The Atlanta constitution., 1900-09-03
DENBY'S CONVERSION"
and ALSO SOME 0THRES
Bv Jos: OIL.

Washington, August 30.-(Speclal)-he-
publican newspapers are just now exploit
ing Colonel Charles E. Denby's announce
ment for Mckinley as an important con
version"
This is on par with similar announce
ments of the same character that
have been made from time to time by the
republican managers. Colonel DENLY did
hold the position of minister to China
under president elected as a democrat.
but he did not support Mr.. Bryan In 1895,
and his announcement for Mckinley now
cannot be said to be in any sense de-
fection from democratic ranks
Colonel DENLY is an imperialist OF the
most extreme type. More than this he
has been a strong supporter OF President
Mckinley in all his policies every since
his return to this country. He was
member of the first Philippines commits
sion and also member of the war In
yestigating commission. As a member OF
this latter body he demonstrated that he
was absolutely under the domination OF
the president Other members of the
commission who were sincerely anxious
to get at the facts found Colonel DENLY
always occupying a position which sug-
gested that he got his suggestions direct
from the white house.
Those who have been thrown with the
| old man since his return to this country
have been impressed with the belief that,
in some degree at least. his mental vigor
| has departed. He IS a tall. handsome
man. with a large head and gray hair
and distinct tendency to pose at after
noon teas. There are those who think
| that his present attitude in politics Is die
| tated by a lively hope for future favors
at the hands of the republican admins
| tration. to be made possible through
| policy of permanent colonization in tbs
| far east. with which section OF the world
| he Is moro or less familiar.
Other announcements of conversions"
| to McKinleyism are even less important
| than this one. In a list recently given out
| by the republican national committee, the
name of old General Palmer. of Illinois. Ia
| at the head How much of a conversion
| from democracy this Is. II requires no
| diagram to show As the nominee Tor
president by the third party IN 1886 Gen
| eral Palmer did everything In the world
| he could to aid in the election of Presi-
| dent Mckinley. The only reason he is
| not fighting from ambush this time Is
| that he and others OF his stripe realizs
| the game would not work again. So ne
| announces for Mckinley outright.
James NJ. Beck. of Pennsylvania. Is an
| other man on this Iist, He IS federal
| officeholder. He was United states dis
| trfct attorney under Cleveland and sup
| ported Palmer and Buckner In 1896 He
| was kept in office under the present ad-
/ an assistant attorney general. taking tho
place OF Judge Boyd. of North Carolina
| There is just as much sense calling him
| a convert as there would be in calling
| any other federal officeholder.
General John Gil. OF Maryland. is an
other gold democrat who is put down In
| Hanna's list of converts to McKinleyism.
If the truth were known 1t would be
| found, 7 am sure. that General Gill voted
| for Mckinley in 1896. as almost all other
| prominent bankers of the country did
| He Is president of the Mercantile Trust
| Company. Ex-Mayor Hewitt. OF New
| York is another man IN exactly the same
class. He was not for Bryan In 1875 ana
he is not now.
Three men who did vote for Bryan four
| wears ago and who had announced for
Mckinley are Senator Stewart or Ne
| vada: ex-senator Mantle. OF Montana,
and ex-Congressman Sibley, of Pennsyi-
vania None Of these men has ever been
| a democrat. although Sibley did. for
short space in his political gyrations,
claim to be. He IS one of the Standard
| on Company's representatives in public
| life and all of his affiliations are repubi-
can Lee Manila lost his faith In the
| democratic leaders when the Montana
legislature declined to send him back 10
| the senate. and he was converted 10
Mckinley through appointment on the
| industrial commission which gave him
| fat salary. These men. Ike old Senator
| Stewart were for Bryan solely on the
issue of silver. however. and republican
| leaders are themselves doubtful whether
| they will not lose more through the ac-
| Acknowledgement by them that silver
| IS not the paramount issue OF tne cam
paign than they are worth
Another man who has been starred as
| prominent accesslons from the democrat
ic ranks Is ]. West Goodwin. of Mis-
! souri, whom the Hanna literary bureau
| states has for many years been one
| of the most prominent and influential
/ democratic editors in Missouri" Colonel
Goodwin's chief claim to fame is found
| in tho fact that in 1896 he had the dis
| tinction of being one OF the two men in
| Sedalia Mo-. who cast their votes for
Palmer and Buckner. Sedalia is place
| of about 5000 population. 1t is said or
| the colonel that he got his start In life
| through organizing excursions to the pub
| lie nangings in Missouri. He ran daily
paper called The BaZoo IN those days,
and long ago left the democratic party.
His daily paper became a weekly and
since then the place he has gained great
est fame has been away from home. He
has no influence in Missouri.
Every day brings list of prominent
and influential accessions to democratic
ranks. Many of the men who have an
nounced themselves for Bryan and who
four years ago We're for McKiley are men
of undoubted prominence and influence.
The most significant conversions are,
however those found in the manufactur-
ing cities of the west. The republican
committee of Indiana has just COM
peted through its magnificent organiza-
tion-which. by the way. is as nearly per-
feet as political organizations ever get
to be-a poll of the state which has caused
alarm in the Hanna household. This re-
publican poll has resulted in the discov-
cry that there have been very many con-
versions from Mckinleyism TO democracy
in the counties comprising the gas belt
where the trusts have been in most active
operation. The working men who have
seen hundreds and thousands of their fell
lows thrown out of employment through
the development of the trust idea and
who cannot tell how long It will be before
thev themselves are thrown out. are not
particularly keen in the support of Nc
Kinleyism
This testimony. coming Il does from
republican sources. has caused much con-
sternation in republican ranks The vote
of these men was. four years ago. the
most important factor in carving tho
election for Mckinley and 1t is upon
them that the republicans rely for suc-