Arizona weekly citizen., 1896-06-06
ILLUSION DISPELLED.

I
Louis seems now to be accepted as al
most certainty by pretty much every.
body, friends and opponents alike. with
the exception OF Mr.. Platt, who still in
sists that it is an impossibility. The
last ditch of the rapidly disappearing op-
position appears to be 6 lingering hope
that there will be at least one ballot,
and be will not be nominated by ACCLAIM
alton. This state of things is not at all
in accord with the plans and expecta-
tions OF several prominent persons, who
undertook several months ago to relieve
the repu blicsn voters Of the bother and
worry of selecting a candidate. An illu-
sion has been dispelled. This year the
republican voters are naming the can
didates themselves. And IT ought also to
be said that the influential leaders who
supposed at first that they could go
right along and make the nomination
without reckoning with the mass ofvot-
efs have, with few exceptions, discover
ed their mistake, and are now quite re-
conciIed to the situation.
1t being pretty much settled that the
voters were determined on having their
own way, and that Mckinley wss their
choice, another illusion began to take
the place OF the one that political lead
ers and not the voters were omnipotent,
and that was that it was the bounden
duty of the leading candidate-and a
duty he could not escape without laying
himself open to the charge OF being
cowardly, double,desling, ignorant and,
in general, low-down, tricky politician
to answer IN detail all the questions
that might be flung at him by seventy
millions of people IS to his views upon
all the subjects under discussion in the
civilized world. beginning with the Mo-
sale cosmogoDy and coming down tc
coinage. In short, it was that the can
didate, or prospective candidate.
should make his own platform, and
make it several miles long. Nc
Kinley saye be will stand on his
psrty's platform. That is all that he
could be asked to say. and Rll that he
has any right to say. In the republic
an party, the party is greater than any
individual, whether his name be McKin-
ley, Reed or Allison. II is the duty of
the nan who accepts the nomination Of
the party for president to accept it on |
the party platform with the determine
tion to stand by the platform or else to
decline to be a candidate. No other |
course is left open to an honorable man. |
For Mckinley to express bis views on |
any OF the political issues of the day |
until the party has announced bis |
political creed would be poor taste.
In this connection the following state
meDt Of Mr.. Hanna, MoKinley's man
sger. to q newspaper correspondent, is !
of interest and timely. Said Mr. Hanna:
"They are trying to involve him Mo
Kipleyl in controversy, bat they can't
do it. 1t is not customary for presiden-
tisl candidates to declare themselves
upon pending questions until they write
their letter of acceptance, and Major
Mckinley is willing to be judges. by his
past. At the beginning OF our campaign
we adopted set of rules which have
been strictly adhered to. One was to
make no unkipd remarks or unfaVorable
reflection upon our opponents. Another
was TO make no promises to our oppoD-
ents. Another was to make nc promises
10 our friends and supporters. A third
was to be frank and open with every
body. A fourth was for Mckinley TO be
absolutely silent on all matters that
concern the presidency, and let his
friends do the talking. He has observed
the rule conscientiously, and will con-
tinue to DO 80.
"But can tell you in few words all
that is necessary for the public to
know" added Mr.. Hanna. major
Mckinley will abide by the st. LOUIS
platform"
The republican party is party OF
common -sense. 1t will commit sthe
of the presidential cam
paign to the friends, and not the
snemies, of its candidate.