The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1896-12-04
THE GENERAL RESULT.
A Triumph Of Principle Rather Than Of
.---l NJ Par .-..-. l-l-.I VIZ

d A Triumph Of Principle Rather Than ol
Party.
The result of the presidential election
need surprise no one. Never, since thu
Chicago convention of unlovely memory
and of Incredible folly, has there been
a reasonable doubt as to what the east
the great financial and commercial
center, containing the bulk of the popu-
ation and the business of the United
States-would do. For weeks past there
| has been little doubt that the rest OF
the country would record like verdict.
The claims of Chairman Jones have been
manifestly based upon an unwarranted
confidence, and unsupported by any
reliable data to entitle them to popular
credence. Upon proposition involv-
ing, or even capable of being supposed
to involve the Reputation of debts, and
raising question as to our national
honor and integrity, the Sound money
sentiment of patriotic Americans has
reused itself and swept on until it
knows no 'enemy's country" in all this
broad, fair land ofours.
This is no narrow partisan triumph.
Maj. Mckinley, in himself far from a
strong and acceptable candidate, has
been carried into Office by landslide,
whose proportions it is, at this hour,
difficult definitely to estimate, and
whose causes, it is to be feared, the sue
cessful candidate himself but slightly
comprehends. He will err if to his own
personality or popularity he attributes
the awful defeat that has overtalsen
the allied forces of populism and free
silverism, and all the other isms in
terwoven in the Chicago platform. He
will err still more signally should he
of the Mckinley system, and commit
his administration to the restoration Of
Chinese wall protection. And yet that
is the rock upon which his administra-
ton is most likely to be split and to
founder and go down in failure.
Most of all will Maj. Mckinley err
should he interpret his astounding ma
jorities as defeat for the eternal
principles of the party founded by
Thomas Jefferson, strengthened by An
drew Jackson, and now temporarily re-
duced to humiliation and undeserved
rebuke by the folly of Chicago.
This is no defeat for true democracy,
or if true democracy must share the de-
feat, her garments are unsoiled by the
disgrace of it. Disgrace comes only of
deserved defeat, and true democracy,
having spurned the suggestion of shame
as a means precedent to undeseryed
success, has no part in the disgrace of
this unhappy hour. All honor to the
New York delegation for the stand they
to the end at Chicago. They
proved that true democracy has no part
with populism. From the false, foul
thing Matched by the abhorrent forces
that usurped control of the Chicago
true democrats turned with
And the event has vindi-
Gated their prophecies that such an al
lance could not win. For every popu-
list and old greenbacker or other repre-.
sentative of allied crankdom that was |
gained by the undemocratic platform
adopted at Chicago, two or three of the
best and truest democrats were es-
And what of the future? Shall de-
mocracy die? Not while the constitu-
ton needs a defender, the reserved
rights of the states champion and adj
vocate. Not when corporate power and
trust" greed are already arraying
themselves behind Mckinley, to de-
nand their pound of flesh in the new
tariff bill. Chastened by defeat, visited
with shame and humiliation as the
price of coquetry with populism and
The abandonment of ancient principles
and a time-honored position as the
champion of Sound money" let democ-
racy not prove like the bourbons of
old, incapable to learn anything or TO
forget anything. Reunion, reorganiza-
ton and new victories await us; long
before the next presidential election the
glorious old party will again be IN
fighting trin-only, there must be
to the rear of all leaders
who have soiled their own honor and
he party's by voluntary cohabitation
with dishonor.-Albany Argus.
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