Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-11-07
SOME OBSERVATIONS ANENT THE
ELECTION

is bat one way of looking at the re-
suit. there are other ways of viewing
the result of the result. The Tepu bill
cans have won; the democrats have
been Overwhelmingly defeated. The
principles that entered into the cam
paign, and that are likely to enter
into future campaigns are what are
now to be candidly considered. In
contem plating what has happened and
Hooking into the future it is necessary
to glance backward. Four years ago
the democratic party declared the
money question the paramount issue.
and by so doing alienated a very
Important factor in it's own party.
The republicans refused at that time
10 accept money as the vital question,
but insisted that protection ami pros
perity were what the people were in
| terested in. That, notwith standing
the fact that the so-called sound
money democrats elected Mckinley,
the incoming administration took the
result as an Endorsement of its tariff
theory. was shown in its first act of
converting congress and the adop-
ton of a protective policy. Yet,
in the campaign just closed, the
administration declined to accept
Imperialism as the all important
issue, maintaining persistently that
free silver was the main argu-
ment from the democratic standpoint,
and that prosperity was, from the re-
publican point of view. The imperi-
alistic idea was hooted at, and de-
clared as of no effect in the campaign.
The republican party has now been
continued in power through the aid of
democratic votes, the votes of demo-
Gratis, who, while opposed conscien-
tiously to the foreign policy that has
characterized the present administra-
ton, have declared them selves OPP
posed to any change in the monetary
system of the country.
Now what will be the result? The
republican party as at present domi-
mated, having already acted on the
policies OF the tariff and the gold
! standard, viii, for present conven-
fence, accept the verdict of the people,
notwithstanding that it has com batted
such an idea throughout the cam
paign, as an Endorsement of it's Philip
pine policy. 1t will reverse its atti-
tude on assuming the reigns of gov
eminent four years ago as far as read
| ing the expression of the people is
concerned, and will proceed to accept
the democratic theory that imperial
| ism was the main question upon
which the verdict has been reached.
The republic will therefore be plunged
still deeper into the policy of con-
quest. Ali thoughts of free ba viii
vanish. The course so far pursued of
repudiating the nations pledges in in
ternationaI policy and of "plaln duty"
will be taken as approved, and the war
of conquest across the seas will be
prosecuted with renewed vigor.
In the meantime the people will
anxiously await the Immediate ter
mination of the war as promised with
the reelection of President Mckinley,
and an uninterrupted continuation of
the prosperity and the full dinner
pail'' procession throughout the four
wears to come. There is some salts
faction in the fact that the repnblica
party having won on these two ques-
tions, is not to be hampered by the
lack of harmony in all branches
of the government. The party in
power has the whole thing at Wash
ington. 1t is in a position where it
ance of two great tasks, the termin-
alton of the Philippine war on one
hand and the continuation of pros
perity on the other.
And what of the democratic party?
The situation today does not necessar-
ily imply that it has erred in its con-
victions on any tenet of our party
faith. TIE issues of today may not
l. . IL. e -
| and looking beyond the present dis
NAL view of the result the one who con-
templates cannot fail to see the IA
diancy of the hope that conditions in
the next few years will develop. In
word, the republican party will
make the issues and plenty of them
that will shape the campaign when
the time comes around 10 elect an
other president.
Tine democracy's gallant and able
leader in two of the most momentous
national campaigns in the country's
history may have failed in the highest
aspirations that man may have, but
he is still a greater man than some |
who have occupied the chair that so
many of his countrymen desired that !
he should I'LL. William Jennings
Bryan's career. regardless of his flu
ture will illuminate the pages of his !
country's history as one whose states |
manshiP, great ability and matchless
brilliancy as an orator, whose |
courage of conviction and pur-
ity of character constitute one
of the ideals of American
manhood. No man ever stood more
firmly by a principle. and no man in
all the political annals of the nations
has presented a character more worthy
of admiration and emulation. Mr..
BRYAN is q man whose influence must
be always felt in shaping the policy,
not only of his party, but the nation,
and whether or not he shall ever reach
the presidency. he will rank among the