Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-04-09
REPUBLICANS ARE WITH HIM
HE HAs.N OPPOSITION WITHIN HIS
OWN PARTY.
Present Situation and That Which
Confronted Republicans. In 1868
COntrasted-The Party Could
Scarcely BE in Better
Shape Than Now.

WASHINGTON. April S.-(Special) Some
of the Democratic organs, notably the AL
bany Argus, appear to be confident that the
beef scandal will down a second term"
Mere scolding never determines great ques-
tions Of governmental policy. In the pres
ent aspect of public affairs. no unsettled
future event can be more certain than
that President Mckinley will be his own
successor. The war department and army
controversies growing out of the war. in
cluding this beef scandal. have furnished
| the most convincing evidence of the presi-
dents strong personal hold upon the
masses, by whom he is carefully segregated
from the various wrangles going on. He
has no opponent in the Republican party.
The fight between the secretary Of war
and the malcontent elements behind Gen.
dent Mckinley any more than a similar
fight on Simon Cameron in 1861 'downed"
President Lincoln. y
There is only one point Of resemblance
between the general political situation now
as 1t relates to a war administration and
year of his administration confronted Mr..
Lincoln. Lincoln was opposed by McClel-
Ian, the chief military general of the hour,
or who for a brief time had been, as Nc
Kinley is opposed and fretted by the rank
ing general Of the army of our own day.
Here the parallel ends, for otherwise the
situation is far more favorable to the Re-
publicans in 1899 than it was to Mr. Lin
cold and the party In 1868 at this date.
The civil war was then at q standstill;
disasters had befallen the Union cause in
the East, and Grant was still cropping on
the Mississippi. Then, suddenly. the great
defeat of Charlottesville fell like pail
upon the country, and Mcclellan, the un-
successful and shelved general, was already
again in the mouths of the opposition as
its only possible savior. Vicksburg and
Gettysburg revived hope for a time. but
the dragging campaign of 1864 again ener-
gized the reactionists.
In 1864, Lincoln's denomination even was
for. time considered doubtful. A large
radical element In the Republican party
moment. and the eyes of this powerful fac
ton were mainly turned toward Salmon p.
But the weEe Ssd Mh tine
renominated by the Baltimore convention
he was openly. opposed by such powerful
Winter Davis and many others equally
prominent and influential. A convention Of
these bolting Republicans nominated John
c. Fremont, another unsuccessful military
commander. and in face of this party split
Lincoln himself thought things looked black
for his election up to the time Of Sheridan's
Until the 18th of September, 1864, it seemed
almost inevitable that General George b.
Mcclellan. on a peace-at,any-price plat
president Of the United States. But F're-
mont withdrew in September. which event,
with the Union military successes, assured
Now, the successful Spanish war is ali
over ere the political campaign begins Not
a battle was lost and comparatively few
cheap and glorious victory In a war which
popular pressure had impeled the doubling
administration to wage. Much territory mas
pulse evolved, the North and South reunit-
ed. and other benefits secured. All these
things are appreciated by a grateful peo-
len malcontents to make it appear other
wise.
The Republican party is apparently more
period of its existence, and deservedIy so
1t has the presidency and both branches
of congress by sufficient majorities. 1t car
ried the country in the off-year of 1888 an
unusual occurrence. whereas in the on
year of 1862 Lincoln lost largely throughout
the North, and the great Empire state and
OtuSfS went lAtO tu0 HdnQS OF the party
opposed to the prosecution of the war Tha
house was almost a tie, and but for the.
fact that the Southern states were out the
Republicans must have lost congress bv a n
overwhelming majority.
When the short session Of congress ad-
journed in 1868 the fortunes of the Lincoln
administration We're at very low ebb, Ii
was spending 5000. .000 a day and frightful
appropriations were compelled to be made
to carry on the war. Drafts for additional
soldiers had been ordered in communities
already strained to the breaking point and
in this black night of war, financial ruin
and threatened social chaos hardly a raw
of light was anywhere to be discerned.
But the patient Lincoln persisted in the
fight, handicapped though he was by a re-.
caIcitrant element in his own party secret
ly engaged in undermining his best efforts
and even obstructing military operations,
That was the political situation in 1853
1t Is very different now. All the bill of
particulars of the Spanish war have been
scanned by the American public. and the
score paid of: The expenses although
ing remains unsettled except little matter
of some rotten beef. which President Nc
Kfnley was not aware had been issued to
his soldiers In the field. Congress has ad>
tourned, after closing up all the dangerous
controversial questions which It had been
the design and the effort OF the Opposition
to have left open A review Of Its work
shows that Republican leadership has COM
pieteiy swept all the aftermath of war out
of sight against the day when the fight
OF 1900 opens.
The war has necessitated some pretty.