Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-09-21
FOOLS RUSH IN.
WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO
TREAD" SAYS THE PROvERB.

hese question Under His Own ControI-Ds
lay in Ascertainins the Constitutional Statu
OF Porto Rico Till After Election-RepubIi
cans Alarmed Over the Returns from Main
and imperialism on the Germal
Vote Daylight is Breaking for Democracy.
/ From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Sept. IA, 1900.
Putting the American flag where il
ought not to be is Mckinley special
ty which has brought the country
to trouble and humiliation in big
chunks. But tina. did not proven,
his ordering the flag to be rais ed in
the wrong place again this week. II
is by Mr.. McKinley's order 10 be
raised over the notorious Ii Hung
Chang, who is to be taken from
Shanghai to Pekin under its protec-
ton, and on board an American war
ship if he wishes, and when he gets to
Pekin Gen. Chaffee and his brave
American soldiers are to be his body
guard. What a Use to make of the
American flag and American soldiers |!
This old rascal has been afraid to
leave straightforward alike of his
own countrymen and the powers, with
the exception of Russia, which ia said
to own him body and soul. And now
Mr.. Mckinley rushes into the breach
and raises the American flag over him
and takes him to Pekin, regardless of
whether the other powers consider
such action an affront or not, and he
goes even further. He has promised
Ii Hung Chang that he would use his
good offices to persuade the powers to
enter into negotiations with him, al
though several of them have already
refused to do so. Mr.. McKinley's
friendship for Ii Hung Chang is really
suspicious.
1t would be easily possible to get
decision from the United States SUI
preme Court before the Presidential
election on the case involving directly
the constitutional status of Porto
Rico, and incidentally that of the
other island possessions of this gov
eminent, which has been appealed
from the United States Circuit Court
OF the Southern District of New York !;
but the administration is too much
afraid that the decieion will be
against its position to take any
chances. Consequently it may be &C.
cepted as certain that the decision
will not be handed down until after
election. This is not meant to infer
that the court will in any way be a
party to postponing action on this i'm
portant question for partisan reasons.
That will not be necessary. In the
several legal preliminaries necessary
to advance the case to an early hear
ing it will be an easy matter for the
attorney representing the administra.
ton, usually the Solicitor General, to
head off the attempt to get decision
before election without resoriing to
any extraordinary methods.
Publicly the Republicans pretend, OF
course, that their majority in Maine
and Vermont are entirely satisfactory,
but they put very different face upon
the returns when discussing them
among themselves. Every man who
has been through even the kindergar-
ten Of politics knows that if the same
percentage of Republican loss shown
in Maine and Vermont is shown
throughout the Union in November
that it will mean the election OF
Bryan and Stevenson by larger ma
jority in the electoral college than
Mckinley and Hobart received four
years ago. 1t isn't pretended over
confidence that exists among the Re-
publican leaders now, but genuine
alarm. They realize that the trend Of
public sentiment is against imperial
ism. and that if they cannot stop j,
Mckinley and McKinleyism are
doomed to a crushing defeat.
DR.. Habercom, who had charge Of
the German work for Mckinley four
years ago and who is now working for
Bryan and Stevenson, Gays of the out.
look. as judged from extensive cores
pondence with prominent German
voters: "The Germans know all
about imperialism. They know that
imperialism can only be maintained
by militarism and that militarism
means heavy taxation and inroads on
the young and producing element of
the population and most likely con-
scription. Following the European
models compulsory service in the army
or navy for all men might be demand
ed. The German voter is going to
strsngle the empire before it strangles
him. / don't think the Presidents
letter of acceptance did him any good.
The most that can be said OF it is that
it is the strongest argument that can
be put up in weak cause"
Hon. Roger @. Mills, Of Texas, who
was q leading Democrat in the House
for 26 years and in the Senate for six,
Indignantly denies the report that he
had Topped TO Mckinley. In his own
words: "Tbere is not word OF truth
in it. am . rawhide Democrat. l
am not taking an active part in poll
tics, but you can bet your life l will
vote for Bryan and do all can for
him."
Ex-Gov. Campbell, Of Ohio, who en-
Joys the reputation Of q close and con-
sentative political observer, is in
Warrington. When asked his Opin-
ion of the situation he said: "The
Democrats are now making steady
game. They are gaining strength
every day in New York, in Ohio, in
Indiana-in fact, all over the country.
II the election occurred to day the
Democratic vote would b larger than
it would have been yesterday. This
far, I think there has been no day
when we were not stronger than the
day before. Such condition surely
promises we'll for euccess." Dem.