The times., 1898-11-04
The Congressional Elections.

Apparently the electors of New York
do not care what General Weyler, Senor
Sagasta and other eminent Spaniards
think about the American elections.
They refuse to be alarmed by menace
of any such hostilities as nation with
an exclusively submarine navy, an un-
paid army and a bankrupt treasury-a
nation already soundly trounced-is able
to carry on. With a courage born OF
success in war and of common sense.
they defy the Dons and decline to forget
the canal frauds. the Raines law. Alger-
ism and Hanna. This We infer from
the change in the campaign issues sud
denly effected by the more pretentious
Republican journals and orators. No
more are the voters warned against
voting for Spain; no more are they as
sured that "a vote for Van Wyck is a
vote for WeyIer.'' Instead, they are
besought to consider the Importance OF
Republican Congress to strengthen
the might of the President in his pur-
pose to gild the financial policy of the
nation and do other things the changed
or changing conditions of our national
life seem to call for.
The intent is to retrieve the German
voter, who is assumed to be maniacal on
the subject of purely golden circulat-
ing medium. Secretary Gage, year
ago, notoriously of his own impulse and
without the consent of the President.
began an agitation to put the nation on
a more positive and exclusive gold ba-
sis, at any cost of deprecated values.
1t was grievous to the free silver Re-
publicans who had been lured into the
support of the party on other grounds
in the last general election, and there
was a considerable silence on the part
of the Republican press. The gold issue
was all right for campaign purposes. II
1t were true that 1t would win votes. but
once the elections were successfully
pulled off there might be danger in car
rying the doctrine into the fullest opera
ton 1t would ALLEVIATE Western Repub
licans, and it might bring disaster to
the slow-coming but loudly heralded
prosperity. Now, however, the exigen-
cies of the campaign In New York are
such as to warrant taking the risk Of
|
order to alarm the alleged monometal-
lie German, who does not look beyond
the Raines law, petty Sunday persecu-
tions and the ruthless squandering of
| canal funds for the benefit of party
workers.
The trouble is. however, that if at
tention is to be directed to Congress.
there is the very serious matter of army
reorganization to be considered. 1t is
becoming apparent that permanent
enlargement of the regular army is
necessary, and recent experience has
shown not only inability on the part of
the War Department to administer the
system as 1t is, but degree of inef-
| ficiency that disqualifies il for the sug
gestion of necessary reforms. Yet it is
fully bent on inventing an army sys-
| tenn that will enable the Secretary to
reward Republican. and especially his
| personal partisans and purchase the
good will of influential politicians. The
commanding general of the army is al
lowed no voice in the matter of army
| reorganization, partly on personal
grounds, and also because he is opposed
to politics in the army. A Republican
Congress will duly ratify any scheme
the Secretary Of War. with the approval
of the President. may propose, no mat
ter how fatal to our military efficiency
provided 1t leaves door open to favors
This is a subject on which the voters
of New York will reflect to some pur-
pose, now that their attention is spe-
cially invited to the Importance Of the
Congressional elections.