Evening star., 1896-08-13
M'KINLEY ON THE STUMP
The Question of Putting Him There Consid-
cred by Prominent Republicans.
What is Said on the Subject by Chair
man BnbcOck and Secrc-
tury Mercer.

The advisability of placing Mr.. McKin-
ley on the stump in defense of republican
principles and finance and the tariff Is be
ing considered with much interest by
prominent republicans here. The sugges-
ton of joint debate between MIR McKin-
ley and Mr.. Bryan is also being talked Of
but the latter idea has few advocates in
republican ranks
Chairman 8abcock of the republican con
gressional committee was asked by Star
reporter toGay if he favored a joint debatc
between the two presidential candidates
but he secuted the idea.
Il do not know" said Mr.. RabcocH
"whether Mr. Mckinley will take the
stump later on or not. Mr.. Bryan's talk
is doing us good right along and is making
republican votes, and l hope he viii ke5p
it up. The more he talks the better for
us. His speeches make good campaigi
documents for US.
On the other hand Representative David
Mercer of Nebraska, secretary OF the re-
publican congressional committee, is en-
thusastic over the proposition that Mr.
Mckinley should go on the stump AMI
force the Tariff to the from: in the middle
western states and on the Pacific coast.
Il have all along" sud Mr.. Mercer to-
day, "hoped that Mr. Mckinley would go
on the stunp. On the Pacific coast the
great and vital question is the tariff. So
far as the money question is concerned W.
have the best of that argument, as all will
readily sec If hey take pains TO inform
themselves. / should ike to Sec Mr.. Nc
kinley make Il tour beginning III Califor-
MIA. working Up the Facitic coast, then
coming east, giving abou, six weeks ct the
end OF the campaign to that work Mr.. Nc
Kinley has IA splendid presence and COM
mands the strCtest attention OF the great
est audiences. His speeches would be vegy
effective
The demonstration over Mr. Bryan in
continued Mr.. Mercer. THE same thing
was experienced with Greeley as the prom
inent figure, and I could name half a
dozen like instances where these wild
demonstrations have been followed by
crushing defeat at the polls.
THE fact is, the American people j
curious people and fond of new things.
They rush to see man out of curiosity,
and crowd draws crowd. Then the
free silver idea strikes the public as ;he
latest thing out and they rush to take
up with it or to examine it as they would
welcome some new invention. When they
look into Its real meaning they turn from
1t and discard it. While on the surflce it
may prove attractive to some people, a
little examination shows Its true nature.
why. my mail each morning is filled
with encouraging reports that show this to
be the case. Here Is a letter telling me
OF meeting of Hungarans out in Ne
braska, when the meeting was addressed
by one Of their number, reminding them
Of the trouble that followed the imitation
In Hungary and warning them not to vote
for repetition Of such trouble in this
country
Those who advocate having Mckinley
make a tour of the Pacific coast ard west
ern states for the purpose of talking tariff
say that part of the program would he
to circulate Bryan's tariff speech, which
they assert the democratic congressional
committee Is keeping in the background.
The fact, however, that tariff literature is
not called for, even at the republican head
quarters, causes some to think that any
effort to force 1t to the front will prove
a failure Many republicans think that
the run is now on financial literature
merely because people want to inform
themselves on that subject and not because
they place 1t before the tariff in import
ance. They say the tariff question is
well understood and that the lack of de-
mand for such literature Is merely be-
cause people have made up their minds on
that question and that on election day
they will not fail to give 1t weight in the
casting Of their ballots