The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-03-13

Il
Now, don't be too sure about that,
neighbor. 1t looks very much as If
one year from now the Napoleon" will
have started on his retreat.-Canton
News Democrat.
All, but Mckinley was never known to
retreat, neither in war or politics.-Alli-
ance Review.
What, never Well, let us see, first
as to war. We believe it has never been
claimed that the Major was an especial
ly gallant soldier, or that he ever dis
tingulshed himself particularly on the
field Of battle. But let the record speak
for itself.
Cedar Creek, Middletown and Winches-
ter are historic names. Every school
boy knows how, on the morning of the
10th of October, Early's Confederate ar
my cautiously approached the Union
camp at Cedar Creek, surprised, burst
in, carried the position, captured the ar
tillery while the routed troops fled in
confusion toward Winchester, where the
gallant Sheridan had returned the pre-
vious night, and was now, in his famous
ride, on the way to the front. What
followed is best described in the Per
sonal Memoirs of p. II. Sheridan" in
which he says (page 81: my first halt
was made just north of Newton, when
met chaplain digging his heels into
the sides of his jaded horse, and making
for the rear with all possible speed. 1
him how matters were going at the front.
He replied, Everything is lost; but all
will be right when you get there;" yet
Notwithstanding his expression of conf
dence in me the parson at once resumed
his breathless pace to the rear. At New
ton 1 was obliged to make a circuit to
the left to get around the village. 1
could not pass through it, the streets
were so crowded, but meeting on this
detour Major Mckinley, of Crooks staff,
he spread the news of my return
through the motley throng there" This
point was about seven or eight miles
from the scene of the battle. What!
Mckinley never retreats in war? Yet
the brave Sheridan meets him near the
demoralized chaplain, seven or eight
miles from the scene of the conflict with
his back turned towards the enemy,
and like the panic stricken parson,
pursuing a "breathless pace" to the
rear, shouting all the while to the
motley throng," Sheridan has come!
Sheridan has come! while Sheridan was
pushing on to the front. for he says,
| (page S2) II did not stop, desiring to get
to the extreme front" When Sheridan
arrived at the front he found that Get
tvs division Of the Sixth corps and the
cavalry were the only troops in the
presence of and resisting the enemy"
What! Mckinley never retreats in
| war? If this was not a retreat. pray
what was it? If Major Mckinley did not
retreat, why did Sheridan find him with
motley throng" eight miles or so from
the scene of the battle, instead of at
| the front? So much for war.
Now, as to politics. Mr.. Mckinley has
done nothing in all his political life but
retreat from one position to another.
In proof of this, look up his record while
in congress on the silver question and
compare it with his position now. Read
his famous Toledo speech in which, he
called President Cleveland to task for
his efforts to debase the white metal and
then read his speech before the Ohio
Society last SATURDAY. night. If this is
not a retreat from his former stand,
what is it? Then take his letter Of ac-
ceptance in 1896, with reference to the
civil service, in which he pledged him
self to sustain and enforce the civil SER
vice, and says, II will lake no backward
step upon the question:" yet in May OF
1899, he issued an order taking 10000 Of
| flee holders out of the civil service.
Does this look like a retreat? Bat to
come nearer to the present. In Decem-
ber last, the president in his message to
congress said:
"The markets of the United States
should be opened up to her [Porto Ri
co'sl products. Our plain duty is to
abolish all customs tariffs between the
United States and Porto Rico and give
her products free access to our mar
kets."
Yet in March we find him appealing to
the Republican members Of congress-
to pass the Porto Rican tariff bill, in op-
position to his recommendation in De-
cember. If this is not retreat. what
is it? When has Mr.. Mckinley, polite
ally, done anything else but retreat?
His political life is nothing but a series
of retreats. Why. even now. he is again
| retreating from his position of q few