Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-11-03
CAMPAIGN coWARD1cE.
Dishonesty of the Republicans In
Again Apparent fn Their
Base Plans.

torious. The party has enjoyed it's
long hold on the offices, principally be-
cause of the ability of its leaders to
dodge and to misrepresent the real
issues before the people, and never was
this trait more marked than in the
present campaign.
The party leaders started out to
base their campaign on the dishonest
claim that the war with Spain was a
republican war, that the republicans
in congresse and the republican presi-
dent alone deserved the credit for its
conduct; and to that end the position
of the democrats in congress and the
democratic party as whole was will
fully and consistently misrepresented.
When the Encouragement of the war
department officials and of the sons-of-
fathers who held army commissions
under the presidents appointment
made the country rise in mighty pro-
test, the republican leaders dropped
their war tissue" in hurry, and since
then have been busy trying to scare up
something else to take its place.
In New York, where the great fight
is for the state officers, the repub-
lican bosses are doing all they can to
escape state issues. In the hope that
they may profit by the great majority
that New York gave the Mckinley
ticket. Platt has given orders that the
republicans must raise the sound
money" cry and try to scare all the ele-
ments that supported Mckinley to sup
port Teddy Roosevelt. The other day
Grosvenor, who talks through his hat
at the instance of the administration,
was in New York, and there he joined
vociferously in the cry for sound
money" declaring that this must be
the simon-pure issue of the campaign.
This is the same Grosvenor who manu-
featured the "war issue" and declared
it the one and only thing &c be con-
sidered; but Iittie thing like self
reputation doesn't bother the white
haired statesman from the Buckeye
state, fact that was emphasized by
later developments.
Sound money" is the thing in New
York, where something is needed to
divert attention from the rotten rec
ord of the republican party in its con-
duct of state affairs; but out in Ohio.
the presidents own state. that great
admins tration issue would not do at
ALL At least so Grosvenor declared as
soon as he got home, and he has manu-
featured special issue for Ohio con-
sumption.
Out there where the country natural
~ expected that the presidents finan-
cial policy should be strongly defended
by his party, the republicans have put
up a civil service bugaboo and are
fighting it. Grosvenor has announced
that the campaign must be run on the
tissue" of the abolition of civil service,
Or at least its extension so the boys can
have more offices. Speaking of this
action on the part of the Ohio leaders.
the Chicago Tribune. which Is one of
the stanchest republican papers of the
west. says:
1.-The republican leaders have showed the
money question on one side, in order to
bring to the front Congressman Gros-
venor's great issue. That issue is the over
throw of the merit system as regards fed
eral employees and the restoration of the
villainous spoils system, with himself as
one of the chief managers and benefi-
Charles. 1t is no wonder that as the result
of allowing the democrats to work free
silver for all 1t is worth, without solitary
effort to expose the fraudulency of their
demands, and as the result of advocating
the spoils system instead of discussing the
monetary question. the men responsible
for that kind of campaigning are afraid
Ohio will go democratic.
But that doesn't lay entirely bare
the dishonesty of this Ohio tissue"
The fact is that it is in the power of
the president himself to make such
changes in the civil service laws as will
open up to the republicans almost all
the offices now held by democrats, and
Grosvenor knows better than anybody
that it is the presidents intention, de-
spite his civil service pretensions, to
make the necessary order. Indeed, the
order has already been prepared and
would have been issued some time
since but for the protests of the very
men, like Grosvenor, who are now cry
ing aloud that such changes be made.
These men knew that the order had
been prepared. They had been clam
oring for it, as they are clamoring now.
But when it became known a few
weeks ago that the PRONUNCIATION of
the order was imminent, they hurried
to the president and urged him to hold
up until after the election. Doubtless
Grosvenor himself was one of those
who saw the president, and whose en-
treaties were largely responsible for
the matter being held up. The ground
on which they put their request was
the practical one that they wanted
10 make lot of promises in this cam
Eaign, and it would be easier to make
these promises Ego" than it would be
if the order opening up the offices had
been promulgated.
For this reason it was held up. There
is no possible occasion for an anti
civil service issue in Ohio or anywhere
else--on the part of the republicans
for the whole matter is i'll the hands
of the republican president, and his de-
lay in meeting the demands of his
party is due entirely to the requests
% the republican leaders, who want to
promise Offices promiscuously in the
hope that they may reap some bene-
fits.
All this is, however. in kee ping with
the record of the party. The repUb-
licans of Ohio are afaid to meet the
democats in a contest upon the great
issue raised by the sell-out of their
party to the gold standard, for they
know that they cannot successfully
meet that issue. The democrats, on
the other hand. are meeting it square
IL and with confidence that it is strong
er than ever with the people. They
have the courage of their convictions,
and will keep on fighting for them
Atlanta Constitution.