The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-11-09
The Campaign of 1895 and ITS Bearing
on National Issues.

Although the elections this year
are considered to be those of an of
wear in politics, as only State officers
and representatives in Congress were
to be elected. yet the result will have
a far-reaching effect towards deter
mining the sentiment of the people
upon the national issues of two years
aso. 1t is true that the financial
question, as such, has not actively
entered into every State platform
and has not been prominently push
ed to the front in some Of the pivotal
States, like New York; yet, in the
campaign from the stump and press,
old party Lines have been very sharp
ly drawn along the lines which dlv!o-
ed the country into political partles
in the memorable campaign OF two
wears ago, and those who favored the
Chicago platform in that contest
have opposed the Administration IN
this. while those who supported the
poldstandard in that contest have
Supported the Administration IN TINS
so that the result goes long way to-
wards determining whether the ad-
yocates Of bimetalllSm have loSC or
gained in strength since the last PreS-
idential campaign.
The questions growing out OF the
management of the war have been
discussed by everybody, but they
have changed very few votes; and
the questions of national policy grow
ing out of the war have cut no tg-
ure" whatever in the control OF the
result, since they have not been for
mulated into political issues by party
conventions the discussions and opln-
ions upon these questions have there
fore. been more Individual than pol
itical, and should not be considered
as having been either indorsed or re-
pudiated by the result Of this fairs
elections. The Congressional cam
paign has hinged almost entirely up
on the lines of party-pollcy winch
controlled in the last PRESIDENTIAL
campaign, annd nobody knows TINS
fact better than the Administration.
Hence, as a natural result of this con-
sciousness. the Administration has
thrown it's whole power, prestige and
influence into the contest ana Will
regard the result as an Endorsement
of the election two years ago; or a
change of heart, Oh the part OF the
people. according as the one or the
other SIDE prevails. Of course, this
fact will be vehemently proclaimed,
if the result indorses the Admins
tration of President Mckinley; and
the protestation will be made that
the national question two years ago
did not enter into the result at all, If
the reverse be the showing at the
polls. But, as all thinking and OBJ
serving people know, these after.
election claims are made for political
effect and not as indications OF the
real, heart felt convictions OF those
who make them. Every republican
orator has appealed to the voters
whom he has addressed to support
the Administration and show that
the 'heresy of free silver" is dead
forever-and to do so by voting for
the republican candidates; and every
democratic orator has likewise ap-
pealed to those whom he has address
ed to show their condemnation OF
the Administration and Endorsement
of opposition policies-and to do so
bv voting for the candidates who
stand as representatives of the poll
cies of opposition announced IN the
various localities. Not only so, but
the Administration has worked as
hare, spent as much money and ex-
erteu its every energy to control the
next House of Representatives, as II
to whole policy and success of the
Administration hinged upon that
condition alone.
Although at this writing it IS not
known what result the people will
express at the polls, it is useless to
shut our eyes to the fact that the
expression registered is far-Teaching
in its signifcance-as an indication
of the sentiment of the people upon
the real issues of party policy before
this people, and the only real party
issues that can be made distinctvely
divisional lines of party-fealty until
the two representative parties have
again assembled in national council
and proclaimed new articles of party
faith. The campaign has been Wig
orously waged and the result will
come mighty near Indicating the re-
lalive strength of the political sentl-
ments Of the people of the whole
country upon the great financial
principles which formed the battle