The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1899-09-14
IMPERIALISM
Goes Down in Missouri
With Overwhelming
Majority.
BLAND'S SUCCESSOR
Elected by a Good Majority on a Close
Drawn Fight OF Administration
Policy.

lH6 IDOSb SuDSbuutidt iuuiCuViOh
that the Imperialistic policy is
doomed In the Southwest, is the re-
suit of the special election We'd
nesday, to fill the vacancy caused
by the death of Mr.. Bland, late
Congressman from the 9Th Missouri
district.
This election was not an ordinary
one. BY consent of both sides, the
result was to be accepted as a test
of strength OF the Philippine policy
of Mr.. Mckinley. No other issue
was discussed for weeks during the
contest preceding election. Not
only that, but recognizing the sig
nificance of the result, large sums
of money were poured into the dis
trict by the Republican Congress
sional Comm ittee. The Republican
candidate was acknowledged to be
a good man, of German descent,
and strong with the German vote
in the district. More than that, he
was given the appointment of
Census Supervisor, thus enabling
him to use for campaign advantage
appointments of couple hundred
census enumerators, to help him
win.
The Democratic candidate was
handicapped. The district had
been represented for a generation
by Mr.. Bland, who by his prestige
as a silver leader had secured
practically life tenure of the
nomination. Accordingly, when
he died, Democrats who for years
had been unable to be considered
for election to Congress-, were inn
patient to make the race; and there
was a bitter contest for the nomi-
nation, which left many of the can
didates and their friends embitter.
ed.
The district has been of recent
years Democratic, by narrow
margin, and six years ago it was
carried by Republican without
great difficulty. The Republican
papers throughout the State have
had special correspondents work.
ing in the district, and with edi-
torials and financial aid as we'll,
have done their utmost to secure
the election of the Republican, as
an endorsement Of the President and
his Philippine policy. The Demo.
Gratis stood on this simple declara-
tion: I'VE are unreservedly oppos-
ed to the militarism and imperial.
ism of President Mckinley"
Concluding series of editorial
efforts to pull the Republican can
didate through to victory, the st.
Louis Globe, the leading admlnis-
tration organ of the West, said !:
"With the whole country watching
the result of motion to censure
the Presidents Philippine policy,
the failure of Republican to go to
the polls ia practically a vote for
the Democratic proposition to re-
primand the President and sur
render in Luzon."
But this is practically what the
Republicans decided to do. They
took this as an excellent opportun.
ity to show the President that they
disapprove not only of the weak
and inefficient manner in which
the war against Aguinaldo has
been waged, but their opposition
to taking the hordes of Asia into
assimilation and competition with
American laborers. This district
piled up the handsomest Demo-
cratic plurality it has given for
many years. The result was a
modification to the Republicans
not only in the district, but through
out the West who see In it a clear
proof that whatever strength ex-
pansfon may have had year ago.
1t has none to-day. 1t was strong
In Missouri, as 1t was generally
through the West and Southwest.
1t Is fading away rapidly, and the
result of this special election shows
1t 80 conclusively that Republicans
in Washington now admit the pro.
bability that this Administration
will be forced to patch up some
sort Disagreement with Aguinaldo
and get out of the Philippines with
as much grace and dignity as cir
cumstances will admit. AS a po-
litical issue, Imperialism will be-
come soon as great burden as
Know Nothingism was years ago.
One Is quite as un-American a
policy as the other, and delibera-
tion is all that is needed to insure
Its vigorous rejection by true
American manhood everywhere.
Twenty-eight hundred was the
majority given the Democratic can