Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-08-25
POLITICAL CAPITAL.

Jlcai capital out OF lnlS war dnC lls
issues. If we believe the cuckoo and
stalwart Republican press, we must
lay that charge at the door Of every
one who is not Republican. But II
we still have sufficient control Of our
reasoning faculties 10 see things as
they are, we must come to quite a
different conclusion.
Let us use common sense for a mo-
ment. The "oppositioD," in the
words OF the Oregonian, "hounded
the president up to the verge Of war. I"
This is a fact, as we all know. At the
same time, the opposition knew that
a war would be worth more polite
ally to the Republican party than
another slO,OOOOO corruption fund.
But the opposition were Americans,
and they thought more OF their
country's honor than they did Of
party advantage. The opposition
voiced the cry of the American peo-
pie, and they we're joined ty the
American branch Of the Republican
party. The president was absolutely
forced into war, mplnly by the party
which had nothing TO gain, from
partisan standpoint, by war, but were
sure to lose. Was this an attempt TO
make political capital?
The president had placed in his
hands, by an unanimous vote, $780,
100000 TO use as he saw lit. Was
this partisanship' There has been
absolutely no opposition whatever TO
any appropriation that the admins.
tration considered necessary. .All
parties have stood ready 10 place in
Mr.. McKinley's hands tine ultimate
dollar OF this county resourcesl for
the successful prosecution OF this war,
and all they have asked OF him was
that he push IL with his best energy
and Judgment. Was this PARTISAN
ship?
The great opposition papers have
actually suppressed news for the
sake OF shielding the president and
member of his cabinet whose gross
incompetence and damnable neglect
Of the health and comfort OF our SOL
dlers Is but now being ventilated by
every self>respecting American Jour
nal, Republican or otherwise. The gen.
eral ineliiciency and narrow sminded |
partisanship OF the small bore poll
tlclan from the Michigan lumber
woods, and the rotten corruption In
some parts Of the war department,
and the stealing that has been going
on in army supplies; all these have
been endured almost in silence by the /
opposition, for fear OF embarrassing |
the administration in the prosecution
of the war; Was this an attemp: to
make political capital?
On the other hand, the Republican
organs have been howling politics
from the very commencement. The
Morning What-is IL, of Salem, even
claimed that the Oregon recruits
were all Republicans.
Ever since the imperalistlc issue
came up the Republican lmperiallsts
have been trying 10 make political
capital by representing the opposition
as opposed TO an American policy,
when, as a matter Of fact. all parties
are divided among themselves on the
question:. .Mr. Bryan's mildly expressed
hope that the American people might
not altogether lose sight Of honor and
honestly, has been taken as an at
tempt TO make an issue for 1900. No
doubt the Republican party leaders
would be very glad to see the opposl-
tion take up new issues for 1890, aud
abandon free silver, but they will not
be accommodated.
This has been an American war and
the only antl-Americans haYe been
the iniinltessimally, small bore party
strikers who haYe tried 10 make polit-
ical capital by representing that IL
was Republican war.
The Dalles-E, Jacobsen got home
LI..a.