The times., 1899-11-09
Lessons of the Election.

It is pTesumable that the views expressed
by Representative Page Morris OF Mime
sofa yesterday reflected the opinions of
people closely identified with the Admins
tration. and with whom he had previously
conyersed. If so, they are interesting and
instructive. According to Mr.. Morris. the
Republican vote in Ohio on Tuesday was
small compared with what it will be for
Mr. Mckinley next year, as forty thousand
Republican votes which went to Jones will
then be pumped for the President
II such opinions from Republican sources
mean anything they indicate a conviction
that forty thousand members Of the party
this year refused to endorse the President
IN his own home State" at a time when it
was thought he needed their ballots badly,
because of his unpopular adhesion to Han
naism, Eaganism, Sampsonism, Otisism,
and Denbyism. Now, how are these wan
dering sheep to get salt on their tails and
be tolled back into the pen? If they are TO
be expected to vote for William Mckinley
in 1900 the causes of their desertion of tee
elephant banner this week viii have to be
removed. Representative Morris says they
are safe to be counted in next time Then
it must be that there is an intention to
throw the deck load of decayed "isms"
overheard in the interim and scrub and dis
infect the Administration enough to allow
the approach of clean minded and sensi-
tive-nosed objectors to its past and present
misdeeds and corruptions. Can it be pos
sible, then, that before the opening of the
Presidential TT,-va viii 10 r;,--r
a larger dose of rheumatism and eXiled un-
I'll the election is over? VIII the Samp-
sonian conspiracy against Admiral Dewey
and Rear Admiral Schley be stepped on and
wiped out? VIII Long be sent home to his
lonesome and sorrowing village OF Hig-
ham VIII Otis be relegated to the North
western barrack life he once so much
adored, and viii DENLY be returned to the
banks of the Wabash far away" where if
anywhere, he belongs? While willing to
Ecpe for the best, we doubt it all We fear
that Mr.. Mckinley could not bring himself
TO perform these plain and mandatory du-
ties. even if forty thousand Ohio votes
were TO be his reward of merit.
Much as We mourn his shortcomings,
and his Elasticity under evil influence, in
matter Of detail on the general proposition
he has been right in his confidence that the
American people are with him in the
American policy OF national expansion,
which he has foTtuitiOus!y borrowed from
the Democratic fathers. and is applying in
accordance with the popular will, but, in
some sadly notorious instances, by means
OF men and methods repugnant to Ameri-
can conceptions of ability and honesty.
Still he has right TO consider the verdict
at the polls in Ohio and some other States,
as an expression of national adherence to
the doctrine of expansion, and as a protest
against the propaganda of the Hoars,
Mosts, Masons, Schurzes, and Atkinsons.
For this privilege Mr.. Mckinley may
thank the Democratic platform trainers
of his native state, and sadly wish
that their prototypes in Maryland had
been equally non compos mentis. In
that Commonwealth the President may
discern what would have happened TO
his party in Ohio Il Democratic per-
yerseness had not insisted upon trying
10 force an issue upon the masses which
true Americans cannot be brought to swal-
low anywhere. The greatest hope that he
and his advisers can nurse today is that
provincial feeble -mindedness may attack
The next Democratic National Convention,
and make it as 4anti-imperiaI' as the Ohio
platform Of that party was in 1899.