The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-26
/ WILL BEGIN EARLY
Republican Campaign Nee dn't
Wait for Convention.
IFS ISSUE 1.-THE RECORD"
Democratic Issue, "Ferninst;;"
Candidate, Bryan.

candidate, Bryan.
| Especial Correspondence of The Eagle)
Washington, Dec 25.-The political cam
| paign Of 1900 will begin almost with the
year. The Republican party viii start
| what is, perhaps, to be the most mem
orable campaign of its existence, very
| shortly after January l, and will keep it
up until the polls close on election day
in November. In the beginning it will be
a campaign of education. The bureaus of
information and organization, and edu-
cation, will be the first to begin work,
and they viii pave the way for all that
viii come Just prior to and after The
| Philadelphia convention.
Before he left Washington, Senator
Hanna, chairman Of the national COM
mittee, was asked about the beginning of
the campaign. He said: I'VE will start
in on our campaign seven or eight
months earlier than we did in 1896. We
know who our candidate is going to be,
and his record will be our guide. There
fore 1t is not necessary that we wait I'M
til after the convention meets and nom
mates the ticket before we inaugurate the
campaign. I do not mean that we will
send out our speakers until next fall. but
we shall begin the educational part of
the contest at the first Of the new year.
When 1 return to Washington, after the
holidays next month, the committee on
literature and organization will meet and
prepare for serious work without delay.
In 1896 it was August before we tnaugu-
rated this feature of the campaign, but
we will take time by the forelock next
year and begin early. The people Of the
United States will be thoroughly familiar
with the record of the administration,
and will understand the Republican poll
cies by the time the physical campaigning
commences. In this way the public will
be benefited, and the committee will make
It's work easier
Mr.. Hanna says the keynote of the
campaign will be the record Of the ma
tiQnal administration. Speaking further
he says: 1.-The record of the administra-
ton will be the Republican battle cry.
On that record our party will achieve an
other glorious victory, and William Nc
Kinley will be triumDhantly reelected.
In those words-the record Ofthe admin
istratton-can be summed uD the Repub-
lican platform. They tell the story of
pledges to the people fulfilled, and of emf
nently satisfactory results obtained
through the application and execution Of
policies Directing the general material in
terests and welfare of the country"
Speaking Of the coming convention.
Senator Hanna remarked: The Philadel-
phia convention will be one of the most
harmonious and enthusiastic in the his
tory of the party. Nearly 900 presiden-
tial delegates will go there for the pur-
pose of renominating William Mckinley.
Thit will be their ruling spirit, and can
you imagine any more enthusiastic gath
erIng than those delegates will make?
No sir; there will be no opposition to
McKinley's nomination. The Republican
party of the nation is aunt for him, and
the convention will reflect the party
sentiments and respect its wishes. 1 do
not know who will make the nominating
speech; the president Will pick the man"
In regard to the Democratic issue and
campaign. the Republican leader, like
everyone else, is at sea. He tsays: Just
what the paramount issue which the
Democrats will raise is problematical. At
this time it looks as though IT would be
silver. and it seems to me it certainly
win be that issue if Bryan is renominated.
That the Nebraskan will be the nominee
again appears to be assured now, and as
he is the leading exponent Of silver, that
issue will dominate all others. l believe.
If some one else is nominated for presi-
dent by the Democratic convention. how
ever. which is highly improbable from
the standpoint of the present, then some
other issue may be put 70 the front. From
the record of the Mckinley administra-
ton the Democrats will pick their issues.
They will find enough material to build
their platform of opposition. Speaking
from an all together standpoint, the
Democratic issues can be unified in the
one term. INSTRUMENTATION They
will be against the policies Of the Repub-
lican party is exemDliied by the history
OF the administration and as carried out
by the president and a Republican con-
gress. The Republican issue already Is
practically made w. It embodies the
party policy with respect to the Philip
pines. the Iegalizing Of the gold standard,
the upbuilding Of the American merchant
marine. the expansion Of our markets and
tbe assertion of commercial supremacy