Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-08-18
Washington STANDARD
OLYMPIA, WASH.
FElDAI EVENING, AUGUST IS, 1899.
Tell the Truth.

Two reasons are offered by a Demo
cratic paper i'll Virginia for the belief
that Mr.. Bryan will be formidable can
dldate next wear. One is that he re-
celved more Votes than We're ever given
any unsuccessful Presidential candidate
before 1896, and the other relates to the
political bearings OF trusts. The first
only need be examined, for the Demo-
cratic party has not, and never had, any
monopoly OF opposition to oppressive
business combinatlons.-Olym
1t will not do to dismiss the latter
proposition in that tlippant manner
The woful experience the Republicans
have had in disposing Of the currency
question by wave of the hand, should
show the futility of such endeavor.
The fact is, and the matter cannot be
disguised by any tinesse, that the Re-
publican party is owned, body and
soul, by the party which crammed the
gVld-standard down unwilling Threats
at st. Louis, in 1896, with mild coat
ing OF sugar, it is true; but it is plain
that they can control it just as easily
in any other scheme required for the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF the wealthy few
who are so diligent and persistent in
the endeavor to feather their nests.
The trusts attach themselves as read
lily to the party of pretenses as barna-
Giles to the bottom of a ship, and it is
folly to deny their existence simply
because they lie below the water-line.
But the point that our neighbor adj
mits requires some explanation is the
phenomenal vote cast for President at
the last election. The solution offered
is that an unusually active campaign
brought out an immense total vote,
much larger than had ever before been
cast. This may be true in part, for
no one can dispute the fact that brib-
cry and coercion were used by the party
having the whip in hand to augment
the vote for its candidates, and this of
course promoted activity of the oppo-
sition, but with all that, there are I'M
mistakable evidences of corruption by
false returns, made possible by COM
bination with the supporters of the
traitor to his party in the Presidential
chair, in placing violent anti-Bryan
partisans on thousands of election
boards in the doubtful and corruptible
States.
Take the returns of Ohio for exam
pie. In fair count the proportion
of votes to population is one in five;
the returns show ono for 4.94 of the
entire commonwealth and in some
parts OF the State ran as high as one
in p of population-a number greater
than the whole male population over
u, including absentees, sick, disabled,
lunatics and felons.
In Chicago, according to summary
prepared by Gov. Altgeld, there were
76,OOO more votes accredited to the
Republican ticket than were cast.
The registration was so large in Spring
field, the same State, as to excite at
tention, still it was not large enough
to satisfy party zeal, and in one pre-
cinct nearly 200 votes were sworn in
by persons who were not on the list,
mostly negroes. Although challenged,
the partisan board allowed the votes
to be counted. The census, taken six
months afterwards, developed the fact
that the total number of male inhabi-
tants was 1880 less than the vote
counted in 1895. According to the re.
turns the vote in Illinois was increased
81 per cent, doubtless largely by this
means.
In Kentucky the increase was 62
per cent. over the vote of the proceed
ing Presidential election, despite the
fact that thousands of Republicans
were known to have voted for Mr..
Bryan. Cleveland carried the State
by 10000 majority; Bryan received
$1,000 more votes than Cleveland, and
still the State was counted for McKin-
ley!
In Illinois the increase of popula-
ton in 1896 over 1890 is given at IL
per cent, while the Republicans show
an increase by vote of 50 per cent. and
the Democrats only 9 per cent. In
Kentucky, the increase of population
was 6 per cent. and the increase of the
vote of the respective parties 62 and
"a per cent. In Maryland, the popu-
lation increased 6per cent, and the
votes Al and 8 per cent. respectively.
In Wisconsin and Minnesota with IL
and % per cent. increase of population
there was a preponderance of about 20
per cent. of increase for the Republi.
can over the Democratic vote cast.
This was arranged for with all the
deliberation and generalization of the
steal of the Presidency in 1876, when,
it will be remembered, the programme
carried out was outlined long before
election, and the statement boldly
made that if Mr.. Tilden's election was
based upon the Southern vote, there
means in reserve which would be used
to seat Mr.. Hayes. The preliminary
canvass made by the Republicans in
1896, several weeks before election
showed that their candidate was by no
means safe and would probably be
beaten. Then it was that the ma
chinery was ingeniously arranged by
the two anti'Bryan parties-the Re.
publicans and the followers of the