Washington sentinel., 1898-10-22
Things the American People Can
not Forget

of the Republican party really be.
lieve that they can, with the assist
ance Of the local whitewash organ,
the Post, and several other journals
OF a like character, and also the
LIBERATED Alger Relief Commis-
r. enlightened peo-
, believe that
carried on in
aa thorough and
hat the major
ity Of the .--Us { our soldiers
were not caused by the lack of
proper supplies and nourishing
food, nor that there was any in
competency or bungling on the
part Of the War Department what
soever. To read the editorials
published daily in the Administra-
ton organs and to hear the Grand
Old Party stump speakers in the
Congressional districts, person
could believe that Alger, S after
and the other great officials of the
War Department were the finest
officers and military tscticians the
world has ever produced. 1t is
particularly hobby on the part Of
their campaign orators to impress
upon the minds OF their audiences
that this was a holy war brought
on by holy Republication. There
was a time in our history when
this would have been possible.
Newspapers we're scarce. Even
weeklies found their way into few
houses. The people were not
reading people. 1t was not IN
formed. 1t did not understand
government. A Congressman was
a superior being whose acts were
above the criticism of ordinary
mortals. Things done at Washing
ton were all right. whether they
were right or wrong. The Presi
dent was considered demi-go(.
That time, thank God, has passed.
Few, oil our noted men are great
men, and the proletariat know 1t.
The newspaper invades ten mil
lion homes each day. 1t tells the
people the things that were done
the day before and it discusses
them. Although there are few
more corrupt things in this world
than the American press, never
theless of the value Of its work as
an educator OF the common people
there can be no doubt. The con
sequence Of its ceaseless ministra-
tions is that the voters oil the North
western States now know William
Mckinley as we'll as the voters OF
the Southern States. and they
know him as we'll as the voters OF
Ohio know him. The acts Of Con-
gressmen-their legislative acts -
are laid bare to the public vision.
They are weighed each day and
each day they are found wanting
in greater or less particulars.
Lincoln's maxim must be changed
to fit the mo,Iern con nditions. 1t
is no longer possible to fool all OF
the people some of the time. The
leaven of the press works in an TN
mysterious way its wonders to per-
form. Even the dough-brain is
permeated by It and rises" into
something like lightness. There
was not an act in the preparation
for and the declaration OF this Span
ish American war with which the
people have not been made &C,
quainted. Their memories are
short, but they are longer than a
lew months. They remember that
the opposition to the war came
almost wholly from the mon
eyed men Of the East, who
with scarcely a single exception,
are members Of the Republican
party. They remember that for
weeks these men had their personal
representatives here in Washington
doing everything within their com
pass, legitimate and illegitimate, to
prevent war. They remember the
cowardlY cry against avenging the
national honor that went up from
the business interests" They re-
member that these business inter