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AUGUST 'riDU
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The Commoner.
pqiftlcs. " Sorao sad BVyan'was'bniy atechief-:'
maker, but ho was a misehiefniaker only wlien
the wrong people woro trying to guide the
party."
One of the striking things about this cam
paign is the spectacle of men like Mr. Osborne
awakening to warm admiration at a time when
so many of Mr. Bryan's friendB of 189G, earnest
ly' enlisted in behalf of Champ Clark, could view
him only as an egotist and "marplot." The
right perspective must como to thoBQ immediate
actors, if it has not already done so. Even the
democrats of -Missouri are- applauding Ttfr.
Bryan.
7
A UNIQUE CAMPAIGN TREASURE
Editorial in Brooklyn Citizen: The Hon.
Herman Ridder, treasurer of the democratic
national committee has been subpoenaed as a
witness before the senate investigating com
'raittee to tell what he knows of the financial
side of the campaign of 1908. -Immediately on
receipt of the summons Mr. Ridder sent the
following note-to Governor Wilson:
"Governor Woodrow Wilson, Seagirt, N. J.:
The senate committee has telegraphed me to
appear- tomorrow (Saturday) morning with the
books as treasurer of the democratic national
committee covering the campaign- of 1908.- I
will present an itemized detailed account, giving
date, .name, address and amount of all contribu
tions received, and also a similar itemized account-of
all expenditures. I will be able to. state
fr,om whom I received every dollar and what1 1
have done with it. I have preserved all my
books and records, my memory is good and my
health is excellent. . . HERMAN RIDDER."
1 -Those who. , have followed the testimony of
Cbrtelybu,' Hitch'coclc, Sneehan, and others
directly interested in the national campaigns
of 1904 and i908 will -appreciate the note of
irony in Mr. Ridder's letter. Here is a man who
says his memory is good, his health excellent,
and 'who did not find it necessary to destroy the
books. ' All -of which' goes ,to show 'that polity
eal anipaignBcan 'be conducfe.d,wltnou Involve
ing questionable r; transactions that wouVd -not
lodK Well Vriftor Hue gm.'re'.bf publicity. "Mr. Rid-:
der woUld 'riot be' "a t party to anything that
saVoVed of a betrayal of .public, interests. ' ' .
Nevertheless, conditions, the experience' of
the1 past," and the frailty of human nature, all
combine to urge upon the congress tho need of
subjecting national party conventions and na
tional campaign committees to federal regula
tion kand supervision. We have seen in Chicago
to .what-extremes arbitrary and irresponsible
power will go under stress of necessity. The
debauchraent of voters by money contributed to
national campaign committees has been a stand
ing practice in American politics in both parties.
The public conscience no longer tolerates Buch
things, arid the practitioners are rapidly being
driven out of public life. Even the republican
county committee of Chicago has found it ex
pedient to drop Lorimer from its rolls.
And this word "expedient" is precisely the
reason why dependence in such matters can not
be placed on voluntary party organizations or
committees. Many things are done by the poli
ticians for expediency's sake that they would
not do if they believed, the public would stand
for it. Fifty years ago Fernando Wood saw the
necessity of "pandering to the moral sense of
the community," but nevertheless the regime of
Tweed followed closely on that of Wood. Only
by stringent laws will it be possible to purify
our elections and conventions. There is a largo
hody of the electorate willing to be debauched
and a considerable number of professional poli
ticians ready to purchase what they have for
sale. And some of these bribe-givers dress in
frock coats and silk hats and wear Van Dyke
beards.
In view of the fact that Mr. Roosevelt is de
termined to keep after the White House job wo
would advise the gentlemen who operate the
linotype machines to attach a treadle to the
key dropping the cap "I" mats and work it with
their feet. This would save valuable time for
the operation of othor keys.
"Party lines are disappearing!" shout numer
ous exchanges. But Is this true? Is it not a
fact that party lines are becoming more distinct
js the people learn how to better distinguish
between tha Hals and the true?
The Most Flagrant Exhibition of Bossism
James Morgan in Boston Globe: Tho extra
ordinary figure which Mr. Bryan has cut in tho
convention fills tho eye hero and exhorts the
admiration even of those who hate him. Surely
there never was another instance of tho kind
in a national convention.
Here is a man who really has no considerable
personal following among the delegates. On a
secret ballot he could not be eloctod a door
keeper of .a convention hall, yet ho- has tho
convention frightened out of its wits.
Those who believed he was coming hero to
capture the convention for hiirisolf expected to'
see him beguiling the delegates with his smilo'
and his oratory. But from his first appoaranco
before tho convention 10 minutes after Cardi
nal Gibbons had concluded his opening prayer,
he has worn to all "a damned, disinheriting
countenance."
Not a smile, except a smile of satisfaction as
ho viewed the angry turmoil ho had created
when ho announced from the rostrum that no
man with the voto of New York could havo his
vote has he vouchsafed the assembled represen
tatives of the democratic party. Not a fight of
eloquence has ho essayed.
An imperious scorn has marked his expression
on every occasion- Gracious and laughing with
all at the republican convention in Chicago, he
strides across the platform to tho speaker's
stand hero without a shake of the hand or oven
a glance for the leaders filled with panic at his
approach. Dictatorial and threatening in his
attitude toward all.
Before he came to Baltimore he had forbid
den the consideration of tho candidacies of Har
mon and Underwood, and here he has drawn a
black line through Clark's name. He wpuld just
as readily turn on Wilson and might oven verify.,
the rumor that he entertained the thought of
i
doraandjng the adjournment of tho convention
and tho submission of tho soloctlon of a candi
date to. a nation-wide primary.
