Evening star., 1898-11-15
FEELING OF THE: PEOPLE
From Pittsburg to San Francisco They In
dorsed the Presidents Policy.
Webster Davis Tells of the Impress
sions Received in His Cam
paigninG Tour.

After a long and successful campaign
tour We lster Davis. assistant secretary of
the interior, returned to his duties yester-
day. His trip commenced at Pittsburg, Pa,
on September 8. At that point he found
local conditions in good shape and every
thing pointILe; to a sweeping republican
victory. All the factions were united i'll AL
leghany county. He spoke there at meet
ing of the State League convention, and
delegates from all over the state were in
attendance. In conversation with a re-
Porter of The Star Mr.. Davis said:
Feeling of the People.
1T was at Pittsburg l first found how
deeply the people were thinking of eXpan-
sion, and from that time on l noticed in
creased sentiment in favor of this so-calied
Imperialism. people generally being in IA
vor of the retention of the Philippine Is
lands and indorsing the President in all Of
his actions concerning Cuba, Porto Rico,
Hawaii the Ladrones and the Philippines
thus far. And right here | want to say
that have never known man SO uni
Tersally beloved and SO much a part of
the people as President Mckinley.
ttis personality seems to have gotten
Fight to the hearthstoneS of the citizens of
this great republic, and from Pennsylvania
to California l have heard nothing but
p1aise for his magnificent admins ira tion
and especially for his vigorous prosecution
of the war. This is better illustrated, per-
haps, in those districts which hitherto had
been democratic, but were turned republi-
can in the last election. My observation
leads rle to but one conclusion, that it was
Only the desire of the people to manifest
their approval of the President at the POLLS
that brought about these victories.
when / reached the west populism was
decidedly active, but | became convinced
before leaving Kansas that this very dis
teal al, 10
defeat. Take oklahoma for instance. A
populist congressman had been returned
from there, tW>' years ago, by 800 majori-
t., and yet i'll this last election. Dennis
Flynn. the republican candidate. was elected
as delegate to Congress by nearly ten thou
sand majority
Free Silver is Dead.
How about free silver?" asked the re-
porter; will that form one of the planks of
the democratic platform for 1902
Mr.. Davis smiled and threw himself back
as he answered: Il think it's death and
burial are complete. The democrats them
selves refused to discuss it in the campaign.
There was a peculiar political condition
IN both Washington and California, and
likewise, but not to such Il great extent, III
Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas
q OlIio,uoma.
1t was a combination of all the 'isms' of
politics under the head of fusion When
this subject was brought to my attention,
the first time, L was convinced that the
fusion combination was robblng the demo-
cratic party of its identity. The results of
the election showed that those rugged farm
ers, born and bred in the Jenersonian
cradle of democracy, rather than lose their
Identity as democrats indorsed the admin
istration of President Mckinley, and in do
ing so maintained their standing as true
Americans and loyal democrats, refusing
to fuse with parties of unknown political
faith, character and conscience.
\ Remarkable Campaign.
This campaign was a remarkable one
to me in a great many respects. 1t being
an off year l did not look for any enthu-
slasm, but rather expected apathy in the
republican ranks.
The republican party is today well or
ganiZed, well equipped and under splendid
mana cement. Chairman Babcock OF the
repub. lean national congressional commit
tee is entitled to the credit of the sue less
full outcome of the campaign just closed.
He knew the weak parts of the country
He got In touch with the local comnitte tees,
acquainted himself with the local Condi-
tions and then met them, with the result
that the Presidents administration has
been sustained and both branches of Con-
gress are in accord with him."