The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-08-15
SUCCESS THEN RESPONSIBILITY.

The success of the Republican party
It the polls next November, in the case
of the presidency, the house and the
senate, with restoration OF good
times, which is the distinct pledge of
the Republican campaign, means Re
publican ascendancy in this country
for perhaps another quarter Of a cen
fury. Failure to restore prosperity
within the four years on the other
hand, or a market of constantly falling
prices, means travail for the party of
Lincoln, Grant and Blaine.
Major Mckinley's election to the
presidency, thing now assured, and
the election of a Republican house with
a hostile senate may mean censure for
the Republican party in 1895. We
all know how unreasoning the people
are in this matter. The head of the
government is, by popular fallacy, the
administration itself. The ills of every
individual are charged up not to the in
difference of the senate or the obstin-
acy of the house, but TO the man in the
executive mansion.
At present the best judgment Of the
country is that Mckinley and the low
er house of congress will be elected.
No one is sure of the senate. If the
senate is antagoniStic TO McKinley'S
methods of remedy, Mckinley will not
sit obstinately by, as Cleveland has
done. and let the country and its in
dustries suffer. Mckinley has had q
training that Cleveland never had.
Cleveland was never in his life the
active member of q legislative body.
Mckinley has been, and does not die
from modification If he has to COM
promise. If on a fair compromise the
senate should remain obdurate public
opinion would not condemn Mckinley
but the senate instead. and n prodig
ious change would take place in that
body in the state elections of senators
in the spring of 1899. Then before the
nominating conventions of 1900 a full
Republican administration, to save it
self would have to do something. 1t
would not be necessary for it to pre-
sent every man with 50 much gold and
silver or to put the market at boom
heighth, but it would be necessary for
it to have the market prices Of all
stable products on the up grade and
fluctuating constantly upwards Instead
of constantly downwards, as they have
been the last two years.
The people are not expecting every
thing OF the Republican party. They
do not expect 81 a buShel wheat by
o'clock p. m. March 4, 1897, nor SIS
hogs. nor 30 cent corn, nor So a day for
common labor, but they do expect a
steady and unfailing increase of work,
wages and prices.
The average American is not greatly
interested in the cold arithmetical
question of government revenues, 80
much as he is imbued with the idea
that administrative policies directly
and vitality affect the welfare of his
fireSide and having been so taught,
falsely or truthfully, he will expect of
the Republican party, when it reaches
power. to inauguTate a policy, which
while not magicaliy bringing prosper
ity hack in day will 1T least begin
its reinstatement
But for this the Republican party
would not succeed this year. Cam
paign orators and Republican newSpa-
pers should not devote their whole time
10 a discussion of government reve-
nues If they can conScientiously
promise the people individual pros
naf-irV