It Is tho most flagrant exhibition of bosslsm
Imaginable, but his despotism is relieved by tho
fact that his power comes only from public
opinion and not from private intrigue. He never
had A reward to glvo or to promise, and if tho
convention did prosont him with tho opportunity
to bring public censuro upon it, he could bo
laughed out of tho hall. But tho Parkor can
didacy and tho Clark alliance with Now York
wero free gifts to Mr. Bryan and ho simply ac
cepted them.
Bryan needs only to stamp lilo foot and people
rise up all ovor the country and make the tele
graph wircB hot with their protests to their dele
gates. These protesting porsons look upon him
as tho great tribuno of the peoplo and tho
scourge of tho money changers in the temple of
domocracy.
But the delegates who sit under his stormy
frpwn bco in him a terrorist of '1)3, ready to
toss them into the tumbrel on the slightest dis
pleasure. And he has made cowards of thorn
all. New York can only sit In dumfoundod
silence while he excommunicates her, whilo ho
imposes a boycott on hor nlnoty votes. She has
no one to answer him, for unfortunately Mr.
Murphy has not encouraged orators and tho de
velopment of oratory.
If Tammany had a Cockran it might be dif
ferent. But tho only, map among tho ninety
who could speak .with any appeal to public
opinion Is Senator O'Gorman, and ho is a pro
gressive himself. So New York does not answer,
and the only replies to Mr, Bryan como from
tho screaming throats of a few excited dele
gates scattered hero and there in tho hall.
James Morgan's Baltimore correspondence in
tho Boston Globe.,, ,,
' THE" OLD GAMES OF CIIIUDHOOD
Kansas City Star: Do you remember that old
play of your childhood (lays, "King William?"
Of course you do, because you have played It,
oh, so ihany, many times.. But can 'you recall
tho song that was dung as you attempted blush
Ingly to "go chooso your east, go choose your
west?" You can? Well just try it before you
read further.
Two dozen persons were asked to recall tho
lines of the old song recently Some of them
were' young persons, too, not many years' out
of high school, and some were older; so old;
indeed,' that they refused to state how 'long it
had been since they played "King William. '
But none of them was sure of the lines. None
quoted them correctly. And hardly any two
agreed as to what the old song really said. Thtji
nearest approach to an agreement was oV U
version something like this: l
u
"King William was King James's son, .
- And from the royal race he sprung.
He wore a star upon his breast,
Which pointed to the east and west.
Go choose your east, go choose your west.
Go choose the one that you love best;
If he's not here to take your part,
Go choose another with all your heart.
Down on this carpet you' must kneel.
As sure as the grass grows in the field,
Salute your bride and kiss her sweet,
Ariso and stand upon your feet."
Is that the way you remember it? If it ,is,
you are wrong. The play came from England,
of course, where practically all the old games
of your childhood came from. It appears that
it has been changed to suit the convenience of
the tune adopted for it in the different Com
munities of America, so that the various verses
of tho words in this country come as a result
of local application.
But you thought, certainly, that King Wil
liam was King James's son. Not because you
learned that from history, of course, but you
thought that was what the song said.
Wrong again. The English children never
sang it that way And there was nothing In, .It
about a star upon his breast "pointing east and
pointing west." Hero are the words of the old
song which wero sung for the play of; "King
William," which was known, by the wa', as
"Kiss in tho Ring."
"King William was King David's son,
And all the royal race is run;
'"Choose" from th'e erfst, chooso front' the west, "
Choo8e'the"oripyou lovo the best. '
"Dowrif,on this carpet 4you shall, knool
J While, the' grass grows In yonder field;
Salute ydur brido and kiss her sweot.
Rise again dpon your feet."
In Ireland, whore not even the children were
allowod to agree in their play with anything
that was English, the song declared that "King
William was King George's son," with a num
ber of variations, 'among tho others being that
''He'.woro.a staitmpoi his breast," but declaring
that. King! , William hailed "From tho Bay of
Biscay '04(iwhidh was obviously a geographical
error. ,' But evenr Ireland invited Its young
folks to ' - .
"Go 'choose you east, go choose you west,
j' G o choose tho !rie that you love best.
And. the remainder of the Irish- play was tho
samo as tho English.
From tho samo source also comes London
BriUgo',' and "Ringa-Ring the Roses," and
"Oats and Beans and Barley." But in none of
them have the words been materially changed.
Centuries ago tho children of England sang:
"Oats and beans and barley grow
Oats and beans and barley grow
Do 'ydtr'or I or anyone know
How oats and beans and barley grow?
First tho farmer sows his seed, '
Then he stands and takes his ease,
Stamps his foot and' claps his hands,
Then turns round to view tho land.
Waiting for a partner, waiting for a partner
Open the ring and take one in."
And after tho ring had been opened for the
admission of tho "farmer's" partner, all joined
hands again and gave tho young couple this
tuneful advice: n
. -
1
- wow yuu ire jujuxica you must ooey.
,.; You must bo trut to all you say, .
; Youmust be kindou must bo good,'
. , Andi help your wife to chop tho wood."
Which is about tho way the children of today
play "Oats and Bean's and Barley."
' But not" being "up" In the matter of kfngs,
'ybung America will persist, perhaps, trt Insist
ing ttintKrag William was King James' son,"
and that is nothing like as far from the truth,
by tho way, as to make believe that "King Wil
liam was King David's son."
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