Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-08-23

drop upon our side OF the eafth during tne
present campaign, he might be somewhat
puzzled by the apparently contradictory
nature OF the accusations made against
President Mckinley.
He would learn on the one hand that the
President is weak, vacillating, unreliable
and completely under the control Of Mark
Hanna and the trusts His fellow candi-
date on the Republican ticket, Theodore
Roosevelt, not long since bluntly and
cruelty asserted that the Ohio Napoleon has
no more backbone than toy chocolate
man. Evidently he is hardly strenuous
enough to suit Theodore
Carl Schurz, gold bug and former Re-
publican, charges that his convictions are
50 weak that it is hard for him TO hold on
to them.
Senator Wellington, gold standard Re-
publican, accuses him of lying, and says
Mckinley is totally unfit for the Office OF
President, because he is 50 weak and vacil-
lating that be can't stick 70 an opinion
over night.
II he could know his own mind and be
consistent for twenty-four hours at a time
be might do; but such thing is impossible
with him, and for that reason he is unfit to
be President "
Sundry other uncomplimentarv and dis
paraging remarks concerning the Presidents
moral backbone have been made by MEM
bers and former members Of his own party,
in all of which, as might be expected, the
Democrats most heartily concur.
On the other hand our celestial visitor
would hear the President accused of over
riding and violating the Constitutional
having practically seized upon imperial
powers in dealing with the Philippines and
China-with seeking to fasten upon the
country the large military establishment
that belongs TO monarchial government,
and with inaugurating a policy that is
leading the nation into career Of conquest
and military glory which will eventually
result in the destruction of our liberties.
Paradoxical sit may seem, these charges
are both, in a great measure, true; and it is
because they are true that our Republic is
in such grave danger from McKinleyism.
1t is not that Mckinley is a man of
ambitious and despotic temperament, seek
ing TO overthrow popular government and
to establish himself at the head of an
Empire. II this We're the case we would
have little to fear
The danger lies in the clustering. domi-
neering spirit of jingoism, the mad lust for
conquest and military glory that seized
upon portion OF our people when Spain
went down before our arms and has carried
the President off his feet against the first
and better dictates Of his judgment.
No man has ever overthrow the hber-
ties of a people without their consent. The
Greeks lost their freedom because they
were no longer worthy of it,
As Demosthenes said. IF Philip had not
existed they would have made another
Philip for themselves.
Napoleon Bonaparte's seizure OF the inn
perial power was only possible because the
French people had become so imbued with
Imperialism that they. endorsed his action
by practically unanimous vote
So it was when Louis Napoleon over
threw the second Republic, eight million
votes being cast in favor of investing him
with the imperial dignity, while only a
quarter OF a million were cast in opposition.
Emerson says: There is less intention
in history than we ascribe to it. We I'M
pute deep-laid, far-sighted plans to Caesar
and Napoleon; but the best Of their power
was in nature, not in them.
Men Of an extraordinary success, in their
honest movements, have always sung,
Not unto us, not unto US According to
the faith Of their times they have built
affairs to Fortune, or to Destiny, or to St.
Julian.
Their success lay in their parallelism TO
the course Of thought, which found in them
an unobstructed channel; and the wonders
of which they were the visible conductors
seemed to the eye their deed
Did the wires generate the galvanism?
It is even true that there was less in them
on which they could reflect than in another;
as the virtue Of pipe is to be smooth and
hollow. That which externally seemed
will and immovableness was willingness
and self humiliation.
There is little doubt that, personally,
Major Mckinley is an amicable gentleman
of excellent character and possessing con-
siderable ability, but deficient in those
rugged qualities and the mental breadth
that go to make up statesman OF the
highest type.
The one great principle around which he
has steadily revolved during his public
career has been the protective tariff to his
mind all things else are of secondary inn
portance. He is like a number Of well
meaning people who believe that liquor
prohibition is the all-important question
that confronts us, and if that were only
settled, it would matter little how other
questions were adjusted.
Having seen the protective system fasten-
ed and riyeted upon the country, he is
quite willing to administer the government
according to the wishes Of the people, as
he understands them.
parcopaI1v he was Sor -or - al
ism--did not want war with Spain-was
opposed to the annexation of territory
against the wishes Of the inhabitants and
did not believe that we had any more right
to levy tariff against Porto Rican products
than we have to thus discriminate against
New Mexico or Oklahoma.
But having been led TO believe that the
preponderance of popular sentiment was
against him on these questions, he I'M
hesitatingly changed front, believing, no
doubt that he was thus carrying out the
will Of the American people, and ensuring
his own reelection.
The safety of the Republic demands
McKinley's defeat, not because he seeks to
destroy the Republic, but because he has
suffered himself to be drawn into policy
that denies the inherent right to self
government, and must inevitably result in
the downfall of republican institutions
Should the policy of the Administration
be endorsed by the people this fall, does
any one doubt that it would everywhere be
accepted as proof that the American people
have abandoned the teachings of the
Declaration Of Independence; and that we
are in favor of large military establish
ment, the forcible annexation of any
territory that we may consider essential to
our National greatness and the disregard OF
Constitutional limitations when they con
fict with our National policy?
Suppose then that at a future congress
sional election there should be returned a
majority opposed to the expansion idea,
and Congress should harrass and oppose the
President, instead Of furnishing him the
means to carry out the policy upon which
he has embarked and which had received
the approval of the people this fall; would
there not quickly arise demand from the
imperialist element that the President
should use all the power at his command to
carry out the will of the people as expressed
by his reelection, and prevent Congress
from stultifying the nation and making US
ridiculous in the eyes of the world?
Perhaps Mckinley would not follow the
example OF that other noted imperialist,
Louis Napoleon, and dissolve Congress; or
that of Napoleon l, and drive the legislative
body out of the CAPITOL at the point Of the