The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-12-04
POLITICS AND VANDALISM.

To the Editor of the Eagle.
The turmoil, the vic:ssitudes, the vagaries
and incidents of a great quadrennial cam
paign are things Of the past They no long
er perturb and confuse the common mind
They have passed into the pages of his
tory, to be analysed, criticised and inter
preted By future generations
The character, the impulse and incentives
of our political status people and
sovereign power viii be weighed and meas
tired by advanced standards of moral
equity. an impartial construction made Of
our moral. social asd political environ
ment.
Already since the conflict OF political an
tagonists has ceased and The frenzied ex-
element OF partisan feeling partially passed
away. a multitude of piquant csnsors have
arrayed themselves in exploiting the
achievements of the yictors. and OF sarcas-
tic inveetive against the wrek and motives
of the vanuisheti. Already il is being truHs-
peted everywhere throughout the land by
political zealots that the financial peacy OF
the government has been indicated VITA
such emphasis that IL will never again be
tongued, visionary prattlers seem to forget
that vital principles never de; that the
principles which concern not only the we'll
being of individuals but the great multi
tude of all classes as well, and the integrity
anG perpetuity of our nation They seem
TO forget that free and Independent peo-
pie are averse and hostile 10 arbitrary
measures that infringe upon and cireun-
scribe their rights TO the advantage of
select few. They seem 10 forset that our
modern civilization and higher education OF
the people will not be trammeled nor con-
travened by political jugglers and satraps
of any party or clique. They seem TO for
get that the common people, the yeomanry
who constitute the bulwark and safety OF
our country, have large fund of good,
common sense: that they are capable OF de-
tecting truth from sophistry, and of dis
corning the signs of the times. The
euphenistic name of "a campaign Of edu-
ca ton" goes for nothing with the people.
They are themselves students In the train
ing school of experience, of political econo-
my, of social problems, and visilant senti-
nels in guarding their i;neal power of en-
franchisement. No conservative. level-head
ed voter would yield to the seductive squibs
of rhetoric. AL the hue and cry and uproar
of campaign education INDUCED by political
pedagogues in ong harangues might as well
be blown out in empty air at home in back
alleys. There is another thing Of doubtful
propriety too often INDUCED in TO excess in
our national campaigns; Impulse ard en-
thusiasm are sterling qualities when gov
erned by a sense OF delicate refinement
But the hurrah and fantasy in politics
seems TO brook all restraint of etiquette and
men Yield to the allurements of rudeness
when under the irrational influence OF hilar-
ious enthusiasm. 1t is one of the enigmas
of human nature, more manifest under our
exorbitant freedom. licensed by our liberal
form of government, rather than that OF So
ial training. Mr.. MoKin,ey's home in Can
ton plainly shows the marks'of unbridled
political vandalism. The ornamental fenc-
ing and every available thing that vandai
hands can rip off have been carried away
as foolish souvenirs TO all parts of the coun-
try. Even the dirt in the lawn was scooped
up and taken away. presumably to NIL flow
er-pots IN which to set ONE choice plants
for parlor windows. Undoubtedly the major
and his invalid wife gave a sigh of relief
when the last delegation turned their backs
to modest no more.
During Harrison's first campaign every
| thing about thei home was looted and ruin
ed to such an extent that Mrs. Harrison IN
ocular way made the remark that II was
either the White House or the poor house.
Enthusiasm is contagious. and contagion.
either physical or mental, always was dele
terious. The spoliation of the private prop
erty of national candidate for the highest
Office within the gift of the people IS spe-
cies of vandalism that should be every
where rebuked. Now since the White House
is not obscured by an iridescent dream,
Mckinley can with complacency afford TO
endure the ravages of a silly host of obse-
ouious vandals. D. ". BROCKWAY.