CONCERNING THE BIG STATE CONVENTIONS
Ever hear about the results of the con
junction of a fool, a match and a pow
der magazine? Well, there was a plenty
of gunpowder at Fremont ; and there was
no particular lack of fools or of matches.
Hut, fortunately, at no time were the
three permitted to get together. As a re
sult, what promised at one time to be a
suicidal fight in democratic ranks proved
to be about as mild as a Quaker experience
meeting. The men who went to Fremont
breathing threatenings and slaughter
against Bryan were quite easily con
vinced that they could get a fight in a
minute if fight there must be. There was
no fight. But the Bryan supporters
out general led the opposition, for while
Bryan's name is not mentioned in the
platform, neither is any other modern
democratic leader, and the things boast
ed of in the platform are clearly so much
due to Bryan's leadership and advocacy
that the platform as a whole is an endorse
ment of Bryan.
From the democratic standpoint, how
ever, the Fremont convention is remark
able for one thing; the one thing that
stands out prominently in democratic
history. For the first time since the
memory of Nebraskans runneth not to
the contrary, the party refused to make a
condemned ass of itself by getting into
a snarl over non-essentials. This is all the
more remarkable for the reason that the
Fremont convention offered more than
the usual number of opportunities for do
ing that sort of thing. But instead of fly
ing at one another's throats as is usual
the democrats acted with unusual wis
dom and actually got together. So far as
surface indications point everything
looked smooth and fine. What matters it
that there was a smoldering fire beneath
the surface? Let 'er smolder !
Mayor Dahlman was there with a
snickersnee ground to a razor edge, and
he had a delegation from Douglas be
hind, each wtih an equally sharp snick
ersnee. But before they could wield
them they were seized, bound and gagged.
It was really humorous to watch con
vention proceedings and see how lamb
like the docile those Douglas delegates
were.
So intent upon "harmony" were the
men in charge that not even mention was
allowed of the Shallenberger administra
tion. For why? Because- any bouquets
for Shallenberger might give his sena
torial candidacy a boost, and thus mili
tate against Thompson, Reed' and other
senatorial aspirants. Wooster, the irre
pressible sage and other condiments
of Silver Creek, tried to get an "indivi
ual expression" from the delegates as
to their presidential choice. Wooster
was sat upon so hard that the vertabrae
in his spine made a series of dents in the
opera house floor.
"Billy" Thompson spoke for half an
hour, and the hardest job he ever tackled,
oratorically speaking, was to talk that
long to a convention of democrats with
out saying a word about Bryan. But he
managed it, although it was really funny
to watch him skating away from the ta
boed name. It wasn't because he was
averse to mentioning Bryan; it was be
cause of the "harmony program." Every
now and then, as Thompson was speak
ing, some one would yell, "Hurrah for
Bryan!" and there would be a big dem
onstration. Then some one would shout
. "Hurah for Harmon !" and there would
be another demonstration. But the im
partial spectator had to decide that the
Bryan shouters either had a majority or
else were the possessors of the greatest
lung capacity.
We are not particularly interested in
the subject of presidential candidates,
but desiring to be equally fair to all as
pirants, declared or perspective, we have
no hesitancy in warning Governor Har
mon that he ought to remonstrate with
some of his friends in Nebraska. The
flooding of Fremont with Harmon pic
tures was not a good political move.'
Quite the contrary, it was calculated to
arouse bitter opposition. It was meant
not so much as a boost for Harmon as a.
slap at Bryan, and Nebraska democrats
are not in a position now, nor were they
ever, to take any slaps at Bryan.
Ordinarily under the primary law a
state convention is a mighty tame affair.
That is what the Fremont convention of
the Nebraska democracy was speaking
solely of the convention from the time it
was called to order until it adjourned.
The fireworks all took place in the pre
liminaries. Speaking in prize ring par
lance, the "fight was fixed" before the
arena was thrown open. But the attend
ance and. the enthusiasm clearly point
to the fact that the democrats of Ne
braska are clothed in their fighting habil
iments and really expect to win.
The republican convention at Lincoln
was really more exciting than the demo
cratic convention at Fremont, even if
the La Follette insurgents did show a
streak of yellow. They were touted as be
ing prepared to make a fight against
even mention of Taft or his administra
tion, but they failed signally to come up
to the scratch. The Taft supporters,
finding themselves with an overwhelming
majority, obligingly made some conces
sions to the "progressives," but they did
it with an air of condescension that must
have made the "progressives" writhe in
impotent wrath. While Taft was not
endorsed for re-election, his administra
tion was endorsed as "wise and states
manlike." The question of reciprocity was
sidetracked altogether, which was an ex
hibition of good sense on the part of the
managers, for that reciprocity question
threatens to make a lot of trouble, not '
only for Taft but for lesser lights in the
g. o. p. ranks.
The populist convention was some
thing of a surprise, for most people
imagined that it would consist of three
or four delegates. The fact is, the "pop"
convention evidenced the fact that the
once powerful party is about to accom
plish a political resurrection. Also, that
the ligament that once tied the "pops"
to the democrats, or vice versa, has been
ruthlessly severed. About the most inter
esting feature of this convention was the
practical shelving of Chairman Manuel.
Efforts have been made to have it ap
pear that lie retired of his own accord,
but the evidences point that something
like a shove was administered.
But, after all, isn't it unusual enough
to be worthy of note that the "pops"
and democrats met in different cities, and
without the old-time farce of "conference
committtee" and such?
O, this fall's campaign is just moment
ous enough to make it decidedly interest
ing. Not because there is anything of
particular moment at stake so far as the
present is concerned, but because of the
bearing it' will have on the big fight due
to be staged in 1912 .
As a non-partisan and wholly unpreju
diced observer of things political, Will
Maupin's Weekly purposes viewing the
fray from the outside and keeping its
readers posted, not overlooking the neces
sity of pointing out the humorous fea
tures of a campaign that the active parti
cipants therein are very apt to take with
wonderful seriousness. Really, we of
Nebraska have been taking our politics
altogether too seriously of late years. It
is a good time right now to cease perspir
ing blood and get some relaxation:
MITCHELL AND THE MINERS.
Given his choice between holding his
working card in the United Mine Workers
of America and his job as a secretary of the
National Civic Federation, John ' Mitchell
decided to keep his working card. His choice
reflects credit upon his heart and his brain,
but compelling Mitchell to make the choice
reflects no credit upon the great organiza
tion he founded and led to splendid success.
John Mitchell, like many another good man
prominent in the labor movement, was made
a sacrifice by the jealous-minded, the
"knockers" and the hold-backs. The union
' he managed with such consumate skill has,
since he quit the job, been torn by strife and
bickering. Will 'Maupin's Weekly is not
wholly in sympathy with the National Civic
Federation, but only, the foolish will deny
that the more Mitchells it has in its ranks
the nearer it will come to carrying out in
' fact the principles which so far have been
mere theories. Mitchell has retired from the
- National Civic Federation, but he is once
more an active member of the United Mine
' Workers of America. This means, if we
.know anything about the labor movement,
that some men now high in authority in that
organization will in due time have to take
Up th$ pick sad shovel.