The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-10-19
The Presidents Position.

During his recent journey through
panied by number Of newspaper cor
respondents standing at the head of
their profession. one of these-Mr
William l.. Curtis, representative in
Washington or the Chicago Record, an
Independent papcr-in reviewing the
journey writes:
President MCKINLEY has not received en-
cuuraglHS ItpuNs from the campaign.
Every politician with whom he has talked
aiohg thu va, has iamented the apathy
ui the NepLul,uu., and | imagine that
he must be e,lUnE Il little nervous re-
gaIuUE The e.. uIpteXIun of the next house
OI representatives. lie would deplore
Dt tmCCratC vic. gCy because of ITS effect
upon the span Il government and the
l., ..liatluaa now n progress at Paris.
Peace IL uu, SET made. The treaty will
not he signed Tor several weeks, and may
bc DELAYED tor months. perhaps indetir
Li,eiy. t. he November elections should
deprive the administration Of the support
Of a majority IN the house of representa-
tiNes. Should such an event occur in a
European country the government would
be compelled to resign Office and a new
cabinet representing a new policy and
different principles. would assume power
That would he the case in Spain, and
therefore the Spanish people would re-
gard Il Democratic victory in the United
States as a rebuke to the president and
"A reputation of his conduct of the war
The immediate effect would be to stimu-
late the resistance of the Spanish commits
sioners to tho demands of the United
States, if it did not cause them to be re-
iectcd altogether The result in cuba
would be the same, ana very serious COM
plicatons might follow. Realizing this
the president of course is extremely anX-
ious to have the people express at the
polls their appreciation of his official acts
and send men to congress who will su5-
tain his policy.
The anxiety of the president should
be shared by every earnest American.
We may know here at home that a
victory for the opponents Of the admin
istration, helped along by Republican
apathy or factional rebellion, would not
necessarily mean a calculated blow in
the presidents face, but rather one of
those vicissitudes Of party politics from
which no administration, however pa.
triotic and efficient, is wholly exempt.
Such an Interpretation of a Democrat
in Spain or in other foreign countries
were there is a jealousy of American
influence and prestige. In those coun-
tries the inference would be drawn that
the war policy of Americas chief ex-
ecutive had been deliberately condemn
ed by the American peoTic and resist
ance to American demands would in
cvitably be strengthened. THAI this is
no mere camI aign dodge the cable
dispatches already prove. Both at Ha-
vsna, at Paris and at Madrid the Sran-
iards are becoming truculent again, in
spired in their resistance by distorted
reports which they have received rela- =
tive to the changing attitude of Amer
lean public opinion, represented 10
them as being out of sympathy with
the presidential course.
In this state OF affairs. u which
no intelligent citizen can be indllfer-
ent, shall Republic ms permit minor
state quarrels and individual dislikes TO
lead them away from their party into
real If not intended cooperation with
the nations enemies? Or is il not in
stead their duty everywhere to close
up their ranks and move forward de-
terminedly in support OF their incom-
parable standard bearer, william Nc
Kinley?