Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-11

that from October to November he will
carry out this idea, but the conservative
democrats had no more to do with the few
weeks he will spend in Lincoln than has
the national committee.
Alike I'm One Respect.
1t has been remarked by those who know
both President Mckinley and Mr.. Bryan
that they are alike in their freedom from
fearing the effects on the campaign Of what
somebody else may say. Major Mckinley
apparently never shared the nervous fear
which kept Gen. Harrison on edge during
the campaign Of 1883. when visiting dele
cations went to Indianapolis. The Bur
chard episode was fresh enough to give
some ground for unusual precautlon. No
visiting committee or delegation was al
lowed to have a spokesman unless the
orators speech was written out in ad-
vance. and submitted to Gen. Harrison.
Occasionally some ambitious spouter would
protest against this ruling, and would go
away without making speech. But Gen.
Harrison never wavered in insisting on 1t
an in making sure that there was 10 Varl-
alton from the manuscript
In the porch campaign at Canton in 96.
with the hundreds of visiting delegations,
such a rule could not have beeen followed.
In a general way the orators may have
been given hints or have been cautioned,
YET there was always possibility OF some
one making break. But the idea which
controlled in the Canton porch campaign
was that the significance of the visiting
delegations lay in what they represented
rather than in what was said for them.
while the significance of the speechmaking
was in what Major Mckinley, the candi-
date, said. Everybody who came in con-
tact with Major Mckinley was impressed
will. his confidence in his ability to strike
the keynote. So there was less worry
about other speeches than might have been
supposed
The history of the porch campaign has
never been written as it might have been
written. 1t was the understand .ng that
Jos eph p. Smith. who possessed the contl-
dence OF Major Mckinley in remarkable
degree, and who. before going into politics,
was a newspaper editor of literary ability,
would write this story of the campaign.
But his ill-health and subsequent death
prevented him from carrying out the task
Major McKinley's speeches during the cam
paign are, of course, accessible, but the
rest of the story has to be gathered from
the newspaper files On one day Bryans
record was beaten, for twenty nine visiting
delegations were received and most or
them heard speeches from Major Mckinley
That was the day when the confederate
veterans from the Shenandoah valley made
their pilgrimage to Canton.
Bryan VIII Do the Talking.
Mr. Bryan probably will receive more
delegations this year than he did four
years ago. but he will continue to do most
of the talking. Usually he was Indifferent
to what might be said to him. and showed
no fear lest he should be embarrassed by
the sentiments Of other persons. When the
occasion was a big one, such as notifica-
ton of his nomination by one of the numer-
Gus third party organizations, sometimes
he had little talk with the orators. and
they may have got a hint of things he did
not care to have said. Yet it, in their eXu-
berance, and there was much exuberance
in their oratory. they traversed dangerous
ground Bryan would calmly ignore it and
by his own speech overshadow that which
from the partisan standpoint would better
not have been said.
Both Bryan and Mckinley are alike in
their belief that campaign issues are made
by the people. though their method of
reaching a conclusion as to what most in
terests the people is not the same. Bryan
jumps at it, while Major Mckinley waits
and watches. In 1896 much was said about
the wish Of the republican candidate to
have the financial question subordinated to
the tariff. After the election, In the quiet
of his Canton home. one evening in a con-
fidential talk he expressed himself with
some feeling regarding this criticism. Pro
lection. he said. made more votes for
sound money than sound money made for
protection" That was the epitome of his
President Mckinley is a great believer
in the Thickness of public utterances. Last
year when the Ohio republican state cor
vention met in June there was some feel
Ing that 1t should have been more pro-
on expansion and the Philippines.
l ne PRESIDENT waited I'LL during his vaca-
ton at Lake Champlain when he gave the
first definite statement of administration
policy. This was followed at Pittsburg by
his address to the Pennsylvania volunteers
who had returned from the Philippines.
This address called out chorus of patriot
ic sentiment. 1T was the time and the
casion to make it," was his comment on
the favor with which his declaration was
met. If the occasion arises to define more
specifically the attitude of the administra-
ton regarding China the Presidents ut
terances will probably come in the same
way. at the time and the occasion which
he thinks most fitting.
CHARLES NJ PEPPER