The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-09-20
The President is Worried.
Democrats Confident OF Car
ryIng Ohio.

tlOu III Oulo, dally grows "oise, auu
Mr.. Mckinley tells the Ohio repnbli-
cans who call on him that the State
must be carried at all hazards. He
sent trusted personal messenger to
New York to meet Boss Hanna
when be arrived from Europe and
tell him just how blue things look
from the administration point of view;
view also to impress upon the nee
essity Of taking steps to see that
plenty of money was provided for
use in Ohio. 1t is probably the TAX
ing of these "steps' which caused
Boss Hanna to stop in New York.
instead of coming direct TO Washing
ton. The matter has been discussed
in cabinet meetings and two mem
bers, Postmaster Gen. Smith and
Secretary Wilson. designated to take
the stump. Mr.. Wilson will speak
mostly in the agricultural section, his
powers of persuasion among farmers
being supposed TO be wonderful,
while Mr.. Smith will talk mostly to
city and town audiences. The order.
ing Of the Civilian Philippine COM
missioners home was also Influenced
to certain extent by the Ohio scare.
1t is hoped to have the next fighting
campaign under way before election
day, and the civilian commissioners
are gotten out of the way 80 that
Otis can have NO excuse for not push
ing the fighting So much for the
republican view of the Ohio cam
paign
Democratic confidence in success
in Ohio is even greater than the
republican fright Mr. Mclean, who
is now in Ohio to remain until after
election, is in constant communica.
ton with his Washington friends
he says he feels absolutely certain Of
being elected governor, and he is not
the sort of man to say so without
believing it himself From other
sources comes the same sort of news
The democrats are united and en-
Enthusiastically confident. while the
republicans are divided into factions.
some of which would rather humili
ate Boss Hanna, whom they have
never forgiven for the rough shod
manner IN which he kicked them out
of the state machine to make places
for his henchmen, than 10 accomplish
any other one thing There is also
much more Ohio republican opposi-
tion to the imperlalistic policy OF the
administration, and especially to the
so far unsuccessful war in the Philip.
pines. than even the democrats sup
posed existed until recently. Much
of this opposition ls silent, and will
hardly result IN direct votes fer the
democratic ticket, but it will increase
the stay-at homes on election day,
which will be the next best thing to
democratic votes
The object of delegation Of
Washington negroes, including a
preacher and several ex offceholders,
in calling at the White House, was a
reminder of reconstruction days
They seem possessed OF the idea that
Mr.. Mckinley has power to interfere
with the proposed election law in
North Carolina, and they wish him to
put clause in mis- annual message to
congress recommending that the pro
posed election law be declared illegal
because of it's violation of the 18th
amendment Mr.. Mckinley is a
strong partisan, but he knows too
much to attempt to meet the wishes
of these negroes, even if they were
citizens of North Carolina, instead of
being meddlers with what in no way
concerns them The "nigger' ques
tion will never figure prominently
again in presidential messages or in
congressional Legislation Ii uncon-
stitutional laws are passed in North
Carolina, or in any other state, the
people can get them passed upon by
the proper legal tribunal, without
either the help or hiudrance of the
president or any official connected
with the executive branch Of the gov
eminent, and the DEGREES of the
courts will De obeyed by the people
The supreme court of the United
States alone possesses the power to
declare state laws unconstitutional.
Ex-senator Joe Blackburn, who
has been resting little in Washing
ton, preparatory to returning to the
stump, did not give the story that
Col Bryan would not speak in Ken
lucky a chance to get fairly started
before he headed it off by saying;
"Mr. Bryan wrote me that he would
be glad to speak in Kentucky and
would leave the details to me There
was no promise of any number of
speeches, nor were any definite ar
rangements agreed upon. have