Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-08-01
Deals in Platitudes.

Deals in Platitudes.
President Mckinley, in formally &C.
cepting denomination, deals in the
same platitudes with which he has
Wearied the country for the last two
years. He ignores the facts and weayes
rainbow-tinted cobwebs about the ugly
facts which have characterized his ad-
mhistration. About the only pertinent
remark which he makes in his refer
cree to his colonial policy is this:
Some things have happened which
were not promised, not even foreseen."
Quite right he is on that point, but
when he talks about the Republican
party liberating 100000 of the hui
man family from ''the yoke of imperial
ism" he insults the intelligence OF the
voters Of the country. The Republican
party has simply tried to exchange
the blue-blooded Imperialism of Spain
for that of the carpetbagger of the
United States, and no wonder the Fill
piaos object to change Of masters
Wien they have right to expect indie
pendence.
Mckinley wabbles as usual when he
attempts to discuss the Porto Rican
matter. He asserts that we have given
that island "beneticent government
and strings out few vague phrases
about Congress legislating with due
reference to the fundamental principles
Of liberty, etc. But not once does he
dare to admit that this Congress at
tempted to put itself above the Consti-
tuition, nor can he affirm that it did not
do this.
File is silent about the Cuban postal
frauds, the failure to pass the Mica
ragua canal bill, the failure to express
sympathy for the Beers. the turning
down of all labor legislation, the armor.
plate grab and dozen other live issues
brought up whenever review of his
administration is made. He seems
honestly to believe that nobody knows
of his mistakes, and he is evidently
trying earnestly to forget them himself.
Roosevelt hurried through a. very
brief and disjointed acceptance of his
nomination in order to marshal the
of impatient photographers who lnfest-
ed the porch at Oyster Bay. Roosevelt
poses at least ten times day before
the camera, and it is apparent that lie
feels that the dissemination of his va
rlous photographs is the one thing
needful for successful campaign.
Roosevelt has neither platform nor con-
victions in this campaign. He rather
sulllily repeats the official formula that
he "hopes Mckinley will be reelected"
but even in accepting the Vice FRESH
Dental nomination lie could not Corr
bear to express his chagrn at lmlng
edged out of New York politics.
Democrats Conf lent.
The Democratic Congressional had
quarters at Washington are the scene
Of the utmost activity and cheerfulncss.
Since the close of the Kansas City CON
vention campaign work has begun In
good earnest The platform is so
strong and the ticket SO satisfactory
that the Democrats believe there is no
doubt but they will have majority in
the next House. They are sending sut
well-selected literature. and the whole
campaign has been thoroughly organ
lied with view to securing the best
results in each district. There are
score Of districts where a change of
from 400 to 600 votes will elect a Dem
ocrat. Fortunately these are among
the very districts where the popular an
dignation is greatest against imperial
ism and the Porto Rican outrage.
The Republicans admit that they are
beginning to discover how thoroughly
their party is torn with dissensions
when they get into the Congressional
campaign. 1t was not SO difficult to
keep up semblance of harmony in
State and national conventions, nor for
that matter to secure denominations;
but the Republican committee is ap-
palled at the bitterness on one side and
the apathy on the other toward their
policy. The tried and trusted rank and
tile of their party is about evenly d.
vided between these two states of feel
ing. 1t is beginning to be evident that
the people intend to teach a lesson to
the Congress- which considered itself
greater than the Constitution which
created 1t.
Overriding the Constitution.
In the organization of every territory
under Democratic administration Con-
gress confined itself strictly within the
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