The Atlanta constitution., 1900-11-12

President McEinley's Opportunity.
Now that President Mckinley has
been hCnOred by another term OF four
years in which 10 round ont his public
career. he has before him such an op-
p1rtuBity as has only been presented
10 one Of his pred -cessOrs-I ncTlas
JCs'ersou-.ius. oue hundred years ago.
To Washington there belongs. Pre-
emineugIy. the honor OF the formative
period OF the new people whose history
was 10 play such an important part
81 tie affairs of the world. IL Was
mattc- a. doubt "a the time as 10 what
should De the controlling character o.
the new government. The people haa
become independent under Washing
tcu. and st was not uut.l the rev gov
eminent was actually under way that
tho real test Cf the principles o. tho
declaration ~ independence began.
The governments o. the PAST had teen
tentrgIi- and sr.ocT3fic. With dihtr-
iug degrees of privilege accorded 10 the
uecn.c from this standpoint the rev
u.urfcuists had f0 proceed. confronted
sy twp schools ~ thousat-ihe one
leaning toward ole theories cf Govern
mental powers. the other seeking tine
utmost extension ~ individual and To-
cal rights. &c was Thomas Jefferson
who. in the campaign o. 1909. definite
Is established she ides % the AmeTI-
can republic as we have since had i.
and under which the American people
have become great aud mighty he
war between the states merely decided
that this union should continue.
Tor the Grst time. under the admin
slratipn 81 SIr. Mckinley. now draw
ing q a close. has there been sugges-
tion - a departure from tie time
h1nored character % our government
II is true that this has not been at
tempted within the states themselves.
but The principle Cr freedom from con
ztitut-oLai restraint. once allowed in
outlying territory. w0uIc rot g. long
DELAYED in interfering with the states.
Ii this fear democrats were not 2 one.
Republican state legislatures promptly
denounced iL rep f5,icau newspapers
Uf standing riei with those democratic
IN Their denomination. and thus the
quarrel entered into Tile political cam
ra.En as burning issue. The
republican party was clad - drop
rhe issue Ike q h0- coal AMI
tt-Ou-h bis fg.ecGs tho president
insisted thar his IDEAS were m.sun-
de-stcot. and that it Uas his intru-
riCu 70 maintain American precedent
and 20 keen every promise made. With
the imperial issue thus set aside a-i
d.sowuet. and che reps tii1an voters
Convinced ~ the fact. Mr.. Mckinley
has secured reelection. II must ha
confessed Gf tie same time that hun
creis az flru suds az men of demo
cratic instinct likewise couE inccd ~
tEe pre- dents sincerity. ant being
ave-se ra 8 change OF administration
dur.U- e national crisis. voted for him
also. Hence We feel justified iu say
inr ff-t --- Mckinney owes his re-
election tn t.s disclaimer - the fears
which u.l been entertained al his
political purposes.
This leeds us 90 tho declaration that
E- Mckinley has before him such IN
opportunity as was only en Dyed by
jefferson. The great democrat gave
Official stamp to genuine republican
Tr.uci~'cs. ss opposed o. those 81 mon
archIcgl nature and at tho same f.ne
gave u- m expansion Cf territory
which carried with it nm egla' exran-
sion ~ citizenship and cons ru-iousl
risb- WI Mr. Mckinley. lending or
iu the rue-eeth as jefferson eid ir
the Elteeu-h century. cve he same
emphasis t0 clu=tifrr ou3l local and
individual r.eht win hc s-r 90 it
tn-' under our Har there fz n1 d.equa'-
fired c'lss chat th- constitution o. She
United States sEalI te tte supreme iaw
fnr tla president lua congress as uel
as Tor the mass Cf the reoD'e2 3y
making r-umin ut ard effective th-s
fact. BE- can best answer the fears g
the people of the United states To
would De unfortunate f1- the country
II his declarations In the eempa'cn
shculd prove Co have been for the pur-
pose of iril.ng the people into acquies-
'euce. because M force is more & be
feared than a people betrayed.