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Show ESOP, A PROPHET. Surely that wise old story toller of 'the oast could not hotter have doscribod political conditions condi-tions in tho Democratic camp of Utah if he had waited till this year of grace to publish his fable of tho frogs that wanted a king. Not that my friends, tho Democrats, are frogs, or lhat thoy have askod for a king. The fable is far too subtle for a literal application. But for years and years tho strongest accusation made against Republican rulo in (his stale has ho the oxistonco of tho alleged "Federal Bun ' I think my other old friend A. N. McKay, now 1 H piloting the Tribune in pleasant waters, is father of tho term. But it stuck, and when a Democrat fH failed to convert a Republican by the use of logic fH and argument and facts and figures and splendid VH rhotorio, and observed the Republican victim of "'H his efforts grow stronger with eacn succeeding H season-, ho would point .to tho Fodoral Bunch H and the argument was ended. B When a Democratic worker has formed a H Jacksonian weak in tho faith, inclined to admit ' jH that tho state was doing pretty well under Re- 'H publican rule, and that tho nation wasn't exactly 1 going to the dogs under tho guidance of the H Grand Old Party, tho worker had only to monlion tM "Federal Bunch!" and the vaeilating Jacksonian H camo squarely back into tho ranks, and resolutely jH stoyed there. When a Democrat wantod one morn jH vole on election day ho hunted up some chilly H Republican not identified with tho controlling H crowd, pointed tho finger of scorn at him, and H said "Federal Bunch 1" in a tone of hissing and of H scorn. And tho chilly Republican always warmed H up and cast his voto against the party candidates. H The Democrats didn't like the condition any H moro than the frogs of tho fable liked theirs. H So thoy prayed for a change, and now that they H have it they aren't a bit happier than thoy were jH before H If they are not careful thoy will koop on and H complete tho parallel and got oaten up by some H final Stork summoned to rulo over them. H Of course old 'Quil Nobokcr ought bo bo H United Stales Marshal for Utah. Not that he real- H ly needs tho place, but just to prosorvo tho H verities. There was a day when 'Quil Nebeker H was absolutely and in his own person tho Demo- H cratic party of tho state. Indood, ho was more. H Ho was the Groat Slalo of Utah. Ho hold in his H hands tho power to make a United States senator D at a time when tho legislature fooled away its H opportunity and Nobekor named a Democrat. H That is one of the big stories of politics as she is HI played. H You soo, tho Domocrates of Utah were in fl power, and thoy quarrelled as usual. Tho logis- HH lnlors, charged with tho duty and the privilege- H of olocting a United Stall's senator, quarrellod BPW most of all. Some wanted lo send Mr. McCunc BH In Washington. Some wanted to s -nd Judge Wil- jK liam II. King who was making a right putd romi-d H in the lower house of congress, by the way; and H some were for Judge 0. W. Powers m many M ways the best candidate. M Well, hoy ballot! od along and fusMd aloner M till tho constitutional referee rang the bell, and jH B t Ihe legislature adjourned leaving Utah with a B vacancy in the United Statos sonato, for all the B , world as if this state didn't prizo the privileges it B had won. Really, it was a sort of reflection on B, tho great sisterhood of slatos. Hero was Utah, B. long clamoring for full inomhorship in tho na- Bl lional family, and horo was her legislature un- B ablo to agrco on two man to sit in the senate. Bj 'Quilla Nobokor was president or tho sonato Bl at tho timo, and ho had his views, good, and BE strong. That is one thing about him. II o doesn't B know Old Man Compromise. Ho wouldn't know B Alexander Ilamillon concession if he mot him in fl ' the middlo of tho road. Ho is tho best friond and B tho stoadiost enemy that ovor woro hair. And ho B wanted Judge Powers. B So, when tho quarrolling brothron camo to B the sixty-day limit and adjourned. Aquilla went B homo to llich County, and devoted himsolf to the Hlj peaceful pursuit of a shoep farmer. And along K; about two months afterward sbmo big ovont came B. up and tolled the Republican' governor and the B Republican secretary of state out ana across tho B statutory limits of tho commonwealth. Whoro- B upon, Aquilla Nobokor, prosidont of ' o senate, H seizod tho powor placed within his loaoh, and H commissioned Judge 0. W. Powers of Salt Lake Hj to bo United Slates Senator from Utah. H And ho had tho Republican party "from B Arisnook to San Diogo, from Key West to Puget H Sound," sitting up and taking t?large monsuro of H notice. In fact, 'Quil Nobokor Startled tho nation. B Some folks called it a joke. Some folks froth- B ud at the mouth and told him ho didn't dare. But B that's where 'Quil is strong. Ho dare do anything. B Ho had lawyers hunting through tho books, and H preparing injunctions, and trying to got up ro- H straining orders that would hold water. It is H likely moro law was road in that week than ovor H before or since. H National committeemen, national chairmen, H national ovorything olso thoynput a whito boat H on tho tolograph wines, and poor little coyolos H were scared to death at the sizzling messages sent H screaming across tho desert, in and out of Utah. H But Aquilla sat tight through it all, and doclarod H ho had filled the vacancy. Nothing could disturb B his composure. H ProspnLly tho govornor roturned. Also, tho 9 secretary of state who is actipg govornor whon Bj the chief executive absents h'imsolf. And then H it was found that Aquilla, will),' all his suddonly- H acquired power, had not put tho great seal of H the state on Judge Powers' commission. Maybe HI the commission wouldn't havo been very good, any H way, owing to the constitutional provision which H strips ovon a governor of tho stale authority to H appoint when the legislature has had a chance H and failed. H And, lillle by little, the excitement subsided. H Republicans crawled out of their storm collars H and solemnly declared they Aren't very much H frightened, any way. Democrats continued to H claim for a lime, and then they too saw the joke Bj the president of tho state senate had played. Bj But when the populace went to find him some H to cuss, some to compliment it was observed that H Aquilla had taken train for home, and was again Bj like "John Brown of Gettysburg" gone to his H bees and his cows." B But it was one big thing in political history, HK and it marks Mr. Nebeker as having the qualities K needed in a United States marshall, or any other B officer charged with tho duties of such an offloe. Much of which is by tho way. Funny that tho frogs couldn't bo happy in their placid pond. Funny thoy had to ask Jupiter la give them a king. Funny that once their prayers was granted, they couldn't havo been content. And it is vory funny, loo, that those Utah Democrats couldn't fill tho fodoral offices in poaco and happiness. But horo thoy go, quarrelling like thoy did whon thoy lost a United States sonator because they couldn't agree. And it provos one thing: You must havo a fodoral bunch, and you are going to havo one. I may abandon tho name Mr. McKay discovered, but tho fact will remain tho same. S6mo ono or two or throe or four mon horo will direct tho p litical affairs of tho stato, will hold tho organization organ-ization togothor somotimos against big difficulties, difficul-ties, too. And you can havo that, with a chance at succoss, or you can all bo captains and got what tho boy shot at. You can back up your fodoral bunch, in or out of office, or you can fight it and got nowhere. And as you got older, and see how much the old Republican fodoral bunch did for its party while taking tho cussing of its party beneficiaries, you will pray your Jupiter, as did the good frogs of tho fable to send you a bunch oxactly liko that ono which now is passing away. |