Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-14

INDORS EMENT OF THE A DMiNiSTRA TTON
The New York Evening Post, which
has persistently and vigorously opposed
the policy of the national admnistra-
ton, frankly admits that the result Of
the late elections was an endorsement
of that policy. Unlike most of the other
anti-administration papers, which seek
to show that there is little in the cleo
tions from which President Mckinley
can derive any encouragement, the
Evening Post sees in the result abun-
dant reason why the administration
should be well satisfied. 1t finds in the
republican victories In Ohio, Iowa,
Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New
Jersey and elsewhere conclusive evil
dence that the country is with the ad-
ministration.
"Mr. Mckinley" says that paper
"now has unmistakably the confidence
of the country. which means power"
and it suggests that he can, if he will,
in the exercise of that power, write the
gold standard indelbly in law,
strengthen the civil service, redeem and
rectify the consular service, and insist
upon the highest standards of honesty
and efficiency in the islands where our
flag now floats. "Ie even can, we be-
lieve speaking more rightfully than
ever in the name of the nation, by re-
newed offers of clemency and CO.
operation hasten the end of the de-
,,In 10 ~, ha n
regard to these suggestions it may con-
fidently be predicted that Mr.. Mckinley
will be found in full accord with the
practically unanimous sentiment of the
republican party in favor of legisla-
tion giving the gold standard the
vitality of public law. The Ohio re-
publican platform declared for this and
there can he no doubt that the trainers
of that declaration knew 1t would have
the approval of the president. AS to the
civil service, there is not the least reason
to apprehcnd that 1t will suffer at the
hands of the present administration.
In releasing certain positions, not nu-
mcrous, from the operation of civil
service regulations, the president dis
appointed the more radical civil serv
ice refOrmers, but it is not apparent
that the policy, of which Mr.. Mckinley
has always been an earnest supporter,
was materially If at all weakened
thereby. nor did it furnish valid rea-
son for impairment of confidence in Mr..
McIIinley's devotion to the principle of
civil service reform. The consular serv-
ice has improved under the present ad
ministration, as shown by the testi-
mony of foreign observers, and this
may safely be accepted as assurance of
further Improvement. No one under
stands better than the president the i'm
portance and value of an efficient con-
sular service and he will seek to i'm
prove it in every practicable way. The
desire of the administration for honesty
and efficiency in the island dependen-
cies must be judged by what has been
done and this no reasonable or fair
minded person can find fault with. The
administration of affairs in Cuba, Porto
Rico and the Philippines has unques-
tionably been honest, in whatever other
respect faulty. AS to the policy in the
Philippines, it is not to be doubted that
the president is as anxious as anybody
can be to hasten the end of the war,
but it rests with congress to say
whether efforts in this direction shall
90 beyond the offers of clemency al
ready made and still open to accept
ance by those in arms against the
authority of the United States. The
president conscientiously believes that
he has done his whole duty in this re-
spect and 1t is now for congress to de-
termine whether the course that has
been pursued shall be adhered to or
different policy adopted.
That the sentiment of the country is
largely with the administration no one
can doubt who will nationally and can
didIy interpret the late elections and
there is every reason to believe that
this sentiment will be stronger year
hence than it now is, because in the
meanwhile all the conditions that
create and promote it are likely to
improve.