The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-10-24
CARLISLE AT covINGToN.


The outrage suffered by Secretary
Carlisle at Covington will be duly and
can be most appropriately resented by
law-sbiding citizens at the polls on the
I'd day Of November. Revolving as it
was, it is yet doubtful if at this time
there could have happened a campaign
Incident more likely TO result in bene-
tieial consequences, so far as the best
interests of the country are concerned.
That a public man Of Mr.. Carlisle's ex-
allied standing and position cannot ad
dress a political meeting in his own
native state without being subjected
TO abuse OF so gross a nature that its
infiiction upon dog would be police
misdemeanor in any civilized commu-
nifty. is well calculated to bring a blush
Of shame to the face and produce a
ranking sense Of personal humiliation
IN the breast OF every true American
citizen. 1t is, therefore. perfectly safe
to say thousands Of men yesterday in
every section of the country bitterly
ragged over their impOtency to avenge
the insults heaped upon Mr.. Carlisle,
but there is solace in the reflection that
the secretary is both a sensible man
and a patriot, and that after the first
sting and natural momentary mortif-
cation Of the indignities offered him, he
probably rejoiced that through the sac
rihce Of his own feelings a great good
had been wrought to his country. Hun
dreds of thousands of votes will un-
questionably be added to the majori-
ties cast against William Jennings Bry-
an in November through this piece of
misconduct by his zealots in Kentucky.
1t is not simply in the Democratic votes
which will be thus changed directly
to the support Of the Republican ticket
that the rout Of Bryanism will be made
more decisive and overwhelming. but
If is in the rude awakening and reali-
xation Of the kind of company they are
now keeping which has come to thous-
ands of patriotic but misinformed free
silver believers that the greatest bene-
fit results to the country. Ii is the
class who have felt hurt at the char
acterization in the public press Of Bry-
an and his co-conspirators as anarch-
lists Altgeld. Tillman, Watson, Pen
noyer. and three-fourths Of the other
Bryan leaders and managers, are an
archists, and they know it. These men
have been inwardly and secretly proud
and gratiied-whatever other feeling
some Of them may have professed-
that they were recognized and denounc-
ed as anarchists. But the honest and
deluded element among the Popocratic
followers have been so infatuated by
the pleas and sophistries dinned into
their ears for free silver that their
Judgment was warped, and they were
entirely oblivious TO the viciousness
Of other principles announced in the
Chicago platform and were unable to
discern the character of the men whom
Bryan's success would inevitably thrust
into places Of prominence and power.
The scales have fallen from the eyes
Of these men, and what the burning Of
the mill in Rhode Island failed to do,
the mobbing Of a member of the cabinet
will accomplish. Bryan, of course. it |
may be expected, will repudiate the !
action Of his henchmen at the Coving-
ton meeting, but it is patent to every
Intelligent mind that he and no one |
else, is responsible for it. For weeks |
past his speeches have been studious- |
" addressed to the large elements |
Of unrest and disorder in various sec
tons Of the country He has openly
sought to infiame the passions Of envy,
hatred and malice among his lowest
and most ignorant followers. After
his outbreak at Covington, no respect
lble citizen, whatever his views on the
money question, can afford to advo-
.ate the election of Bryan. He would
be ostracised by respectable society
n his community If he did. There has
leen no doubt whatever in the minds
u wen lhAorIheu Aheil IOT tHTee mOnIhS
,ast that Mckinley would be elected,
md there is now every reason to be-
ieve that the Covington occurrence will
make the majorities against the mob
cracy platform and candidates so stu
lendous that the future historian will
yander that the country was ever dis
urbed by the spectral possibility Of
ne election Of such a creature as Bry-
n to the presidency.