The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1899-11-17
Letter From Washington.


elated owe the returns from Tn,
twelve States where elections wer,
held Tuesday. The interest IT. thes,
centered in Ohio, Nebraska, Mary
land and Kentucky. Because OF the
fact that in Ohio the issues were mar
rUwed down 10 a question Of endorse
ment OF McKinley's administration
the chief anxiety IN these election:
was as tn the result IN that State
The Republicans we're forced u make
as desperate hght u retain the State
as they would do " the Presidency it.
self were at stake; and the result
shows clearly the weakness OF the adj
mlnistratiun 10 what has been con.
sidered its stronghold.
In Nebraska, where the Republicans
made heroic efforts to defeat Bryan,
theRepublicans lost over 2.000a as com
pared with 1897. In Maryland the
Democrats made practically a clean
sweep, turning cut the Republicans
who had gained a temporary hold up
on the State, upon purely lncal issues.
Kentucky appears u be safe for Gne-
bel. and eve Massachusetts and Iowa
the Republicans suffered heavy losses,
although they managed 10 hold the
States.
In view OF the can paign made In
Ohio, and the heavy losses Of the Re-
publicans 10 Jones. the Golden Rule
candidate, the State may he safely
put in the doubtful column next year.
and IL will be 50 considered by conser-
vatiye politicians. To carry the State
for Nash, the Republicans had access
tn unlimited funds from the Republic
can National Committee: the State
was filed for weeks with federal Office
holders from Washington, working
with arguments and money for Nash:
and the old plan Of political assess
ments upon Office holders was revived,
in fragrant violation Of the civil SER
vice law. And yet, in spite OF all this
the State showed a large Republican
loss. There was but lukewarmness in
response To the constant appeal to Re-
pnblicans tn support the administra-
tion. and morally at least. the Presi-
dent and his party received a decided
setback 10 his own State.
The friends Of Admiral Sclley in
WaShingtOn-and there are many Of
them-interpret the defeat Of Gov
ernOr LOwndes in Maryland as a re-
buke to the naval clique that has per-
.sistently e%ndeavOred to minimize
Schley's work at Santiago and to mag
nifty that of Sampson. The President
was warned early during the summer
by leading Republicans. headed by
Gen. Felix Angus, OF the Baltimore
American, that the treatment Of
by the Navy Department, was
a sore subject with Marylanders. and
the results show that in Frederick
county, the home Of Admiral Schlcy.
a Republican majority Of 1000 in 1896
has been turned into a Democratic
majority of 700. And there were
other losses in Republican counties
which can only be account d for on
the same grounds.
The magnificent response Of Ne.
braska To Bryan's appeals to keep in
line tor Democratic principles. is ii
victory for the Democratic can
didate for the Presidency. 1t puts
him clearly to the front for 1860. and
any doubt whatever had existed as
TO his denomination. it should be re-
moved by the manner in which he is
endorsed at home, against the most
jealous work Of the republicans to
break him down.
The results prove that the Presi-
dent has no strength before the coun-
as a war, candidate" Whatever
leeting prestige may have been to his
dvantage because OF the unequaled
work OF the navy in the Spanish war,
mas vanished from political considera-
ion. II Mr.. Mckinley is renominat-
I'd. as is very doubtful, he will % be-
'ore the country On his record AS Pres.
dent, and the new issues before the
as the result of his admins
He will not receive any con-
siderable help from the fact that a
var is in progress in the Philippines.
md there will be none Of the tradi-
,ional fear to swap horses while cross
NC a stream.
Taken all in all. the Democrats in
Washington are thoroughly pleased
With the results Tuesday. They find
10 cause for discOuragement in any
quarter, but on the contrary there Is
he utmost confidence that matters
ire all going their way. and that the
losses everywhere, indi-
plainly in the elections just
1eld, will continue and increase to
such an extent as to insure Bryan's
Easy victory twelve months hence. #
IS a fact, also, that the Republican
eaders are discouraged with the evil
lent OBJECTIONS from their strength
everywhere. There is no little discus
sion Of the wisdom Of sidetracking
Mr.. Mckinley and making the race
next year with Harrison, Reed. Rouse
1elt or Dewey. Any Of these, Repub.
leans say, would be more likely to
win than Mckinley; and they argue
hat his weakness having been expos
I'd. it would be folly to venture al.
Jther campaign under his leadership.
General Wheeler, OF Alabama, who
holds a commission as brigadier gen
sral In the Philippines, announces
that he will return in time to be sworn
n as member Of the House. He was
reelected to Congress, and SUISSE
luently was appointed by the Presi.
lent in the Volunteer army. In view
" the refusal OF the House to dispose
If the question Of Wheeler's right to
1Old these two appointments at the
same time, IT. will return to yex that
again In December. Speaker
Reed had no sympathy whatever with
Whecler's determination to retain
both places, and when the General
recognition on the floor. the
firmly and pe%rsistently refus-
ID 10 see him. 1t Is not probable that
Henderson will be 80 deter
Wheeler has many friends in
he House, who believe that unques-
the General has no right to
10 the army and at the same
lime In Congress. But some OF them
ave not the moral COURAGE to vote as