Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-07-27
M'KINLEY,s CLAIMS
Upon what the President VIII Base
His Hopes for Renom-
iuafiOn.

At the national treasury department
merchandise during the last fiscal year
is placed at $53o,s66.037.
| The excess was SIS, 066, 500 less than
for the fiscal year 1898. The decrease
in the excess was due chiefly to in
crease in imports, since the value of
merchandise exports was only $4,O3S,-
905 less last year than the year before.
The value of merchandise exports in
June was SOC, S24,145 while the value
of merchandise imports was S61,6S6,-
EOS, giving $35, 137.93T as the excess of
exports for the month.
Worshipers of the protection fetch
tell us that 1T is on those figures, with
an intervening successful war, that
President Mckinley win base his
| claims for denomination and election
for second term"
For what in connection with the sue
cessful war viii he claim credit? 1t is
notorious that up to the last moment
he did all he could, or pretended to be
doing all he could, to prevent the war.
If he did anything to promote it he did
it secretly while pretending to be using
every effort to avert war. Does he now
admit that he was Janus-faced and
does he give that as reason why he
should have a second term?
As for the prosecution Of the sue
cessful war, to how much credit is he
entitled. 1t was he who made Alger
secretary of war and kept him in the
cabinet, although the war was not
II, Al. IL i l. F@,~,
became evident to every unbiased and
intelligent American that he was unfit
for the position he held. If he has ever
done anything to make the most of the
services of such officers of the army
and navy as Miles and Schley the fact is
not known to the public. Is it for this
that he deserves a second term?
While the successful war was in
progress and while the peace negotia-
tons were going forward he took such
military measures and made such de-
cisions with respect to terms as in
volved the country in second war
which has not yet proved successful.
This second war might easily have been
avoided had he taken other measures
and formed other decisions which were
perfectly obvious to every rational
man. Not only was this second war
wholly unnecessary, but it has involved
the country in enormous sacrifices of
life and treasure, and the president has
taken no adequate steps to carry it
quickly to success, although congress
has placed ample resources at his dis
posal. Is it for this that he deserves a
second term?
Mr.. McKinley's claims on account of
the balance of trade" have even less
solid foundation. Indeed, they are SIM
ply preposterous. Did he cause the
famines in India and Russia? Did he
produce the climatic conditions under
which crops were short in nearly every
cereal-growing country except our
own? If the world is really indebted
to him for short crops, high prices and
famine, is that reason why humane
people should wish to make him presi-
dent for a second term?
The very obvious truth is that Mr..
Mckinley and his policy have had no
more to do with the excess of exports
over imports of merchandise than they
have had to do with the tides or the
spots on the sun. When a republican
horn tooter tells the American people
that Mr.. Mckinley will base his claims
for nomination and election for Sec
ond term upon the custom house re-
turns of our foreign trade he does not
pay a high compliment to the intelli-
gence of either Mckinley or the people.
Chicago Chronicle.