The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-06-13
Presidential Troubles.

from Cbioa TIE revolution of t5e
Boxers threatens to expose Mr.. Mckin
ley's imperiaiistic programme concern
ing China 10 advance of the Pceslden-
tial election, which is just what be was
anxious to avoid 10 their anxiety to
aliay public suspicion at home, mem
bers of the commission have been doing
some word juggling that would be
amusing if the matters were not TOO
serious to laugh aboat. For instance,
oh6oiaj statements to the press from the
State Department have emphasized the
alleged instructions to our Minister ss
Pekip, aud to Rear Admiral KempH,
our naval commander 10 Chinese wa
ters, to act 10 concert With the Euro
pean powers for the protection Of
foreigners and their property but not
to join combination Of the powers for
any purpose. Our representatives over
there must be clever indeed if they can
act in concert with the European pow
ers without combining with them.
A marked feature Of the political
situation, is the genuine scare of the
republican leaders over three states
which they have heretofore been claim
ing as certain to cast their electoral
votes for Mckinley. These states are
New York. Indiana and Illinois. In
New with Croker to lock after greater
New York. aud Hill to look after the
other portions Of the State, pulling 10y
ally together. the republicans realize
that the State will be doubtful. In
Indiana, the State ticket nominated by
the democrats, headed bv John W.
Kern, is SO strong that Iadiana Repub-
licans have notified the leaders Of tbs
party that the State is in danger. In
illinois, the tide has been running anti
republican for souae time, and appeals
for help are being received io Wash
iugton. This scare is so bad that
prominent republicans are saying that
il is useless to consider candidates from
other states for second place on the
Mckinley ticket; that be must be
taken from one Of those three states,
and must be maa who will add
strength to the ticket Mr.. McKin.
ley has gone out of his way to make
friends With Senator Mason, of Illinois,
who was decentralization during the
recent session of Congress. aud has
succeeded 10 getting Mason to promise
to take the stump for him. As Mason
isn't the sort of man who can be WOO
over by jollying, it is likely that be
has received some definite aud iron. clad
promises of future patronage.
The industrial commission. so-called
has provided itself with pleasant
summer juoket, all of the expenses of
which will be paid by the "dear peo-
ple.'' It has decided that the iDdus-
trial coud;sious, principally flrtaticna
and sucb, along the Northern Atlantic
coast, must be investigated during the
sunmer, and has arranged for meetings
Of the commission during the next
three mouths. 10 Pennsylvania, New
jersey, New York and the New Eng
land States. One of the Grss duties Of
democratic administration and con-
gress will be to abolish the republicao
government com mission buubug. which
has become so rampant and SO expeD-
sive uuder the Mckinley administra-
tlon.
Chairman Payne of the house ways
aud means committee has given away
the claim of the republicans that the
reason they did not reduce var taxes az
the recent session of congress was their
desire to have the committee grant
hearings and study the question during
the recess. 90 that the right sort of bill
providing for the reduction might be
reported to the house, by the official
announcement that the committee
would not be called together until just
before congress meets. In other words,
the question of the reduction of var
taxes is to be left open until after cleo
ton 10 order that all the big interests
may be taxed for the republican cam :
paigu fund.
Secretary Loag has advertised for
bios for furnishing armor plate for
battlesbips uoder the cowardly law
forced through congress the last thing
before adjournment. making Mr Loog
do what the republicans of Congress
we're ashamed to do-agree to the prices
of asmor set Dy ,oe armor trust, which
will necessarily be the only bidder to
respood to the advertisement True,
the law gives Mr.. Long authority to
reject the bids if be considers the price
too high, and to use the $4,000, 600
carried by the ac:, for the establishment
of government plant to make armor
plate, bat if be acted upon that author
ity, the republican leaders who eogi
neered the coward!y make.sbifs would