The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-10-15

W838Iu&t QU,. -. Oss ~
presidential cAmpaisn Of 1873 ID
worth recalling a . proof that We
have returned IN ct least enc way
to pre-war conditions. That Ii, Ne
have returned to the state Of poltti-
cal apathy which seems to Be the
usual state Of the greates~psrt Of
the American public.
In 1919 Mr.. wilson succeeded IN
stirring up . certain AMOUNT Of
popular enthusiasm. Ths people
were led to believe that the Old
game Of pie and piflle had gives
way. to something real. Then IN
1916 the European war gave every
thing tense and interesting char
actef.
But back in 1895 the people visw-
cd the presidential campaign spec
tacle very much - they view + 70
day-that 10, without strong feea-
inx. and with . conviction that the
Differences between the parties and
the candidates are hardly worth
fighting over.
Il II true that Mr.. Bryan came
into the hight - . radical reform
er, but the platform on which he
ran was not really much more
radical than that Of the Repubi-
cans. He whooped - Of old for all
his pet measures, such as initta-
tive and referendum, but no did not
get the response he had previously
won. The people seemed to have
lost interest in these things. Even
Wall street did not seem excited
about Mr.. Bryan. This Is shown by
the fact that it put up very little
money to beat him. The Republic
can campaign fund was'r smaller
than it had been for years, and
smaller than it has ever been since.
In this way the 1908 campaign was
even more apathetic than the pres
emit one. We have Mr.. Cox's word
for it that some people ARE willing
to spend money to beat him, which
is more than Bryan could claim.
But then the 1908 campaign was
launched 1T the end Of q period Of
hard times, while the present one
finds the money-bag stuffed with
war-made profits.
4 Tame Campaign
At any rate, the 1908 campaign
was Just such a carefully staged
and mildly applauded show a. the
present one. The candidates tour
ed and Illuminated and the newspa-
pers printed their fulminAtions
Troops or orators were shunted
about the country in private cars,
a. carefully scheduled and adver-
tised Is musical comedies, and
modest crowds of staunch partisans
turned out at every town to yell At
them. Nobody seemed 1t all sure
that Mr.. Taft was going to win
and nobody outside of political cir
| cles seemed very much to care
One editorial writer described it a.
an EZRA of no feeling" and remark
ed that there was nothing about the
! candidates to inspire any.
Mr.. Taft's chosen role is good
humor and . reassuring snile," he
observed. And the difficulty with
Mr.. Bryan IL that his fireworks
have all been exploded before"
The result showed conclusively
that a reassuring smile ID . better
bet than exploded fireworks. Mr..
Taft got Just about twice Is much
Of the electoral vote rs Mr.. Bryan
did. The Republican press decor.
! ously embalmed and buried the
Democratic party for all time.
One significant thing happened IL
1908. The American Federation Of
Labor under Mr.. Gompers entered
politics. 1t ts>true that it did 30 r.
no avail. Mr.. Gompers promised tt
deliver the labor vote TO Mr.. Bryan
in consideration Of the fact tina
there was an Anh-injunction plant
In the Democratic platform. H,
was about a. successful ~ he nigh
have been in delivering water in ;
sieve. The labor vote spilled GU
Of its organization and ran wher,
it would, the evidence all tendinl
to show that it divided between tn,
two parties much as usual.
Labor Enters Politics.
But there was significance in tn,
fact that organized labor had trie,