The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-10-03
COLONEL DICKS CHAPGEs AGAINST
THE PRESIDENT.
Cincinnati Enquirer.)


in the News columns of the Washing
ton Post of Thursday the 21st inst.
col Dick the chairman of the Ohio
Republican state committee, brought to
the president yesterday afternoon the
information that the Republican party
in Ohio was well organized, was enthu-
siastic and was certain of victory. The
talk lasted over a quarter of an hour,
but there are still some matters that
are to be settled. The most important
is the question of speeches by the pres
ident as he crosses the state on his wes-
tern trip. Col. Dick says that he is
certain the president will not deliver
any formal addresses, but it is possible
that some rear platform talks will be
made"
We venture to say that in all the heat
of the last presidential campaign, no en-
mey of Major Mckinley ever charged
upon him anything so ineffably mean
and contemptuous as the course which
Colonel Dick now charges him with con-
templating. The Post is a most reli-
able newspaper. 1t has not carelessly
placed these words in Col. Dicks mouth.
1t states clearly, in effect, that Col Dick
Is certain that President Mckinley will
stump the state of Ohio while pretend
ing not to do so. He means that the
president is in hot pursuit of the second
nomination next year and of q second
term OF office; that he Is afrai1 to com.
NIT the gross improperly of taking the
stump in his own behalf, but at the same
time, is afraid not to do so, For him
10 stump the state of Ohio during his
term of office and beg a reelection
would be the work of sturdy beggar
for votes which he fears will
not be given him voluntarily. The
to which we allude consists in
the statement that the president will
not deliver any formal addresses, but it
is PROBABLE rnat some rear platform talks
will be made" Talks from q rear plat
form are stump speeches when made by
Mr.. Bryan on the eve of an election.
What, then, are they when made by
President Mckinley? Is a stump speech
any less stump speech because in the
middle of 1t the speaker declares he is
not making stump speech? Is the rear
platform of car any less a public plat
form when so used than a temporary
platform erected on public square for
use of astump speaker, Col. Dick Says
the president will not deliver any formal
addresses, but he will nevertheless, de-
liver speeches from the rear platform of
the car in which he travels, and the ad-
organs will take the hint
from Colonel Dick and call them talks"
The talks that the president will make
If any, will be the very best efforts of
which he is capable to persuade his
hearers that they ought to give him
second term of the presidency. He will
be putting himself in the market-place
and crying aloud to the people: "Your
most sweet voices; indeed, would
again be president" Whatever he may
say, even though he should be silent
concerning the current campaign, will
none the less have his own political in
terests as its sole object. Col. Dicks
assurance that the president will not
deliver any formal addresses is an ad-
mission that it would be violation of
the decencies of high official propriety
to do so. But in the same sentence he
assures us that the president will prob
ably violate these same decencies by
making talks from the rear platform as
he travels through the state for the
purpose of making such talks. He is to
NC NSoNiAiSN All oilOlhSi SlnlC pSJOiid
Ohio, 80 that it may be said that his
stumping tour was something else.
Will the president carry out the pro-
gram marked out for him by the chair
man Of he Ohio Republican state COM
mittee? Perhaps he and not Colonel
Dick marked out the program. 1t would
be cunning stroke for the president to
instruct Colonel Dick to make the an
nouncement above quoted and see how
1t would take with the public. The art
full lodging contained in the announce
ment really seems beyond Colonel
Dicks calibre in that particular direc-
tion. We know of no man more skilled
than the president in saying a thing in
two different ways and making 1t ap-
pear that he said two things. The very
language that we are discussing is an
ILLUSTRATION Of high art in that line. II
contains the statement that the presi-
dent will not stump Ohio. and at the
same time, that he will stump Ohio
He will not make any formal addresses
because that would be lowering the dig
nifty of his office. but he will make
speeches and call them talks"
But dismissing all consideration of the
paltry indirection and false pretenses OF
which Colonel Dick says the president
is likely to be guilty, there are power.