Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-11-06
ELECTION OR AUcTIoNe

lions of American voters are preparing
to go to the polls is the belief of nine
out of ten of those of them who keep
abreast of events that nothing short of
n landslide can elect Mr.. Bryan to the
Presidency This belief is entertained
quite regardless of party affiliations.
The basis of this opinion is the con-
viction that the more important doubt
full States will not be counted for Mr..
Bryan il he receives in them a small
majority. Few believe tibet if Mr..
Bryan received 10000 plurality of the
votes actually cast in Indiana. Illinois
or Ohio that the returns would show n
majority for him. Between the casting
and the counting, the majority would
be '"lost" from the Bryan column and
would reappear in the Mckinley col
umn.
This is why the betting fraternity
gives odds of to 1 on Mr.. Mckinley.
They are betting that there will not be
n landslide for MIR. Bryan, and they
are convinced that nothing short of big
majorities will elect him. 1t is the rea
son also for the confidence of the New
York Stock Exchange that Mr.. Mckin-
ley will succeed himself. 1t is the in
spiration of Republican hopes and the
basis of Democratic doubts.
The cry of bribery and fraud we have
with us always, of course. OF this we
are not speaking, but of the quiet con-
viction in the minds of well-informed
men of both parties that money, in
timidation and coercion can be depend
ed on to reverse the popular Judgment,
unless it shall be expressed in over
whelming majories, turning a Repub
lican defeat into Republican victory.
When So large a percentage of Amer
lean citizens. of the most intelligent
class of voters in both parties. come to
believe that money can defeat the will
OF tie people, seating one man in the
Presidents chair when another was the
choice OF the national electorate, a
blow has been struck at the Republic
in its most vital spot. The American
conscience was scared by the belief
that the Presidency was stolen from
Samuel j. Tilden in 1876; the campaign
OF 1896 added a new maxim to the
popular opinion of campaign manage
ment-'You can't win without money"
No people will long continue to re-
spect an Office that can be bought.
They Will not respect a government
that subsists by fraud. THERE
AFTER 1t can be maintained only by
force. Corruption leads to destruc-
ton of genuine popular government.
naturally and inevitably.
The Republican party and the men
who control it, finance it and use it for
their own personal ends-carefully con-
ccaled from its rank and hle-are re-
sponsiblc for the belief in the minds of
millions of voters this morning that
to-day the Presidency is for sale and
will go to the highest bidder. In all
its record of sins against the Constitu-
ton against popular government,
against the high and honorable pre-
cepts and traditions of n cleaner and
less mercenary generation of Ameri-
cans. there is none so black as this
Its reconstruction outrages against
human liberty, the orgie OF carpet
baggery 1t instituted and protected, it's
tNO races III
forcing unrestricted suffrage upon the
Just emancipated blacks-thesc things
are insignificant compared to it's theft
of American pride in American Gov
eminent by the corruption of the cleo
torate at home and the prostitution of
the flag abroad.
Honor that has to be saved by dis
honor is not worth having. Men who
viii buy or steal a Presidency are
hardly fit guardians of national honor
The man who to-day votes for VIII
liam Mckinley gives his sanction and
support to the fouiest conspiracy
against national honor" ana the men
who have always upheld it most
stoutly-thc plain, everyday. American
citizens.
How business men of discretion can
endanger the security of every busi-
ness interest in the country by help
ing this conspiracy to its consum-
nation. we are unable to understand
when it leads surely and swiftly to an
unrest. disorder and uphcaval that will
shake the country to its foundations
If Mr.. Mckinley should succeed him
self by means that men understand to
have been corrupt. and there comes
during his administration financial de-
preston and ranic, as is likely. we
shall have scenes enacted, in the larger
centres of population. beside which
Homestead, Pullman and Latimcr will
scen Insignificant.
- - -
Latterday Republicanism stands for