The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-01-02
DEWEY AND LEE.
Democratic Ticket Proposed by
Henry Watters0n.
Says It is the Only Hope of the
Party.
IN NINETEEN HUNDRED
The Platform: The Stars and
Stripes, s'God Bless Them"
Thinks Mckinley and Wheeler
Will Lead Opposition.
IN NINETEEN HUNDRED

Louisville, KY, Jan. 2.-Mr. Waiter
son has a characteristic editorial in the
Courier-Journal for New Years greet
ing. In it he dominates Dewey and Lee
for the 1900 ticket as the last hope of
the Democratic party. After brilliant
review of the 1896 campaign and reiter-
alton of his old statement that free sill
yer is dead as African slavery, he says:
ITO come down to hard, logical facts,
old horse sense sitting in the rocker
the issue of free silver being relegated
to the limbo of busted shades, the tariff
issue peacefully reposing upon the shelf
where the Cleveland administration left
it, to wait for free trade under new
conditions, the season OF famine ended
and the season of plenty arrived-what
are the Democrats to do for a national
platform and ticket?
There is but one thing for them to
do. The voters have about made up
their minds that party pledges are made
chiefly to be broken. Let the Demo-
Gratis, banking on this circumstance put
up ticket without a platform; let them
nominate candidates for president and
vice president who are a platform in
themselves; and, If they can induce the
great, admiral and the gallant general
to accept, here is the card to win with:
For President-George Dewey of
Vermont
For Vice Observation-Disclosures Lee Of
Virginia.
'Platform-The Stars and Stripes:
God bless them.
Even now the Republican leaders
who rarely fail to take time by the fore
lock, and who never let go their grip
upon the shore line, are planning to
make their campaign of 1900 on the
broad principle of national unifcation
and expansion. They are not going to
handicap themselves with any ancient
platform rubbish; high tariff is no long
er wanted by the manufacturers for
whom it was invented. The bloody
to the old clothes basket. The president
knows his business. At the opportune
moment we shall see William Mckinley
and Joseph Wheeler march down to the
footlights hand in hand, the flag above
them-beneath them emblazoned on a
strip of red, white and blue, The Land
We Love From End to End or words
to that ERECT, and then, what? What
are the Democrats going to do about
it? How are they going to meet it?
Their only hope is for a new shuttle
cut the deal of the political pasteboards.
Every card in the greasy pack they
have been playing with has been thumb
ed, crimped and dogeared to death Ev-
cry card is a marked card. They might
as we'll play with hands spread upon the
table, face, up, as to hope to win with
such cards. But if they can send the
FOOLS TO the rear and get their level
headed men together, lit is not too late
for them to, day the foundations for
campaign having at least some tangible
chance of success before it.
There are yet, nearly two years of
uncertain ground for the Mckinley ad-
ninistration to get over, including
short and a long session of congress-
and if the Democrats be wise they NAV
greatly profit thereby. But not in the
way of fractions criticism, nor in the
way of blind, undiscriminating opposi-
ton. To deal in such child's play is
simply to throw themselves out of court
They must in good faith accept the inc
vitable; they must stand by the army
and the navy; the honor of the nation
and the sanctity of the flag, holding the
powers that be rigidIy responsible for a
wise and just disposition of the vast
trust which has newly come to us.
There must be no clubbing about
constitutional tecbnicalitieS where the
right of the government to acquire ter
ritory is involved; but, constituting it as
heaven-sent responsibility, they must
take the ground that this territory shall
be governed only upon Democratic prin-
ciples, looking to one of two ultimate
conclusions; either annexation as states
of the Union or independent republics
under American protection If there be
saving grace enough left in Democratic
councils, these general lines will en-
brace the future policy of the party. If
not, the party will die the death Of the
unrighteous."