The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1899-09-02
A BITTER PILL.

Everybody recognizes the fact tina,
William Mckinley will again be nom
mated for the presidency by the re-
publican convention next year. ln
fact he must be nominated. for he
stands close to the bosses, and is an
exponent of every doctrine the party
puts forth; really doctrines cannot he
made too fast for him to accept them.
But seriously speaking, his admins
tration must be endorsed by the party,
therefore his denomination is assured;
the republicans have no other choice,
for TO turn him down would be to
acknowledge the failure OF their party
in its control of the government.
The democrats will gladly meet the
issue with Mckinley as the standard
bearer of the republican party; no op-
posing candidate could suit them bet
ter. But to honest republicaus-those
who accept the doctrines the party
1nunciates because of principle and
not for the hope of official reward-he
will be bitter pill to swallow, not for
the reason that they question his
partisanship, but because OF his SEEM
ing dishonesty in the administration
of public affairs. Many of the leading
republican journals recognize his
weakness, and would rather hazard
nominating a new candidate than un-
dertake to defend his administration
Among them is the Portland Oregon
ian, that never hesitates to criticise
the presidents action, and show his
shortcomings aud mistakes. Here is a
criticism that appeared in its Sunday
edition which shows how that paper
feels toward him:
"What pull has Captain Carter,
through powerful friends, on President
Mckinley? 1t is an interesting ques'
tion. Captain Carter was convicted a
year ago of having defrauded the gov
ernment of very large sum OF money.
The amount is nearly $4,000, 900. Cap
tain Carter belongs to the engineer
corps OF the army. The findings OF the
court have been long time in the
hands of the president; yet this kind
executive refuses to act on them, and
Captain Carter continues to draw his
pay and emoluments, just as If he
were an honest man and not con-
victed liar and thief. OF course, there
is some powerful political boss in
terested in him to whom the presi'
cannot say nay. This is quite in ac-
cord with the character and practice
of William Mckinley"
This Carter affair and the Eagan in
cidept are two acts that can not be
called by any other name than dis
honest, and cannot be excused except
by acknowledging that Carter and Ea-
gan were favored because of the "pull'
of some powerful friends who have
influence with the president. But de-
spite such incidents as these the
republican press will support Mckinley
after he has been renominated. Even
though they know his administration
has been corrupt. they are 30 party
bound that they will not bolt the
ticket The Oregonian admitted as
much in an editorial few days ago
when it said that Mckinley must be
elected notwithstanding his short
comings, in order that republican
doctrines may be main tanned. +" Such
admissions embolden the Mckinley
managers, and will cause them to force
his nomination regardless of the pro-
test of those who demand an honest
administration. But he cannot be re-
elected without votes, aud there are
hundrens of thousands voters in the
ranks who will repudiate
him on election day. They will not
support man who thwarts justice by
screening such rascals as Eagan and