The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1896-08-07

From our regular Correspon

Republicans generally regard tn
proposition of the gold democrats
that the republicans drop the tariff a
an issue, as bait to secure the vote
of the gold democrats for McKinle,
and Hobart, as about the most as.
founding exhibition of political gal
ever witnessed in this country. The
cornerstone of the republican party i,
its belief in protective tariff, and a,
soon as it has the power 1T will put
that belief into practice again, witt
every confidence that it will restore
the prosperity of the country to what
it was under wise republican govern
ment in the past. 1t is perfectly true
as claimed by the gold democrats, that
sound currency has become one OF
the main issues of this campaign, but
it was democratic tariff-tinkering and
the general incapacity of these same
gold democrats, in the persons of Mr..
Cleveland and his administration
which made it an issue. Believing
this, and that a protective tariff will
bring back prosperous times and re-
move the causes which have nade the
question of a sound currency come to
the front, the republicans could not
for moment even consider such a
proposition as the abandonment of the
advocacy of a protective tariff. If
gold democrats wish to support Nc
Kinley and Hobart, on one of the best
platforms ever adopted by National
Convention. well and good; but if
they do not, also well and good. The
republicans can win without their
votes, and have no inducements of
any kind to offer them. The only ad-
vantage to be had from their votes
will be to acd to the republican major
ity and consequently to the force of
the rebuke which the country will
give to the men who dared to make a
presidential campaign on such a plat
form as that adopted at Chicago and
prac :ically readopted by the populist
convention.
According to Mr.. James Mcdowell,
a member of the Republican State
Central Committee, of S. OAK, and
representative Picker, of the same
state, both of whom are now in Wash
ington, the boiling of Senator Petit
grew is not indorsed by sufficient
number of republicans to put the state
in the doubtful column. The Con-
gressional committee has received
quite number of letters from demo-
Gratis announcing their intention to
vote for Mckinley and Hobart. The
following from Virginia farmer is a
fair sample: 81 have always been a
moss-back democrat, but I can't stand
free silver, populism and anarchy all
at one dose, and I believe that McKin-
ley is our only hope for good times
again. / was fool enough to advocate
free trade, but have come to the con-
clusion that if the farmer is to get
good prices there must be mouths to
fill; and without money to buy with,
the mouths must go empty, while
plenty of work alone will give it"
Senator Proctor, of VT, paid a fly
ing visit to Washington in connection
with National Committee business.
As it would have been an obvious
waste of words to have asked him how
things political were in his cwn state,
which has never since the republican
arty organized voted any other way,
he was asked what he thought of the
general outlook. He replied in an
aggravated Yankee drawl which he
uses upon occasion: "Well, / don't
believe that the American people are
entirely crazy yet, so l feel pretty safe
as to results" =
There is rumor in Washington
that somebody has got in ahead of the
Bryan managers and engaged Madison
Square Garden in New York City, in
order to prevent the holding of the
Bryan notification meeting there next
month. The rumor may or may not
be true, but it Can be set down as GER
tain, If it be true, that no republican
money is being put up for any such
foolish purpose. The republicans
would not care if Mr.. Bryan made q
speech in New York city every night
between now and election day, because
they know that nothing he can say
there or elsewhere viii prevent The
election of Mckinley and Hobart.
It will be long time before ths
country has such another exhibition
of political freaks as the populist con
yention was. The disgust aroused b,
reading the proceedings Of that con
yention win, of itself make thousand
of republican votes among intelligen