Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-10-14
ATTITUDE or VETERANS
In The Present Campaign, as Viewed by the
National Tribune.

On the question of the veterans
votes, the National Tribune, the Off
cial organ of the soldiers, has this to
say:
The question of how they shall vote
at the coming election is now urgent
ly before the veterans and their re-
latives and friends for decision.
The present administration seeks
Endorsement, and continuance in pow
er for four years more. A vote for it
will be interpreted and should be in
terpreted, as an approval of its course
since March 4, 1897, and a desire for a
continuance of the conditions which
now obtain. That is, it will be an ap-
proval of the war with Spain, and Of
the settlement made with that country
at the conclusion of hostilities; of the
retention of Hawaii, Porto Rico and
the Philippines; of a firm and viglllnt
policy with regard to our great inter-
ests in the Far East; of strong and
consistent foreign policy of the main
wise financial course; fof. feeling OF
confidence and security in the business
world; of judicious protection to
American manufactures, agriculture
and wage-earners, and other features
of administrative policy which have
been SO instrumental in building up
the country to its present prosperity
and greatness.
These are all things which the mass
of the veterans have deeply at heart
more deeply than any other sentiment.
The dearest thing in the world to
them is the well-being and progress
of the country, for which they have
sacrificed so much and for which they
have always stood ready to sacrifice
much more. In all the great features
of it's policy the present Administra-
tion has been eminently satisfactory TO
the veterans, and has received Jneir
hearty approval. lacy have been
deeply disappointed and hurt by the
conduct of the Pension Bureau, and
the course of the CommiNsioher who
has industriously advertised and ex.
plotted himself at their, expense and
the expense of their reputation. But
exasperating and hurtful as. he has
been, is and will probably continue to
be as long as he is in Office, he is, after
all, but a subordinate feature. and
should be temporarily forgotten-in the
face of the great issues which the cam
paign has developed. At the very
worst, we can endure him far--better
than we can endure the manifold and
serious evils which the success OF Bry-
anism would bring upon the country.
What influence retains Mr.. Evans in
his present position against the ex-
pressed wishes of the great body of
veterans, against the protests Of hun
dreds of Congressman and other public
men, against his repuiiation by the
Republican party in Tennessee, by the
Republican National Convention, and
by the Republican National Committee
we are unable to say definitely. Suffice
it to say that he is only hanging on the
verge of public life and liable to drop
at any minute. After all he is only
fly in the otherwise savory ointment,
and may be readily be eliminated.
Now, we are firmly convinced that
were Evans ten times worse than he is,
the National issues before us are of
such overwhelming importance that
it would be still the duty of the veter-
ans to vote for the reelection of Pres
ident Mckinley. No matter how cru
ely and unjustly Evans has treated
Us, no matter how exasperating his
perennial "smartness,a and juggling
have been, we ltannDtv be parties to
throwing the contry back into the
conditions from which it escaped four
years ago; we cannot become accom-
plices in hauling down the Flag in
Porto Rico, Hawaii and the Philip
pines; We cannot vote to dishonor the
men who died for our Flag in the ISL
ands Of the sea; we cannot become CO.
parceners in any of the vagaries and
destructive sophlsms with which Mr..
Bryan threatens the country Mr..
Bryan is Numerically opposed to
substantially all-and the vital part
of all that we have thought, medltated,
planned and done for the advancement
and salvation of the country, since we
first enlisted in its service, more than
third of century ago. He has gath
cred under his banner all whom we
have been fighting in the field and al
home during all these years. His Is
the camp Of our enemies, and of the
: enemies to everything that we have
held to be vital to the Nations best in
terests and greatness. His success
would be the success of men and ideal
2 whom and which we have always bit
5 terly opposed, and whose success
. would be a National calamity
= We must not pull down the fair TEN
pie, which we have done SO much Il
e erect, because some janitor or othe