Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-12-08
McKINLEY'S DEFEAT.
IT is WRITTEN UPON THE POLIT
ICAL FiRMAMENT.

IT is Written UPON The POIIT-
ICAL FiRMAMENT.
Wherever the Contest has been Based Purely
Upon National Issues There has Been Show
Of Weakness over lS96-This is Specially So
in Ohio--The Omen as Read by Supporter
Of the Administration. the Washington Post.
National watchman.
The result of the late election in
Ohio where the campaign was con-
Quoted upon national Issues is a sting
ing rebuke to the administration
State pride has always been Il potent
force to condone the otTenses of any
public official and particularly has
this been true of every State where
the official requesting an endorsement
was high up in the councils of the ma
ton. But the condemnation of Nc
Kinley and Hanna by the voters of
Ohio is sweeping and decisive. When
State that has habitually given Re-
publican majorities ranging from
forty to hundred thousand reverses
itself by giving an opposition majority
of fifty thousand the change is always
considered stupendous. But when, as
in the case of Ohio. the Presidents
own State, notwithstanding the full
power of the administration was d.
rected to hold the State in line, the
President himself, accompanied by his
cabinet taking part in the campaign,
it reverses itself and refuses the Presi-
dent an Endorsement by such an over
whelming majority, it plainly proves
that the policy of the President is
most distastefnl to the voters and is a
premonition of what may be looked
for in the country at large next year
unless the odious policy is abandoned.
The Washington Post of the 14th
ult.. commenting upon the result OF
the election, contains the following:
"John R. Mclean can congratulate
himself upon having made a gallant
fight against overwhelming odds, upon
having kept intact the Democra tic
organization in Ohio under most un-
favorable circumstances, and upon
having demonstrated to tho sntire
satisfaction of the country that a very
considerable majority of the voters of
his State are at least opposed to Re-
publican policies and purposes what.
ever may be their differences among
themselves. The Jones vote was as
much anti-RepubIican on this occa-
sion as the Mclean vote, and while
the division resulted in Republican
victory, the fact, together with its
significance, remains undisturbed."
The above from the Washington
Post reflects the verdict OF all thought
full men upon the result in Ohio. 1t
is significant, comingas it does from a
paper not only warm supporter of
President Mckinley, but defender of
his policy which it admits has been
condemned by the voters OF the Buck
eye State.
The people have only to be aroused
to realizing sense of the offenses of
the present un-American administra.
ton in order to have every State in
the Union condemn it in the same
vigorous manner that Ohio acted on
the 9th ult.
Note the contrast afforded by the
State of Nebraska, another State
whose traditions are Republican. Here
also the campaign was conducted
upon national issues. Bryan stepped
boldly into the breach and visited
every portion of the State, pointed out
the evils of the policy of the admins
tration, condemning the same in
vigorous terms, and freely stating the
policy he would substitute for it. The
people were afforded fair chance to
pass upon the merits of the case, the
administration being represented by
Governor Roosevelt, Senator Thurs
ton and Assistant-Secretary of War
Meiklejohn.
State pride could not be appealed to
in Nebraska because Mr.. Bryan held
no Office, but the verdict of the people
was that Mckinley was wrong and
that Bryan was right. If the people
of all other States will commence now
to prepare the minds of the voters for
the election of next year the verdict of
, the voters of Nebraska this year will
be made the verdict of the country
next year.
RuhOnic plaoue