Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-12-23
Washington Standard
GIl 7lI'it. WASH.
EEIhN HfilNG. DEC. -. 1895.


d. u i ''Gfd lihNaI NOR tlIal. Il
.'..a, -cu-r. New England seem.
-. .:.s:'--,d with til. conservatism
D.tl.'d ia tA,. traditional! policy OF
--..,.uiu,iI'. while the lar west Yc'
s,.- 60" -u..' >tluu for extending tho
u;:l'- domain IL q step ii proGrc,-
,..l i.r national glory and greatness
i.4: they arc homes; N their views is
Shown 10y tine fact that senator Hale
.,...-,- the President TO abandon the
l...I.u.. and Senator lI"ar de-
,iArr- that Il treaty involving these
-,and- cannot be ratified 10y the sen
ate, Will" Representatives from the
lAci!.c Coast, with our own James
Hamilton Lewis at their head, ar,
,i1moriug ior extension oi the national
q over all territory acquired by our
late cpnqucsts. This accounts almost
entirely l"r the fact that so many Re
Republicans were elected to Congress
and to the Senate from the West.
President Mckinley's attitude in the
last days OF the campaign, when he
abandoned his position Of doubt and
took firm stand in favor OF retaining
the whole OF the Philippines, was in
llucnccd wholly by adyices from the
West. the politicians in that section OF
the country assuring him that posi-
tive stand upon the lines indicated
would save the elections in that sec
tt"n OF the country and strengthen his
administration in the districts where
"ron all other questions it possessed
little or no strength. The silver men
OF the West, with Senator Teller at
their head, are eXpansionists OF the
most pronounced type. They contend
that this question will I've settled far in
advance Of the elections of 1900, and
that the question OF the Presidents
foreign policy will cut no figure at
that time. Senator Teller and the
other Silver Republicans from the
West contend that the silver question
possesses greater vitality than at any
time before, and if President Mckinley
is banking upon the returns OF the late
elections as an Endorsement of his pol
icy upon anything else aside from the
war with Spain that he will be doomed
to serious disappointment.
Another matter that is, in limited
way, dividing public attention at the
national capital with the question Of
the Presidents foreign policy is what
is termed currency REFORM" The
Washington headquarters of the bank
ers' committee appointed at the Indi-
annapolis convention, is daily thronged
with the agents of the great banks
from the principal cities of the coun-
try. They hold conferences, it is re-
ported, almost daily and arrange to
visit and urge their banking bill upon
the various members of Congress as
fast as they arrive, and are keeping a
careful record of everyone who says a
favorable word for their measure, in
order to accumulate pressure to apply
to the President in favor of an extra
session of Congress to deal with this
question. On the other hand, the
shrewd Republican politicians realize
that, uutil the war with Spain came to
their relief, the money question had
practically overwhelmed them; that
they were running counter to public
sentiment in their various cities and
districts and are now glad of any ex-
cuse to avoid again engaging in cur
rency legislation. The bankers, how
ever, are reminding Chairman Hanna
OF his prediction pledges and demand
ing that he carry them out by aiding
them in forcing an extra session OF
Congress to deal with that question.
Senator Hanna and President McKin-
ley would much prefer to be relieved
of this pressure because they fear that
any attempt at currency legislation
will overwhelm the party in defeat.
They realize that the question of pass
ing q banking bill, that would involve
the destruction of the greenbacks and
treasury notes and the demonstration
OF the few silver dollars that we now
have, was resented by the people in
the late election to such an extent that
nothing short Of the Presidents ardent
appeal for votes to sustain him in his
policy against Spain saved the party in
any portion of the West. Therefore
they will resist the pressure from this
source to some extent; the question
remaining is whether they will be able
to finally refuse to comply with their
pledges to the bankers who furnished
the money to pay the expenses of the
campaign.
1t must be borne in mind, that in
forming a just conception of any pos
siblc merits of this issue that it in.
wolves what has hitherto been regarded
as menace to free government, a
strong government being necessary to
maintain supremacy, large standing
army, with q civil service list aug
mented, that is even now creating a
distinction OF caste among our people,
condition that was regarded by the
founders of the government as of suf-
ficicnt Importance to be made the sub.
jcct OF constitutional inhibition. Then
again it will be exceedingly difficult to
mould the resident population of the