Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-10-05

A Democrat Who Sees the Drift.

Pennsylvania. In state tnat mas
normal republican majority OF any
where from 100000 to 100000, Patti
son was twice elected governor on
democratic ticket A man who can 40
that in Pennsylvania must have some
thing in him.
Pattison is still democrat, but ne
hasn't trained enthusiastically with
the later day brand OF democrats.
Free and unlimited coinage of silver at
the ratio of sixteen to one struck MN
as impractical, and when the Chicago
democratic convention decided to make
a campaign on that issue Pattlson
took to the woods.
He wasn't with his party any on the
money question and not much on the
tariff question. He didn't believe IN
the Chicago platform denunciatlon OF
courts, and altogether the campaign OF
1896 was somewhat dreary to Mr.. Pat
tison. Still he continued to be dem
ocrat. He hung to the name tenacious
", even as an ambitious pup hangs to
root. He hoped that somehow or other
the party would get through with 1901
financial theories and other fool things
it seems to have gotten mixed up with
and come back to the old lines. IL Is
evident, however, that Pattlson
doesn't see much hope for the demo-
cratic party. He has been through the
west and northwest and sized up the
situation. Here is what he says:
"The financial question in this coun,
try is one Of the chronic subjects OF
campaign agitation, just as the tarin
question has been for years, 1t mas
been clear for some time to the repre-
sentatives of democratic sentiment III
the west, as know it to be in the
east. that the American people are
thinking on matters which more d.
rectly concern their interests.
Il found everywhere in the west uh-
parelleled prosperity, not in manuiac-
turing only, but in agricultural pur-
suits. Farmers are getting good prices
for their products. As they constitute
the great mass of the voters OF this
country, they form an important ele-
ment. possibly the most important III
all political calculations
besides, the relations OF the United
States to the commerce and markets OF
The world are different from what they
were four years ago The people,
find, fully understand this. Then
there was great paralysis in industries
Of all kinds Some attributed 1T to the
financial question and Others to yarl-
. Gus distempers, real or imagined IN
, the economic system Of the country.
!, "No matter what was thought about
: it, everybody knows the result We
are now approaching another cam
/ paign, this time with prosperity every,
where. do not think the farmers and
4 wape-workers, with wages increasing,
; orders coming in from all over the
world, and every workingman, ano
! every dollar of capital put to the Sc
yerest tension to keep up with the de
mand of trade, will stop long to discuss
= or even consider obsolete issues"
!. Upon a question which isnot obsolete
a he is as outspoken:
; "Yes; youmay call 1t expansion or I'M
" nerialism. There are 5000, 900 OF pee
n ME in this country to-day So far as
o learned from democrats of prominenc
/ and influence everywhere, the over
\ whelming majority is in favor OF push
If ing ahead.
n after becoming possessed OF thes
,e outlying countries as the result OF
victorious war, we cannot abando
them. .,
N 81 believe in making short work wit
n. the instruction in the Philippines
r. That is what it is. Settle that part
st the question at once; then let congres
t. arrange the details.
"Let us look at the Louisiana pu
chase. That was a democratic mea
ure. 1t is true, it met with some opp
III sition then, but there is not person
a. the country to-day who can say thi
le that was not hrst-class bargain.
~ Now, take the parallel in the Phlll
&c pines. These islands to-day, vii
III steam and electricity, are not so II
IN away as Louisiana was in the begi
III ming of this country. We knew
We little about the country that the go
ernment organized an expedltlo
under Lewis and Clark, and sent II o.
ne to explore those unknown possessio
o. of the United States 1t was two yea
Vn before the expedition was heard frol
all Now we can hear from the Philippin
ire in few minutes, and we can send 0
Doo merchandise there in less than "
'as months from the Atlantic side OF o
country.
"We as a nation are to-day the nele
, is bors of the whole world. We are sh
he ping locomotives to Siberia, railro
Of bridges into the heart OF Africa, ell
r If trio plants to India, and our textiles ~
md China, street rails to England. we
sti- the foremost nation Of the world IN
900 output of pig iron. We turn out M
manufactures Of all kinds than a
other nation. The peopleare too busy
ere re- stop to consider whether silver sh .,
nus be sixteen to one or coinage II
ere They know that intercourse with
rom outer world in financial matters m
ved be based on the coin OF CONNER
SAT- whether it be gold, silver, nickel
any other thing of fixed intrin
- value.
,The United States Is not only
workshop and granary OF the wol