The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-04-18
VICIOUS FIGHT ON M'K1KLEY.

but of wider range. When the cleo
tions were held last fall, the feelin:
over the country was that Mckinle!
could almost have the Republican nom
ination for president for the asking
A month later the feeling was preya
lent that Thomas Bracket Reed wa:
even stronger candidate than Nc
Kinley. The then coming session ol
| congress pointed to the ascenddncy o.
Reed His unanimous selection as
speaker indicated a great poiitica
strength. Reed had had the elements
which garnered popularity TO himself
as speaker before and it was the nat
! uraI presumption that as speaker he
would again attract favorable public
attention. But Reed has dOcile house
/ and there has been no chance for a
display Of his fire and parliamentary
and statesman-like talents. So month
after congress had convened Reeds IA
vorable appearance as a presidential
! candidate waned and McKinley'S wax
ed, and was increased appreciably by
the early conventions for the selection
of national delegates, most of which
were instructed for Mckinley.
During the last two months this Nc
Kinley sentiment has crystallized and
his popularity has grown TO a danger
Gus point Dangerous, because it has
arrayed every master politician in the
United States against him.
Mr.. Quay of Pennsylvania, who
knows nothing but politics, conceived
the first trick against Mckinley and put
it in operation. He, with Platt of New
York and Manley of Maine, and Clark
son of Iowa, arranged for the favorite
son move. Davis appeared as a IA
vorite son in the north. CullOm came
out in Illinois in the same capacity.
MandersOn appeared in Nebraska. AL
lison was already out in Iowa. Morton
shot up in New York, Bradley in Ken
lucky. Efforts were made to keep Har-
riSon in line in Indiana. Quay him
self appeared as a candidate in Penn
sylvania.
This was a palpable political trick.
The Mckinley managers met it in the
only possible way to meet it. They in
vaded the states of favOrite sons. At
once the Quay gang set up a howl
against Mckinley, charging him with
being a political hog. But there was
nothing else for the Mckinley mana
gers TO do. An effort was being made
to play them for fools and they met it.
Mr. CullOm has been subjected to the
humiliation Of being turned down in
his own state in consequence Davis
in the north has been forced TO retire.
Manderson has discovered a Mckinley
delegation going from his own state.
Bradley has had to consent to his dele
gates being for Mckinley as a second
choice. Reed has lost New Hamp-
Saire. Harrison, too much of a man
to deal in such politics, has retired and
Indiana will send delegates for McKin-
ley, although the Quay gang is trying to
prevent it
The favorite son trick has not been a
glittering success. But Quay is too
much of a politician to rest now. The
personal campaign has begun against
and it is degenerated into a
dirty, vicious assault.
Quay's gang has fished out of the
Record the fact that Nc
hinley has always been a friend TO sill |
yer. This fact has weakened McKin- |
ley in the east, but it has strengthened |
him in the west. This is just what |
Quay foresaw and he at once set his !
agents to work in the western part of 4
the United States to show that McKin- |
ley is not q silver man; that the fight /
against him by the goldbugs in the /
east is simply a trick TO get the west /
for him. The westerner who believes /
this is not a man of much mentality, !
but it is being worked.
The next attack on Mckinley comes I
from the A. p A. This was probably |
also Inspired by Quay. In order to .
make the sword cut both ways, how !
ever, it is arranged that it shall be de- 1
lied that the \. z. A. is really against !
Mckinley, but is working for him by /
being against him! This is an as
founding statement, but it will work in /
spots.
Then there are endless attacks on
private character. They
lre not able to find anything bad in his
morals, anything against his honesty,
anything against his integrity. These
virtues being present they
-hereupon attack his competency and
,harge him with being a mental imbe-
,ne.
There is duplicity in all this that sug-
-eStS the politician. 1t has his ear
marks. 1t has the complexion of the
wing, vicious, unfaithful trickster.
II may win. There is no telling what
will happen in America within the next
-wo years. But if it does win it will
De to the lasting shame of free Amer
ca. Mckinley has no birthright to the
Of the United States. Other
men may be able to fill it as ably as he
,ould
But he is an upright. honest. noble
nan, who has the good fortunes of his
,ellow citizens everywhere at heart.
who has kept his fingers out of the
'eeking slime Of manhOOd-destroylng
politics. who has been a student for
he people. pupil of facts and figures
md if elected president he will make
he grandeSt chief executive we have
lad since Lincoln.
Editorial utterances are not as strong
With thu ruI,Tio a = rbav- y,-,-, r,,,. r-ss {