Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-10-16

while. as we pointed out yesterday
some Of our Imperialistic contemporaries
ara interpreting President Mckiniey's
exnress,on. .sThe courage Of destiny" rs
committing him unequivocally to the
"erab-all' policy. not few Of the anti
! anneYa,,on papers contend that he has
.,.o yscd language on his western tour
which. 10 say the least. can be construed
40 Indicating that he is still undecided
touching the annexation issue.
President Mckinley has said 80 many
things and uttered such variety or SEN
timents On his western tour that, judging
him simply out OF his own mouth, our
anti-annexation contemporaries would
seem justified in giving him the benefit
NJ a doubt" He has discussed every
question-past, present. and future-coh-
nected with the war with Spain. except
the question of its mismanagement, and
I'm default o. the possibility of getting al
an equation OF his views on any given
subject. there would appear to be mo-
dicum Of reason In the contention of the
opponents OF Imperialism. that in his con-
fusion OF ideas there is some consolation
for them. As It would seem from the
punching OF the Presidents utterances
that he doesn't know where "he Is ut"
the anti-annsxationsts naturally argue
and entertain hope that he may possibly
arrive finally at an anti-Imperialisuc
stand.
But there IL a very important fact that
the anti-Imperialists seem not 10 have
reckoned with in this matter. In swing
ing around the circle the President has
been out Of the radius of the malSn H.
fiuence of Hanna. The schoolmaster OF
the administration has been attending 10
other business-the financial business OF
the congressional campaign, perhaps
and has allowed the President little
holiday out OF school-bounds. 1t VIII be
remembered that for some time after the
signing OF the protocol the administration
schoolmaster was not around. AT least
he was not in evidence about the presi-
Dental household. 1t will also be iemem-
bered that during that time the Presi-
dent made several statements which en-
couraged the conclusion that he was I'M
decided on the philippines question. In
deed. some of these statements almost
justified the conclusion that he was posi-
lively opposed to Imperialism. But Han
ma re-entered upon the scene, and what
change In effect, he gave the public TO
understand that he was the real dictator
Of the administration policy, and there
after we heard very little of the Presi-
dents indecision. Thus Ii will be, we
imagine, when Hanna gets Mr.. Mckinley
back TO Washington again, and can spare
few days from the work of putting his
election methods into practical operation
for the purpose Of recoaching his pupil.
So we say that, while we would that
We could take of the Presidents recent
speeches the same optimistic view that
some of our anti-annexation contempt
raries take Of them, we see no hope save
in such a Democratic victory next month
as will make it Enthusiastically manifest to
the Republican party that the path to
Imperialism is the path TO that party's
extinction. We see no hope save in such
a Democratic victory as will be warning
to the Republican party that, should 1t
use its present power 20 consummate I'M
perialism. the people will rise in politi-
cal revolution and crush 1t out OF exist
ence. That might cause Hanna 10 pause.