The Jamesburg record., 1899-12-02
A Repentant Democrat.
From Newark Advertiser.

thousands who in 1895 turned from the
convention bulletins that announced the
PRESIDENTIAL nomination of William len.
nings Bryan, and who, then and there
upon, though Democrats, resolved to vote
for William Mckinley.
IL was entirely logical that this large
class of dismayed and humilated voters
should wish for the Republican candidate
a PRESIDENTIAL tenure and career that
might be in the nature of a vindication for
themselves, and it was equally to be ex-
pected that these voters, far more than
the normal partisans of Mckinley, would
observe and mark the progress of his ad.
mlnistraton. 1t would be futile to par
tIcularize here as to any of the monument
al shortcomings of the man chosen az
President in 1895, and it would be i'm
possible to recount them all. Next year
the literature of the political campaign,
II at all comprehensive, will be voluble
and vital on that line. It is little to say.
even laconically, but it is ponderously
true to say that the administration of
President Mckinley, from his induction
to this day, has been the most monu-
mentally mortifying and unsuccessful in
all the public life of the country.
Nothing in partisanship has been too
contemplate for the active support or
acquieseence of the President. even to the
astounding recourse of volatlizing the
Spanish American war with the vicious
Influence of party prejudices. Though
fore I'd into patriotic, National defense by
the Democrats in Congress and against
his own wavering and abject wishes-the
President promptly adopted line of
military procedure that was certain to
crush any patriotic impulse proceeding
from other than Republican sources, the
result being that many of the most effic-
ent methods and individuals of the
emergency were sent into eclipse, while
some of the most patent shams as to both
became conspicuous for unftness and
failure. These preferred creatures were
generally only the time-servers of the
Presidents political organization, and
could not have proved other than costly
and demagogical marplots.
If there has been anywhere an exhibi-
ton of stalwart fidelity by the President.
it has been wholly in behalf of the small
and dangerous class whose greed, ambi
ton, influence and power are the great
est menace to our National principles and
life At no time has he for an instant
stood forth in the name of the great mul-
titude Of his countrymen and for their
rights. No public act that was not one of
toadyism has thus far marked even faint
hearted faith by him in the integrity and
indispensability Of the American common
people. Pampered and exalted by men
who confess no loftier emulativeness than
riches and political power, and controlled
openly by the most blatant ideal of that
creed. Mckinley has not in his entire pub
lie career impressed the suggestion of
craftsmanship anywhere.
Do the American people, the great Ill
lions of commoners who alone can answer
the question-do they dream of reinfict-
ing upon the country and upon the
principles of republican freedom this
wholly unsatisfactory and inexcusable
politician, whose tenure already is reek-
ing with the baleful suggestivenessest that
makes American citizenship sometimes
sorrowp Of course, it can be said that a
politician who vomited forth his financial
for the bauble of the Ameri-
can Presidency could hardly have been,
supposed TO possess great saiptliness, and
that President publicly manipulated by
an Ohio monopolist should not be looked
to for excessive virtues. But it is the
Presidency, and not the man, that, as
never before, the great. hot American
heart is appealed to lift back and upward
where it may again command the popular
esteem and revive our patriotic memories,
Mr.. Editor, there are numbers who COM
pulsorily supported Mckinley in 1896 who
are doubtless likely to do so second t,me'
but of these it is pretty safe to say that
thew are mainly those who themselves
have scared into profit and honor through
public favor. 1t is obvious that the Pres
ident's Democratic champions DO not
dwell among the common people. 1t Is
the ballot of these latter which Is to re-
buke in 1900 with an emphasis at once
and decisive.
We have as a people come upon crisis
of public demand such as we dare not
denv. 1t is not now to dicker as to per-
sonages or party expedients. Unhappily,
.Ha q ga being abnormally corrupt, few
w.. " In nnhlic life offer types OF ire