The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-28

Many predictions are finding their way
into the uninspired organs of HaLnaism
concerning the Presidents action on the
all important subject Of the suppressed
Porto Rican plank in the Republican plat
form. We observe with interest that these
party organs which speak by the 2ard are
maintaining a discreet silence on this topic.
Putting two and two together. therefore.
We conclude that the unirspirei organs
after while will have cause to regret that
they ventured into the dangerous field of
prophecy. The trend of all Of their predic-
tions is that in his letter of acceptance Mr..
Mckinley will cure the error and omission
in the platform.
We feel emboldened to prophesy little
on this score ourselves. Your true prophet
is he who. either consciously or uncon-
sciously, reasons along the line OF cause
and effect. he also judges the future BY
the past. With these principles as our
guide we feel safe in predicting that Mr..
Mckinley will not attempt to supply any
platform deficiencies in his letter of accep-
tance. Mr.. Mckinley is too amiajle by IA
ture and too great lover of harmony to
commit any act calculated to put him at
cross purposes with his party. The Phila-
delphia platform 1--WE can imagine him
J arguing) represents the calm. deliberate,
and dispassionate judgment OF the party.
Hence, why should he, mere member CT
the party, pit his opinion or his wishes
against such judgment? Thus reasoning.
Mr.. Mckinley will conclude. we dare say.
r-ir TO- tn
pursue is that which leads to the har-
nomination of his own views to these set
! forth in the party declaration. The Presi-
dcEt will not be compelled to confess that
the tremendous issue involved in the Porto
Rican legislation which he officially ap-
proved was lodged by his platform makers.
We recall distinctly that in his last an
nal message he talked bravely about pain
duty" and told bis party in Congress wat
it should do in order that cur plain duty
TO Porto Rico should be discharged. TIE
chief feature of this plain duty pro-
gramne was TO give the products Of Porto
Rico free access to our markets. But Mr..
Mckinley's party in Congress discovered,
with the aid of a Ger tain Mr.. Oxnard, rep
resenting the Sugar Trust, that Our plain
duty demanded discrir mating duty of
fifteen per centum of the Dingley rates on
all Porto Rican products brought to these
shores. So thoroughly convinced was Mr..
Mckinley that his party's view of plain
duty" was right and his own was wong
that he called 10 the White House sIndry
dull members of Congress who had obs III
nately chung to the opinion he had first an
nounced and showed them the error OF his
own way as well as the error of their way.
So it may be. as the Hon. Charles II. GTos-
vcnor insists, that the President approved
plank asserting the full power of Con-
gress over all the territory of the United
States, subject only TO the fundamental
safeguards OF liberty. justice. and personal
rights" and that this plank was ruthlessiy
thrown out by "a driveler from New 70 k
or elsewhere-who served on the Plat
form Committee al Philadelphia. But we
think We have shown by example that in
the philosophy of the Hon. William McKin-
ley the man was wrong who wrote The
fundamental safeguards plank and the
man was right who suppressed it. We con-
fess, however, that we are utterly at io-s
to account for Grosvenor. He Is presumed
to know the Presidential mind quite as well
as the President himself and yet he is
talking as, if there were really an intention
on the part of Mr.. Mckinley to utilize for
the purpose of castigating the "drivelers''
and regulating their "drivel'' the oppor-
tunity which will be afforded him when he
gives to an eager and waiting world his
letter of acceptance. 1t is this talk OF
Grosvenor's which makes us feel a little
uneasy in the role of prophet.