St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-04-03
THE SOUTH, M,KINLEY AND APAIsM

Nj.
Col. Alex. Mcclure has been taking
notes While escaping Northern cold in
sunny Florida, and writes to his paper.
the Philadelphia Times, the result of
his observations. Occupying the posi-
ton OF an independent in party pol
1tics, bringing to his seeing the train
ing OF newspaper and the expert
ence strike attention; the condition of
what he says has value far beyond
the impressions of the ordinary trav-
eler. Two features in the correspond
ence strike attention, the condition of
the Democratic party in the South, and
the prominence Of the A. P. A. in Re-
publican presidential affairs. He finds
the solid South" thing of memory
only. Populism has come to rend the
Democrats, first with their economic
heresies, and later with their adyo-
cacy Of free coinage of silver. The Re-
puollcans, survivors Of carpet-bagism
and fnheritors of all it's venality, exist
to auction delegates at national con-
Ventions and divide the offices when
their party gets power. They trade
Unfortunately with the Populists or
Democrats as the one or the other is
the more likely to give them a share
of the plumber. So far has this disin
tegration gone that "a man would
have to lie awake nights to determine
whether the Democrats, Republicans or
Populists are plunged most deeply In
the mire Of decentralization. There is
not single state in the South under
present conditions that is certain to
vote for the Democratic candidate for
president next November.
The next and the remarkable discov-
cry made by Mr.. Mcclure is the per-
nicious activity in the South of the
A. P. A, and the influence it is exert
ing, not only there, but in the North,
In the selection Of delegates to the ma
tional convention. Over a year ago.
he says, the Mckinley leaders covered
the South, spending money lavishIy to
secure delegates. The friends of
other candidates, finding this out.
endeavored to counterfeit the move
ment; but found themselves an
tagon1zed by the A. P. A., which is
quite as commercial here within the
circle of Its managers as are the other
Republican politicians Of the South"
The A. P. A. is "solid for Mckinley in
the entire South" But not there alone.
1t is only within the last three or
four weeks that the friends Of tha
other prominent candidates have found
that the A. P. A. organizations In the
North are enlisted for Mckinley" It
was this element that endorsed Davis
Henderson and Cu1lom, broke the Nor
ton lines and ruptured the Ouav-Maeee
consolidation. But for this secret and
well organized element, that is now
wholly Republican, there would have
been no more opposition" to those gen.
tlemen in their states than there was
to Mckinley in Ohio.
In the operations Of this secret, oath
bound organization, Mr.. Mcclure sees
the signs Of a general recasting of
party lines in a not distant future.
The party that becomes the creature
OF secret organization may win
temporary victory, but it only assures
Its own dissolution" Between the COM
merclal arrangements Of McKinley's
agents with the Southern Republicans
ana the activity in his behalf of the
A. p. A, North and South, Mckinley
may secure the nomination on the
nrst ballot. Should he not do so, the
bitterness created by the discovery Of
the means used to secure it WILL he
thinks, unite the field against him to
defeat him. There appears to be no
element and no cause with which the
Republicanlsm of today will not strike
hands to Ser1ra itS i,ata,.cs-4-z