The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-03

The Political situation.


In all of the five New England States, in
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania
Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, the
Republicans encountered but little, If any,
organized opposition. Thousands upon
thousands Of Democrats did not go to the
polls. There was no incentive to restrain
or decrease the Republican majorities. In
these eleven States no doubt existed as to
how their 1877 electoral votes would be cast,
and whether the majorities supporting
them amounted to ten thousand or ten
hundred thousand was of no political con-
sequence. Democrats who disliked the
nIatform or distrusted the candidate voted
for Mckinley or Palmer. and the others
practically abandoned the contest In these
eleven States Mr. Mckinley obtained
majority of Log. 172. or 46O,25S more than
his plurality over Bryan in the whole poll.
In Ohio a very fair fight was made, and
if the vote had been counted as cast Mr..
McKinley's majority would probably not
have exceeded 10000 instead of the 47,4s7
returned for him. Two years later the Re
publican vote in holly contested State
election fell of los. eco.
No well-informed or csndid politician
doubts that in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois,
by processes known to Mr. Hanna and es-
tablished and effected with the aid of his
sixteen million dollar corruption fund, be-
tween two and three hundred thousand
votes were reported as having been cast
for Mckinley which were never deposited
in the ballot boxes, or good portion of
which were changed in the returns from
Bryan to his opponent. Not SO unblushing
and brutal as the Hayes frauds of 1875
were the Hanna frauds of 1896. but much
more effective.
The country was dazed by the result
but owing TO widespread dissension among
Democrats and the open treachery and
apostaey of the Cleveland wing of the par
~. no great amount OF attention was Civ
en- to it. In this year Of cur Lord 1900 ali
the conditions of 1896 are changed. OF the
organized host led by Palmer and Buck
ner four years age and supported hs every
Cleveland oficeholder. but three solitary
survivors are worth naming - Sterling
Morton, William D. Bynum, and John p.
Irish. Cleveland himself is but an unfra-
grant memory OF the millions who cast
their votes for him on three occasions
hardly score are willing to confess to it.
Nr. Bryan has grown in public esti-
in the last fifty years. He is no longer
ridicuIed OF distrusted. Once in while
man like Hanna, utterly devoid Of
shame or the sense Of propriety. CT
besotted egotist like Roosevelt. filings a
coarse epithet at him, but The Of
tenders are few. and the masses. without
regard to party afiIiation. believe him to
be brave, honest, and independent Again,
Democrats everywhere seem to be ami
mated py tne greatest enthusiasm
They have no money-hardly enough to
pay the necessary postage bills of the f.
ferent committees-but they are alert
active. and full of fight. The knowledge
that they have 10 meet another gigantic
corruption fund, contributed by the
gorged trusts and distributed by Hanna,
does not appan them, does not even dis
concert them. At the present moment
every sign indicates that they will win
in spite of all they have to contend with.
-Four years ago Mr.. McKinley's support
ers professed to favor a bimetallic cuTren-
cy. Thousands of their orators protested
on the stump that Mckinley would be able,
If elected, to bring it about sooner than
Bryan. They pointed to McKinley's speech
es and his votes. and asked Silver Repub-
licaus why they should contemplate for d
moment the desertion of their party when
ST promised them mere than the Democrats
and in the same line. That lie now stands
confessed. Now. instead OF pretending &c
favor the double ratio. the Republican par
ty stands firmly and unblushingly for the
gold standard.
Certainly nobody believes for an instant
that the frauds Of the Mckinley Admin,
istratlon have strengthened him. Who /;
there who would admit that he proposes t1
vote for another four years Of Mckinley
because of Alger. Eagan. Rathbone. and
Neely?
who Is there who has the courage &c
declare that. while doubtful before. he will
now enroll himself under the Hanna ant
Mckinley banner because of his pride II
the Porto Rico and Philippine episodes IL
our history?
II one-half Of the voters who are know
to denounee the Imperialism of the pres
ent Administration cast their ballot
against It in the hitherto doubtful States
every one of their electoral votes will b
given to Mr.. Bryan.
And what OF the colored vote: In si
States, which gave in 1896 ffty-stn Nc
kinney votes the negro voters furnishe