The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-28
WEDNESDAY, MARCH Is, 1900.


Mr.. Foraker's Brilliant Leadership.
After two or three weeks of incessant
caucusing and conference, the Administra-
sion leaders in the Senate have finally de-
cded to let the Payne Foraker iniquity
come to a vote. when they can get one,
and take their chances Of its passage
Abandoning all hope Of being able to pass
the House bill they have made a com
posite OF it and the civil government bill
and the mixed measure yesterday was in
troduced by Senator Foraker. They viii
now press this interesting confection 10 its
fate, accepting the risk Of what may hap
pen should it slip through the Senate and
get within strangling distance OF the
House.
Just what the prospect may be for pass
ing the enlarged and amended infamy, or
any other thing designed to impose IN
constitutional tariff taxation on the do
nestle commerce Of American territory. it
would be impossible to say with even ap-
proximate certainty Senators Foraker
and Allison are quoted as expressing the
most perfect confidence that. when the
roll is called the Republican Senators
viii rally around the Administration just
as the House Republicans did recently. On
the other hand, members Of the little band
Of constitutionslists on the trust side OF
the Senate Chamber are insistent thar Mr.
Foraker cannot muster enough votes to
pass a bill which does not provide for
immediate free trade, no matter how hard
he may try or how long he may wait Just
row there seem to be enough Republican
Senators with conscientious scruples about
continuing the reign Of famine and desc
lstion in Porto Rico and with respect FOR
'he fundamental law Of the land. TO pre-
vent action, with The help Of the Demo
Gratis if not to dominate it in the direc-
jion Of humanity and justice. 1t remains
10 be seen, when the vote comes. how
many OF these constituuonalists will be
found true to their col0rs That is some
thing concerning which no one. and GER
tainly not The Times. would now venture
d prediction.
Whatever may be the outcome OF the
family feud. and irrespective OF whether
the Administration is TO be viudicated bv
a measure promoted and pressed with the
object OF depressing Porto Rico that The
trusts may be benefited and the campaign
fund enriched. nobody can help admiriug
the courage. devotion. and hxity Of Dur
pose which have illuminated the course OF
Senator Foraker in the connection. even
since the plain duty of Mr. Mckinley
and the every consideration Of justice and
humanity" Of Secretary Root were over
turned and publicly swallowed at the com
mand Of the Oil. su-ar. tobacco. and rum
trusts
II others have been afraid or ashamed TO
set the Administration right and 10 place
Il before the American people upon a plat
form luridly explanatory Of itself Mr.. For
sker has not The absolute self-abnegatfoa
which he has shown and still displars in /
sacrificing his health and peace Of mind ia I
carrying on this Payne tariff war to the 1
last ditch. is certainly admirable when we I.
consider antecedent history. and it aImos, 1
seems to offer evidence Of a return OF good (
Tor evil For who can forget that not so
long ago two Republican factions IN Ohio
1ere flying at each others Threats and 4
WIZ red blood in their ewes hoarzary I
shouting on one side for McKinley-on the I
other for Foraker Again. who does moi /
recall the interesting Buckeye campaign 1
in which the Forakerites were INSERTING /
their cruel political knives In the middriff
Of Hanna and the Hannaltes whenever. on
poriunity ofered2 Evidently Foraker ie n I
fOrgiving as the other equally virtuous Jo-
seph was to the wicked brethren who s-ola .
his coat put him in q hole. and sold him
to the Egyptian pyramid and mummy .
trust. Having pardoned his elder brother
Mckinley. It is Foraker's dearest ambitio, 4
10 serve him, and now. for campaign DIR
poses he would place that once more
fondly loved individual upon a pinnacle of /
periidy to his word and plighted faith Of
callous cruelty to an American communi.v
possessing all the rights Of other like cam
munlties. and Of Nat and open defiance N
the plain letter and spirit OF the Constltu- Z
ton Could disinterested fraternal 8Yer-
tion go further?
II is barely possible that a man Ices
amiable, less unsuspecting. less able TO
20
ing opinion and shade OF opinion as they
walk into audience in turn. might see
or think he saw. something suspicious in
the sudden and miraculous conversion Of
this saul Of Cincinnati from a persecution
OF the Administration saints-holding the
garments Of them which stoned Saint Mar
cu5-to the condition OF the saintllest and
trustiest henchmaH Of the lot But
guileless himself Mr. Mckinley cannot
discover guile in others. and VIII not hum
FOR il. He accepts the platform and min
nacle provided by his late enemy and
occupies them with apparent comfort and
satisfaction.
II It should chance that they d!d not
appeal fayorably 10 the mass OF American
voters next November. that might be a
moving cause for Presidential regret dur
ing the fragmentary remains OF the pres-
ent term; but Foraker would have the
proud consciousness of setting the Presi-
dent right and keeping him so TO the
bitter end. These words OF praise for
political opponent are wrung from US by