs. Wilson standing,
/ will not say Sinking, with King George and
Queen Mary before the camera. The other de-
picts Mr.. and Mrs Wilson driving proudly
down the Corso in Rome with King Victor
Emmanuel and Queen Helena For one, don't
like it. 1t offends not only my plain American
sense of republican simplicity, but what may
call sense of national proprety. There can
be no such thing as equality between a citizen
and sovereign. and now that the president
begins to think, feel and act like sovereign, he
is out of character and out of place in these
vainglorious explorations He has shown HIM
self at times man Of very unequal, even of in
firm judgment. With such handicap to carry,
along with the third-term issue, | do not be-
lieye that if he agrees to offer himself in 1920.
he will carry state outside the bolshevik prov
inces of the south"
Suppose you are mistaken, and he runs and
is clected"
"In that event. goodby to the republicanism
of Washington, Jackson and Lincoln, and all
hail the autocracies Of Bolivar, Rosas and Diaz.
North American is next door to South America,
you know. But if he runs again. he will not be
elected. The republicans will have an easy
thing an easier thing than they had last year.
But, we shall see what we shall see"
AN