The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-04-24
By

Copyright, 1917, Irving Bache!Ier)

Inc senator mao Salu 10 me one uaJ,
with q gentle smile:
Bart, you have business In Canton,
I believe, with which trifIng matters
like the choice Of a president and the
Mexican question cannot be permitted
to interfere. You must take time to
spend a day or two at the convention
In Baltimore on your way. . lie
port to our friend Fine, who Will look
after your comfort there. The expert
ence ought to be useful to a young man
who, / hope, will have work to do in
future conventions"
j took the stage to Baltimore next
day-the twenty-sixth of May. The
convention thrilled me-the flags, the
great crowd, the bands, the songs. the
speeches, the cheering-I see and hear
IL all In my talk. The uproar lasted
for twenty minutes when Van Buren's
name was put In nomination.
Then the u~ndercurrent! The South
was against him as Wright had fore
seen. The deep current OF It's power
had undermined certain Of the north
ern and western delegations. Osten-
slbly for Van Buren, and stubbornly
casting their ballots for him, they had
voted for the two-thirds rule, which
had accomplished his defeat before the
balloting began. 1t continued for two
days without a choice. The enemy
stood firm. After adjournment that
evening many Of the Van Buren, dele
gates were summoned to q conference.
i attended 1t with Judge Fine.
The ex-president had withdrawn and
requested his friends In the cOnven-
ton to vote for Silas Wright. My emo
tions can be more readily imagined
than described when / heard the
shouts Of enthusiasm which greeted
my friends name. Tears began to roll
down my cheeks. Judge Fine lifted
his hand. When order was at last re-
stored he began:
Gentlemen, as q friend Of the
learned senator and as a resident of
the county which Is the proud pos
SCISSOR of his home, your enthusiasm
has a welcome sound to me; but l hap
pen to know that Senator Wright win
not allow his name to go before the
convention"
He read the letter of which / knew.
Mr.. Benjamin f. Butler then said:
"When that letter was written Sena-
tor Wright was not aware that Mr..
Van Buren's nomination could not be
accomplished. nor was he aware that
bis own nomination would be the al
most unanimous wish Of this conven-
ton. / have talked with the leading
delegates from Missouri and Virginia
today. They say that he can be nomi-
mated by reclamation. Is It possible
that he-a strong party man-can re-
stst this unanimous call of the party
with whose help he has won immortal
fame? No, It Ia not SO. 1t cannot he
so. We must dispatch a messenger to
him by horse at Gnce who shall take
to him from his friend Judge Fine q
frank statement Of the imperious de-
mand of this convention and a request
that he telegraph a withdrawal Of his
letter In the morning"
4hS cuSSCotiOn W0S uudIlIuOuSIY hid
proved and within an hour, mounted
or one of the best horses In Maryland
so his groom informed mel was on
my way to Washington with the mes.
sage OF Judge Fine in my pocket. Yes,
l had two days to spare on my sched.
ule OF travel and reckoned that, by re.
turning to Baltimore next day l should
reach Canton in good time.
IT was the kind of thing that only q
1.-the, supple, strong-hearted lad such
as ! was In the days of my youth
could relish-speeding over a darl
road by the light of the stars and 9
half-moon, with a horse that loved te
kick up a wind. My brain was In 9
fever, for the notion had come to n.
that was making history.
The lure Of fame and high place hur
ried me on. With the senator In tn,
presidential chair / should be wei
started in the highway of great sue
cess. Then Mr.. H. Dunkelberg Nigh
think me better than the ,egacy O
Benjamin Grimshaw. A relay awaite,
me t~wenty-three miles down the road
Well, I reached Washington YER
sore, but otherwise In good form, 500,
after daybreak. l was trembling wit
excitement when I put my horse In tn
stable and rang the bell at our door. ]
seemed to me that l was crossing tn
divide between big and little things. !
few steps more and ] should be look
Ing down into the great valley Of tn
future. Yet. now that l was there,
began to lose confidence.
The butler opened the door.
Yes, the senator was up and ha
Just returned from q walk and was 4
his study. / found him there.
well, Bart, how does this happena
he asked.
tits important business" I said, q
I presented the letter.
Something In his look and manne
as be calmly adjusted his glasses an
read the letter Of Judge Fine brough
the blood to my face. It seemed I
puncture nay balloon. 20 70 speak. an
/ wis falling toward the earth and