The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-05-12
JUST WHY 1T is so.


Those worthy citizens who believe
the fate of Henry Clay will be repeat
ed in William Mckinley should LEI
their memories glide back over a few
years and investigate coolly for them
selves.
Mckinley has been assured of the
nomination in very peculiar and I'M
usual way. The states which he claim,
ed for himself have instructed for him
not only, but the stronghOlds of his
opposition have deserted their columns
and attached themselves to Mckinley
This is not usual politics. We may
say that in most states there is a state
boss. He has his following of shrew,l
| politicians in each county in the state
who are likewise bosses over their di-
minished territory. When the. state
I boss is required to do something by his
superior boss, as they are his allies in
national politics, he sets his sub
| bosses 10 work, who set their Sub-sub-
bosses in the wards to work to fix up
the delegations. 1t should be said
that with this ring, the newspapers
almost always stand in.
1t was this opposition which McKin-
! ley had to meet. The newspapers
were against Mckinley at the start of
the campaign. There is not one organ
in the United States of prominence
that has championed him to the exclu-
sion of everything else, while Morton
and Allison and Reed have had many
hero-worshippers among the newspa-
pers OF course the newspapers have
changed now. and there are a large
number of papers in the cities who
cannot eulogize Mckinley too highly.
1t is the same way with the politicians.
They TOO have ceased their fight on
Mckinley.
When a politician ceases fighting
there is some good practical reason for
it. In the case of Mckinley the rea-
son is merely that an irresistible de-
mand by the people made it unsafe for
a boss to imperil his prestige by ask
a
and determined sentiment.
The reason Mckinley has this intense
sentiment behind him marks the diff
ference between him and Henry Clay.
When Grover Cleveland was elected
pres dent the first time the country was
in the midst of unexampled plenty
Grover Cleveland did not have con-
gress with him and the country could
not be disturbed with any economic
change or evolution. The good times
continued. The most marked thing in
Cleveland'S first administration was
his obnoxious position on pensions and
his attempt TO send the flags of the
south back to them. a campaign could
not be made on those two things to-
day. But a campaign was made on
them in 1883 and Cleveland was de-
feated. The country was still in the
highest prosperity and was engrossed
with sentimental issues easily. Cleve-
land stepped down from the White
House declaring that the people had
made a mistake; that free trade was
the mile-post pointing to a better con-
ditiOn OF affairs and IN time the peo-
pie would see it. Harrison went in.
The country was Still enjoying plenty.
The Democrats went to work in earn
est on Mr.. Cleveland'S idea that the
people must be educated up TO the bene-
fits of free trade. At that time the
factories in this country were running
to their full capacity Prices for every
thing were high Clothing and pro-
visions were high with land and values
OF ali kinds. The laborers left their
work and went TO the halls where Dem
ocratic orators told them they were
paying too much for their clothes. too
much for their victualS, too much for
their pleasures, and that they could
remedy the whole thing by instituting
the party of free trade.
Then at the latter part OF Harrison's
administration came q tariff bill pre-
pared ny Mr.. Allison, Mr. Aldrich and
Mr.. Mckinley. This was high tariff.
1t was formed on the extreme tariff
ideas and opinions OF William McKIn-
ley. Ii took the name Of William Nc
kinley. The country was treated then
10 a most astounding condition The
Democratic orators had repeatedly
warned tie laborers that a high tariff
meant higher prices for utilities. And
the Mckinney bin did send prices uu
a-kitlng. Men who bought hats and
clothing cursed it; women who bought
dry goods condemned IL The whole
country united in blaming the McKin-
ley bin for irs elevation OF prices. The
laborer in the factory was particularly
sore over the condition Of affairs. The
campaign was made on the McKinlev
bill Harrison went down and tie
bin was the most despIsed
thing in the country.
Ar that time but one public man stood !
by it-MeKiuley himself. The ooun- |
1Ey then prepared 10 enjoy the bless
ings Of free trade. The mauufactur- |
erS. in business style, concluded that |!
It was impossible 10 meet foreign goods |