The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-05-06
M'KINLEY PRO and CON
Strength and Weakness Of the
Ohio Napoleon.
HIS ELEMENTS OF POPULARITY.
The Hope Of the Opposition to His Nom
ination-His Name the symbol Of High
Protective Tsrir-But VIII This Give the
Good Times Hoped Forf

ihetion-hts name the Sympoi ot Hikh
Protective TsriE-But VIII This Give the
Good Times Hoped Forf
WASHINGTON. May 9. Especial. - In
the political world excitement Is now at
white heat Only a little more than
month hence the Republican national con-
vention will meet at St Louis. Candor re-
quires the statement that among the pub
lilo men of this city there Is a general ex-
pectation that Mckinley will be nominal
ed on the first ballot. or the second at the
latest. While this is not conceded by the
opposition managers, and while the hight
will probably go on to the end the proba-
bilities are that Mckinley will win. The
hope of the opposition Is In change OF
sentiment throughout the party. For
weeks the leaders who were not for Nc
Kinley have been preaching that the NOM
ination of the Ohio man would be the
weakest the party could make. They have
been so thoroughly convinced of this them
selves that they have believed they could
make the whole party see with their eyes.
For this reason they have constantly pre-
dicted change of sentiment. They have
said again and again that the sober, con-
sentative opinion Of the party would turn
against Mckinley and make his success an
impossibility. If one may judge from the
action Of state conventions, the predicted
change Of feeling has not yet come. Five
sixths of the delegatesde' the national con-
vention have been elected. and 1t Is every
where conceded that about one-half Of
them are for Mckinley. If the predicted
change Is To come, it will have to come
pretty soon In order to have any bearing
upon the result.
The Anti-McKinleyites.
While 1t is and long has been my per-
sonal opinion that Mckinley will carry off
the prize at St. Louis / do not close my
eyes to the arguments made against the
wisdom of his selection. / will give this
argument as get IL from the anti McKin-
ley leaders here, and the reader may him
self Judge of the soundness of 1t.
The chief objection to Mckinley is that
his name stands as the symbol for high
protective tariff. No one claims that the
Republican party is anything but a high
tariff party, or that the election of Nc
Kinley TO the presidency is likely to change
the policy or the legislation of that party
after it comes into power. The danger is
that the masses Of the people will be
grievously disappointed In the final re-
cults, and in their disappointment will
swing to the other extreme and go against
the Republicans at the next opportunity.
1t is undeniable that the strength OF Nc
Kinley's support is among the masses OF
the people. The farmers the mechanics,
the small business men, the laborers, the
salaried people, want him. They want
him because they believe his election will
bring again the good times which the
country had In 1890 and 1892. All over
the country these people are shouting for
Mckinley. They will not listen to the
nomination of any one but him.
The Party Leaders.
Right here the party leaders, or many OF
them, interpose their objection. On this
very ground they contend that the nomi-
nation of Mckinley will be mistake.
His election will raise too high the hopes
of the people. The expected good times,
the looked for advance of wages, will not
come, or, If they come at all, very slowly,
almost imperoeptibly. Just as soon rs il
dawns upon the people that they are not
TO get what they want that their hopes
are TO be crushed that they have been de-
ceived or have deceived themselves, it is
feared there will come such a revulsion of
feeling as will sweep the Republican party
out of power.
On this basis the argument is made that
the nomination of Mckinley will be un-
wise and dangerous; that it will intensity
the inevitable reaction and lead certainly
TO ultimate disaster. 1t is intended that
the nomination of a more conservative
man. or OF IA man from whom the masses
will not expect SO much. and therefore
will not be so bitterly disappointed, would
be the part of wisdom.
In other words, the Republican leaders
who oppose Mckinley are striving to avert
a recurrence Of those conditions which
tend almost inevitably TO succession of
parties in power Readers of my dis
patches will remember that four years ago
i pointed out the existence of q law which
for long time to come would swing the
pendulum of popular sentiment first one
way and then another, putting now one
party and now its rival In power. That
law is in operation today. 1t Is this prin-
ciple which is driving Mckinley toward
the White House, and IL he gets there the
same law will probably drive him out four
years hence and put Democrat In his
place.
The Will of the People.
The argument of the men who oppose
Mckinley Is that his nomination and cleo
ton will cause the pendulum to swing
farther than 1t would go with some other
nominee. They admit that Mckinley could
probably command a great vote In 1895
because the masses and the working mil
lions are for him, but they claim the dis
aster in 1900 will be just so much the
greater.
There Is philosophy in this, but it is not
enough to change the current. Besides. 10
should be remembered that it is hazardous
for any party TO thwart the will of the
people Suppose Mckinley were TO be de-
feated at st. Louis on account of prudence
because the leaders of the party were look
ing ahead TO 1900 as we'll as TO next No
vember Then suppose the predicted good
times were not TO come. Would not the
disappointed masses say to the politicians:
1T is all your fault. We wanted McKin-
lev and you wouldn't let us have him.
Reduced to simple statement, the law
which produces succession OF parties "
mower through reactions in public senti-
mcnt is a stronger principle than anything
else now operating in the political field. 1t
rs stronger than party scheme or political
manipulation IL is stronger than any man
or combination OF men. Mckinley hap
pens to be the logical idol of the reaction