Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-11-02
THIS THE ONLY ISSUE
TERRITORIAL EXPANSION THE
PIVOT OF THE CAMPAIGN.

Presidents Brief, ,Terse Speeches Have
Reached the Hearts OF the People
Republicans Rally Around Mckin-
ley, and Contest Takes on New Life.
Washington correspondence:
President McKiiiley's Western tour put
life into the political campaign. The con-
gressional committees of both parties are
realizing this from the reports that come
to them. The principal effect is felt in
the West, especially in Ohio. Indiana, Illi-
nois and Iowa, the States through which
the President travelled, and where he
made short speeches But the whole West
seems to have felt the new vigor which
came from the Presidents plain talk about
the war and its results. The Republican
congressional committee has been ham
pered by usage, which confines its official
Efforts to sending out documents and liter
ature relating to subjects upon which the
party has either in national convention, in
Congress or by act of the Republican tres
ident. taken decided stand
The committee began it's work in this
campaign on the tariff and the currency
questions. because il knew Just where the
party stood on those questions. Ii took
no stand on the great question Of terri
torial expansion, because no national con-
vertion had ever considered that question,
Republican Congress had not acted upon
it, and President Mckinley had not made
public his instructions to the peace COM
missioners. The committee found much
difficulty in arousing Republican enthu-
siasm over either the tariff or the money
question, because the people seemed 70
consider those questions practically set
tied. and were giving their attention to
another and more important question,
which had been developed by the war
with Spain. The flag had been placed
ever Manila, and Spain had been driven
out of the Philippines, as well as out OF
Cuba and Porto Rico. There has been
no mstaking the sentiment of the people
regarding the Philippines, but Republican
Congressman, as well as the Republican
commission, have hesitated to take posi-
ton upon this question until the peace
commissioners should act and show to the
world what were their instructions from
the Republican administration.
Another Issue.
Some of these gentlemen, n few weeks
ago, expressed the belief that the cam
paign would be fought out on the silver
question, but they have changed their
minds. Republican Congressman who
have visited Washington in the last three
weeks have reported that there is am
other and a dominant issue, and the Re
publican party must take its position on
that issue and declare its purpose regard
ing the fruits and responsibilities of the
war.
President Mckinley went West to at
tend the Omaha exposition and the peace
jubilee at Chicago. He did not start out
on a pleasure tour. Ii developed, as did
his campaign of 1894. when he left Ohio
to make dozeu brief speeches in as many
different States and was kept busy talk
ing 10 the people from the car platform
over trail of about 10000 miles, which
summed up more than 100 speeches to
crowds that aggregated several millions
Of people
The President met the same demonstra-
tion from the people on his Western tour
Wherever he went the people wanted TO
har him, and instead of three or four
speeches, scheduled for him when he left
of from two minutes duration TO twenty
minutes, and more than a million people
heard him. He knew what the people
were thinking about, and he knew they
wanted to know what were his purposes
regarding the results of the war. He
could not speak in detail about questions
now in the hands of the peace commission
ers, but he could enunciate certain prin-
ciples which were governing his actions
in making a peaceful settlement of all the
questions which have been developed by
The war.
That the Presidents speeches have been
satisfactory to the Republicans of the
West is shown by the reports frcm West
ern States to the congressional commit
tee. The Republican Congressman are
more confident of n large vote and victory
than they have been at any time since the
opening of the campaign, and all over the
West it is reported that the Republican
candidates are taking their stand on this
question of expansion. and declaring their
purpose to uphold the hands OF the Presi-
dent in keeping the American flag where
it has been placed by the army and navy.
The same condition is reported in the
East, and the Democrats have recognized
the danger Of the new life in the cam
paign. Ex-senator Hill, in the first
speech he has made since he left the SEN
ate, began with a defense, claiming that
there were no party differences regarding
the war, that both parties stood together,
and that there was no prospect of party
differences in the settlement Of the peace
negotiations. The willy Senator from New
York realized that his party could not
hope to win by antagonizing the admins
tratiOn on this issue, and he sought to
pass ii over as war without politics and
get the people of New York to consider
State issues alone.