The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-07-18
FROM THE NATIONS CAPITAL.
From Ow Oun Correspondent.

-'e SihSiHhueuo-Hhc pcTIOIluunCc OI
being notified of his nomination while
dressed in rough homcspun on his
front porch at Canton, and will return
to Washington and take up the neg
lected management of Chinese affairs.
It's high time. The chiefs of all the
european governments are working
overtime attending to the tremendous
issues that arise out of the eastern
situation and only Mckinley has found
time to leave the capital for vacation.
BESIDES important matters Of detail,
the impression is growing that an extra
session of Congress will have to be
called, or that the President must take
the responsibility Of foregoing all
vengeance for our murdered citizens
if they have been murdered. The pro-
lection Cf the lives of American citi-
zens abroad is one thing. Punishment
for their death is another and quite a
different thing, involving the gravcst
considerations of policy, as we'll as JUS
tice. The State Department was right
III it's argument that the forcible rescue
of our citizens threatened with death
at the hands Of the Boxers or al infu-
rated Chinese mob did not necessarily
involve any act of war against the
Chinese Government. But any act of
revenge, whether by an attack on the
Chinese forces, the seizure of Chi
nesc territory, would be an act of war.
If not war againsC the Imperial Gov
ernment, it would be war against the
Chinese people. Such step cannot
be taken without the express consent
and authority of Congress, which body
alone, under the Constitution, has the
power to declare war.
Many people do not quite understand
the advantages that may be derived
from running two tailed ticket in the
campaign this fall At first blush it
would seem anything but advisable to
divide the fusion forces and thus per-
haps allow the Republican Vice Prasi-
dent to win by plurality vote only,
when the other two candidates had a
majority if combined. But nothing of
this sort is possible. In the first place,
neither President nor Vice Presi-
dent can be elected by mere p,u-
rality. Each must have clear ma
jority of the electoral college, so that
unless Roosevelt gets this majority,
division between the others only means
that the choice will be thrown into the
present House. This, being Republi-
can, would of course choose Republi-
can. But here comes the point. The
voters of the country do not cast their
ballots for President and Vice Presi-
dent at all, but for electors, who can
select anyone they choose fe- the Office.
they would exercise their Independent
choice without any instructions from
the people. But as matter of prac-
tice, they are chosen on one ticket or
another and always vote for the candi-
date Of the party electing them.
There is, however, nothing to prevent
their doing otherwise. A man elected
as a Bryan elector could vote for Nc
4 in!ey and the act would be entirely
legal. If then, when the electors are
chosen this fall, it should be found
had a majority, one would simply
instruct his electors to vote for the
other, who would be chosen. MANY
western men think that the party is
more likely to succeed in choosing the
majority of the electors if these are
divided between the Populists and the
Democrats. For instance, Nebraska
Populists might resent being turned
over to the Democrats, and might vote
the "a mlddlc OF the road ticket, and give
the State to the Republicans. But if
fusion ticket were arranged with, say
five T0wne and three Stevenson cleo
tors, itwould stand better chance of
winning. And the votes, though cast
for different electors, would really be
counted for one man, the other prOba-
bly, being cOns0led by q Cabinet post.
Representative Richardson, Of Ten.
nessee, minority leader of the House,
chairman of the Democratic Congress
sional Campaign Committee, and per
manent chairman of the Kansas City
Convention, has returned 20 Washing
paign. He warmly approves the plat
form and the u0mineeS and thinks
that they will commend themselves to
the country. Said he, "My ideas as to
The platform were pretty clearly set
forth In my speech as permanent chair
man. did not use the phrase free
coinage Of silver at the ratio Of 18 to H.
and saw no necessity for repeating it |
N the platform. The controlling rea-
'vA Ava unLnS IUS Nd6 tuuC SOLu6 CQOOQQC
hat, while free silver was not the
esue of this year, yet, were it omitted,
he very fact Of the omission would
give it more prominence and possibly
cause it to be discussed more than if it |
we're simply repeated in the platform.
The argument was that If it were put |
ntO the platform it would be SUPER
eded by the great issue of imperial
sm. 81, !hls is the important point.
The chief issue of campaign is made, |
lot by the convention, but by the |
country at large, and when the plat
orm declared that imperialism was
ne paramount issue, it was only de-
laring the fact IA it exists. The |
|reatest demonstration Of the three
lays, while the convention was in ses-
Ion; occurred while the plank on i'm
'eriaiism In the platform was rend.
iavo attended many conventions, but
lever Witnessed anything equal to the
Gene at that time"
A somewhat new idea is being tried
his year by the Democrats, who have
rganized what is known as national
recinct Committee, composed of one
gorking Democrat in every voting pre-
inct In the ccnntry. Many States