The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-26
Republican Durl;city About the MIC
aragua CaruI.


Chicago Time Herald aEs=rts through
the columns Of his paper that one plank N
the Philadelphia platform was Ta-ipu' ated
for specific sum OF money. He says that
for five thousand dollars the word 18th
milan" was substituted in the iate.- eanic
canal plank OF the platform for the word
Nicaragua" thus committing the party to
the indefinite pledge OF constructing an
"isthmian' ship canal connecting the A.
lautic and Pacific Oceans Mr.. We,lman's
accusation is not vague or indirect. He
states that he founded it upon authority
that is entirely trustworthy, ard he prem
! ises to fully exploit the matter if the Re-
| publican managers desire him to do so.
| The newspaper which he represents is liz
J diligently and conservatively conducted.
/ 1t is not yellow journal" Its proprietor
and director fer several years has BEEN in
| tiInately Identified with the management of
! the Republican organization. He is espe-
| cially close to the men who mainly are Ie-
sponsible foT Mr.. McKinley's occupancy Of
the White House. Therefore, even if Mr..
Wellman belonged to that class CT newspa-
per writers who frequently deal with ru-
mors as facts, it is not reasonable to sup
pose that such serious and starting story
! as this to which We refer would have been
permitted to find its way into the columns
of the .'Times-Heraid'' without first being
subjected to careful scrutiny and vertical
ton satisfactory to the editor.
Wherefore, until positive and definite
refutation of Mr.. Wellmans charge has
been made in specific terms and by TIE
men who had to do with the making CT the
Philadelphia platform. the country will be-
lieve that corruption even of the en-
ternptible variety controlled the deliver
ance upon which the Republicans go Is ore
the country asking for a renewal Ct their
lease of power. Except in the sense that
petty larceny is contemplate, there Is 10
difference; between this alleged outright
purchase of plank in the platform and
the methods By which the whole irstru-
difference between one member of the plat
form committee accepting bride of five
thousand dpilars, as charged by Mr.. Well |
man, and the managers of the party organ
cation framing platform with the distinct
view of receiving from special interests to
be benefited large contributions to tie
campaign fund. Morally the sin is tenfo,d
greater for the party managers so 20 ma
nipulate legislation as TO wiring from tie
Golfers of special interests money with ]
which to buy the election and continue the
privileges upon which these special inter /
ests thrive. The atrocious creature who (
1
sum of five thousand dollars is rot nearly
so dangerous an enemy to the nation as is |
the man or group of men who can so con- I
centrate the forces Of 2 great party arou-d
a comparatively few huge money making
concerns as to convert that political o.
ganization into a machine for the who.e-
sale corruption OF voters and the manage
ment of the Government for the benefit Ct
the few. II contrmely is to be heaped
upon the greedy fool who sold his charac-
ter for five thousand dollars, what is to Re
thought OF the party which has used the
trust reposed in it by seven millions OF
American voters for the protection Of inter-
ests entrenched behind privilege and which
laugh at the indignant protests of the ma
ton?
This is not putting the case too strongly
when we reflect how the managers of the
Republican party have shameiessly juggled
the inter-oceanie canal enterprise ever
since that party has been in complete con-
troll OF the Government. Every conceivable
device OF obstruction and delay
has been resortef to BY them in
both branches OF Congress against the
adoption of law which would result in
the construction OF ship waterway across
the narrow neck of land uniting the two
continents of the New World. The people
at last are beginning very well TO under
stand what Influences have been causing
this annoying delay and obstruction. The
owners Of the property and securities of
the trans continental railroads are not To
be blamed for utilizing every legitimate
means for postponing to the uttermosr
limit the realization OF the national dream
OF an inter-oceanic canal. The competition
by water transportation which the short
ened route from ocean to ocean would al
ford naturally would deleteriously affect
the earning capacity Of the trans-contf-
mental railroads until physically and finan-
ciaIly they adapted themselvs to the new