The herald., 1895-04-04
THURSDAY, APRIL 4. 1905
THE CONTEST is ON


The political campaign which will term
mate year from next November has al
ready commenced, and the country will be
agitated till that time. 1T has been rare
in the history Of the nation that the con-
test was opened at a date so early. Gen
orally it has been postponed till the be-
ginning of the year in which the election
takes place.
The questions to be settled are under
consideration and conditions are SO pc
culiar that leaders are casting about to see
how they can shape party platforms to
satisfy the immense variety OF conflicting
opinions. Tariff and the money question
are prominent among the mooted issues,
and there can hardly be said to be entire
concurrence of views on either OF them
among the masses of any party. The
greatest divergence among the mem bers
OF the two great parties is on the money
question. Democrats and Republicans are
alike divided, though there is larger
adherence to the gold standard among
Republicans than among Democrats.
The dullness of the times has brought
politics thus early into the arena, for the
people are restivs under the prevalent
distress, and cannot refrain from giving
thought to the subject.
The tremendous victory of the Repub-
ticans IN the election of last November
renders them confident of success In the
next. Therefore more activity is dis
played by the aspirants to the presidential
nomination of that party than by aspir-
ants in the Democratic party. The lately
projected silver party is looking about
more to discover its strength than to find
the most acceptable candidate.
The Republican candidates discussed
are Mckinley, Reed, Allison, and Harri
son. rhe first named is now the most
prominent and his friends are most ac-
tive. Reed is supposed to have New Eng
land at his back, Allison Iowa, and Har.
rison Indiana. The dark horse has not
yet made his appearance and will not be
brought out unless the contestants al
ready named are so able to hold their
respective friends that one OF them can
be nominated. Their friends now indulge
in the cry, ''No dark horse" The contest
for the nomination promises to be
spirited.
Mckinley is heavily handicapped by the
tariff act of 1890 which bears his name.
though stme of his friends claim that he
is not responsible for it, as it was the
work OF the committee over which he
presided. He is likely to have as much
trouble however, with the silver question
as he is with the tariff. In fact all Re-
publican candidates will find it difficult to
so straddle these questions as to hy-
monize the party. TO sail between Ale
silver Republicans of the West and South
and the gold Republicans of the East will
be quite as difficult as voyage between
Scylla and Charybdis.
1t may be considered as certain that
Reed will be speaker of the house of rep
resentatives, and in that capacity he will
be held responsible for the policy mapped
out in that body by his party. He will
have the appointment of committees, and
their personnel will indicate his views.
To make the ways and means protective
will be satisfactory TO Rep ublcans gem
orally, but the constitution of the COM
mittee on coinage, weights and measures
so as to satisfy his party will tax his skill
to the utmost. 1t would be better for
him were he the leader of the minority
party in the house. Besides, Reed is
away in the northeast and distant from
the center OF population and political
power.
We regard Allison and Harrison as
barely possible nominees. AS the case
now stands, it is Mckinley against the
field, and the field against Mckinley. The
friends OF the two most conspicuous
candidates are earnest and vigorous, and
the contest promises to be active ard
warm. 1t is too early to predict as to the
outcome.
The confidence of the Republicans as to
success in the election may and probably
will be source of weakness. Under such
circumstances no party acts with the
same foresight and prudence as when re-
suits are doubtful. The friends of candi-
dates press their favorites with more zeal
than discretion. and the dominant ele-
ment in the convention is not apt to give
due thought to declaration of prin-
ciples.
1t Is undeniable that the party harness
now rests more loosely upon men than
under ordinary conditions. Times are
hard, business is dull and ldleness prevails
to an extent never before known in this
country. People rightly think that these
conditions are the results of erroneous
policies, and believe that a change can
make things no worse, but that it will re-
suit in improvement. The contest is on.
and men will continue to think and dis
cuss until the polls are closed.
IRRIGATION VS.. PAIN