The Colorado statesman., 1924-02-16

tions to accept the gift of the conven-
ton.
It is only in passing, hut let It be
said that there are two Horatio Sey-
mours living today. The Democratic
candidate of 1868 had neither sons nor
daughters, but he had nephew, Ho-
ratio, the second, who died some years
ago leaving son Horatlo, who also
has n son, another Horatlo. The pres
ent Horatio Seymour Is an engineer
living in Santa Monica, Cal.
If all the dire things had happened
to this republic that politicians just
before national conventions predicted
would happen to 1t If n man not of
their choice were elected president,
there would not be shred of liberty
left in this land. The people, how
ever seem to be satisfied that in con-
siderable measure they have the same
kind of freedom that was the joyful
possession Of their forefathers, and
therefore, If one may be allowed to
give opinion, some liberty Is pretty
sure to remain in the United States,
whatever may happen in Cleveland
and in New York in the month of
roses this year.
Prior to the Republican conventions
of 1872 and 1912 the ghost of Caesar
ism walked abroad in America. In
speech at the Democratic convention
at Baltimore in 1872, August Belmont
saw the ghost striding through the con-
ventlOn hall.
Dire Forecasts of Other Years.
In his speech Mr.. Belmont said that
Grant, aided by a corrupt congress,
congress from which all love of liberty
had departed, was assuming all the
functions of government of whatever
kind, and that the bayOnets of mil
itary despotlsm already were flashing
in the sun. The New Yorker declared
that "Caesarism and Capitalization are
undermining the foundations of our
federal system and sweeping away all
constitutional bulwarks"
In 1912 when Roosevelt entered the
campaign for the nomination against
Taft the ghost of Caesarism walked
again, or at least so the Democrats
and many Republicans made declara-
tion. The republic, however, still
lives. The country always goes to the
devil in thousand different ways just
before the delegates to the great ma
tlonal convention start toward the
meeting halls.
In the aftermath gossip of the meet
ings of the Democratic national COM
mittee. there is to be found little to
suggest that New York became the
choice as the convention city because
of a desire to check the ambitions of
William G.. McAdoo. Many of Mr..
McAdoo's friends voted for New York
feeling, they said, that their chief had
Il start on the road to victory and
that even the Alfred L. Smith enthusi-
asm of the metropolis could. not make
for the favOrite's defeat.
In 1862 the Democratic convention
was held in Chicago in what was called
the Wigwam. The roof of the Wig
wan leaked The smallest hole in it
was the skylight. There was a real
wet and dry Issue before the Dem
ocrats in that convention. All the
delegates carried umbrellas to the hall,
and good many of them were COM
PEELED to use them, for the heavens re-
mained open for four days and poured
their contents on the more or less de-
voted heads below.
Abuse of the Day Soon Forgotten.
The New York delegation one year,
with the sole exception of one man,
was for the nomination Of David Ben
nett Hill. The New Workers said
things about Grover Cleveland, citi-
zen of their state, which made some OF
the delegates from other places think
that the last word had been used in
denunciation. However, although New
York was strongly opposed to the nOm-
ination of Cleveland, he carried off
the prize.
Whoever it is that shall win the
prize in New York probably may rest
assured that the delegates will forget
all the bad things they may have
said against him in the convention
hall After Cleveland had been called
everything just this side of things
constituting criminal libel, 1.-The New
York Democrats went home and said
1t was all in the game, but we want
ed Hill" The party men from Good
Ground, L. l., to Buffalo on the Lake,
Tammanyites and all, worked for the
election of Cleveland and elected him.
When you hear anything about a
candidate in national convention from
delegate who opposes that candi-
dates nomination, do rot believe it.
Generally speaking, after the conven-
tion the delegate himself will tell you
that the heat of controversy made him
Il first-cass liar.