The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-09-29
Correspondence of the Democratic Advocated

| WASHlNGTON, u. u, Sept. 70, lSOU.
The leading political event of the past week
has been the open espousal of the cause Of
Bryan by Mayor Jones, of Toledo. Mr.
Jones will be well remembered by the sob.
riquet of Toledo Jones" which he acquired
in last years campaign in Ohio as the indie
pendent Republican candidate for Governor,
when he polled more than 100, 600 votes
which constituted the balance of power in the
State. He is man of strong personality and
original and forceful opinions in political mat
tiers, and occupies unique position in the
politics of the Buckeye State. The last cam
paign demonstrated that he has strong fol-
lowing in the State, of men who, like himself,
cannot condone the extraordinary policies OF
the Mckinley administration, or relish the
| strong odor of Hannaism which it emts. II
is worthy of note that Mr.. Jones, like the
other prominent men who have preceded him
into the Democratic camp predicates his con-
| version primarily upon the unconstitutional
policy of imperialism into which the Republi-
can administration has plunged. The fact
that the Jones vote in the last campaign added
to the Democratic vote constituted majority
of the votes cast give an especial importance
to the attitude of open antagonism to McKin-
ley which the talented Mayor has assumed,
and give the color of probability to Senator
Welington's prophecy that Mckinley will lose
Ohio. There is no doubt that it has added
materially to the present troubles and perplex-
tiles Of the Republican managers.
1t is very manifest at this stage OF the cam
paign that the Republicans are beginning to
realize that they have been premature in the
development of their policy of Imperialism,
and that altogether it has been a mistake.
But they are now quite beyond the point of
successful retraction and must fight it out on
that line, win or lose. This is evidently one
case in which the foresight of Mr.. Hanna was
not equally as clear as his retrospective obser-
vations. 1t was known to the adviser of the
Administration and the shapers of its policies
that the new departure would arouse strong
opposition, but they miscalculated the counter
active force of the accidental prosperity
which they thought would tide them over sue
cessfully. As the policy of imperialism was
favorite one with certain monied interests
that Mr.. Hanna is accustomed to rely upon
for ''sinews of war" it was thought that this
era of prosperity was the accepted time to
spring this departure in policy upon the coun-
try.
But imperialism has aroused deeper and
more portentous note of warning from the con-
sentative and thinking men of the country
than was anticipated, and the increased ac-
tivity in the stock markets and in some of the
manufacturing and commercial circles, result
ing from the accidental and temporary in
crease in the output of the gold mines and the
additional trade of the war contracts, has not
been accepted as satisfactory evidence of per-
manent prosperity resulting from Republican
policy, nor has it been diffused generally
among the people in such manner as to
stimulate the popular pulse. Notwithstand
ing the withdrawal of many thousands ofyoung
men from the supply of industrial labor, for
enlistment in the army to prosecute foreign
wars, the laborer is still complaining of low
wages and the labor unions are generally main
tanning an unfriendly attitude toward the EN-
ploying classes, which in the case of the mine
workers of the Pennsylvania coal fields has
exploded into open antagonism.
1t is now seen that the profits of whatever
financial and industrial activity has resulted
from these causes has been absorbed by the
numerous and still multiplying trusts and have
not found their way down to the people. The
coal miner who for his hard and dangerous
and protracted toll is receiving less than $3.50
a year for the support of himself and family,
cannot understand where his share of the pros
perity comes in, neither can he realize that
through the manipulation of the coal trusts,
his poor brother in the city who labors for Il
living has to pay more for the coal with which
he cooks his food or warns his family Today
than at almost any time since the Civil War.
These are all results of government which
descends to the people and does not 60 up for
them.
Thinking people are beginning to speculate
as to the probable extent of the military es-
tabishment and consequent burden of mill
tarism during the next administration should
Mr.. McKinley's policy be approved by his re-
election. A prominent officer of the army,
whose name discipline requires should not be
made public, has expressed the opinion that
it would be at least $50, 900 men of all arms.
1t is remembered that the lamented General
Lawton, when he first landed in the Philip
pines and looked over the field OF operations
gave out the opinion that 100, 900 men would
be required to subjugate the Filipinos alone.
This opinion of a practical soldier slipped
through the press censorship of General Otis
without detection, and the War Department
and the military authorities did all they could
to suppress it, but its correctness has been
since abundantly verified for with $4,000
men, constituting the flower of the increased
military establishment, steadily pounding away
for over two years, and with thousands oftheir
number already beneath the sod or in lunatic
asylums, it is the impartial opinion of careful
observers that the Filipinos are about as far
from subjugation now as ever.
Think of a permanent military establish
ment of $50, 600 men and then recall that is
written in the State Constitutions regarding
the dangers Of a large standing army aud all
that has been said on the same subject by
leading statesmen in Congress during each of
our past war periods, and you will form fair
conception of what burning questions imper-
ialism and miitarism, as presented in the
pending campaign, really are.
If any nf ynur randarc cbnuld faa1 foo rf,,l
to the resultin November, it would be worth
a trip to Washington for them to drop in al
the Democratic Congressional Committee at
the Metropolitan Hotel, 10 renew their stock
OF courage and aggressiveness. There is GER
talny a confident and courageous atmosphere
pervadiBg their pleasant rooms. Chairman
Richardson is now dividing his time between
here and New York headquarters. The bat
tie in the Empire State is said to present a
very interesting aspect at the present time.
The State ticket is strong one and will unite
the party, and it is the opinion of the Tam
many leaders that Presidential and State
tickets will have 100000 majority south OF
Harlem river. Should this prediction prove
approximately true the Democrats will win
easily.
Chairman Jones has been spending a few
days in Washington. He is generally hope
full, but is especially so now. He thinks the
Democrats are marching on to sure victory in
the middle West, and are gaining everywhere.
The Democrats had big demonstration
here on the 18th in front of the Metropolitan
Hotel, where they stretched across the wide
avenue another beautiful banner. There were
a number of speeches, the concluding one
being by Senator Daniel, who was in his hap
piest mood and greatly enthused his audience.
Among other things, he said: ''The Repub
lean party grew out of transient issue, and
when that issue died the party owed it to the
country to die also." VERrrAs.