The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-12
FIRST Aid to the Injured ms Under
stood by General Harrison.

Firxt Aid to the Injured ms Under
stood by General Harrison.
For weary weeks the Republican cam
paign managers have been waiting for tie
Hon. Benjamin Harrison to come Out OF
The woods and say what he intended to do
for William Mckinley. 1t has been felt
all along in the councils Of the Admins
tration that Indiana might depend upon
the action of the cold but respected citi-
zen Of that Commonwealth, who once said
that Mr.. McKinley's departure from his
plain duty to Porto Rico" was "a de-
parture from right principles" Hanna
and the combination he represents have
believed-always judging others by theif
own standard-that Mr.. Harrison. as
lawyer on the lookout for large retsineis,
would surely take the side, and the
stump. of the trusts.
Accordingly, the ex-President was as
sailed carefully in his Adirondack camp
by emissaries who failed to make an i'm
preston, and, after his appearance In
New York, by whitelaw Reid, who took
him to Ophir Farm and fed him in the
company Of Vanderbilt and other sciols
of our first trust families, that he might
be duly impressed with a sense CT duty
and of opportunity. Through these and
other means 1t was sought 20 inGuce Mr..
Harrison to come out flat-footed for the
Republican ticket, and actively to give ii
his powerful support. in Indiana.
The ex-President apparently was not
blind to the purpose Of these blandish-
mcnts, and he maintained frigid silence
until Wednesday, when he broke it with
statement, of a character which makes
Messrs. Hanna. Mckinley. and the trust
magnates wish that he had remained as
dumb as an oyster until after election.
In this statement Mr.. Harrison signiii-
csnily avoids any mention of Mr.. Mckin-
ley by name. He admits that, notwith-
standing the very hard usage" to which
he was subjected in 1895. he is still Re-
publican, and as such will vote the tick
ct; but he declines to stultify himself by
saying that what he thought a great
wrong when the infamous Porto Rican
bill was proposed he now thinks right
On the contrary, he says: Il do not be-
lieve that the legislative power of Con-
gress in the territories is absolute, and
1 do believe that the revenue clause (oi
the Constitution relating to duties and
imposts applies to Porto Rico"
In other words, Mr.. Harrison believes
that when the sovereignty of the United
States was extended over Porto Rico, the
Constitution went with it, ex proprio
vigore, and that the Presidents departure
from his plain duty" and the Payne
Foraker act were in violation and def
ance of the Constitution. That was his
original position and he has not sweryed
from it.
Considering the delicate situation Of tn,
trust candidate in relation to the Porto
Rican matter. and the widespread public
opinion that In that regard he stands. with
his Congressional henchmen, as violator
of the Constitution. it cannot be doubted
that the declaration. of ex-President
Harrison on the subject is a hard blow TO
the Republican cause. especially in Indi-
ana. where the crime in question, against
our fundamental law and common human
ity. seems TO have been taken more to
heart by the people than it has in any
other Western State. The mere fact that
Mr. Harrison says he will vote for the
man whose course he antagonizes. with
cold logic and i'll concealed contempt. is
not one to coat the bitter pill In any emo
lient way The truth stands out that lie
foremost citizen of the Hoosier Commc a.
wealth brands the Administration as a
trampler upon basic law and Justice, and
only tolerates 1t because the dencuncer in
the closing years Of a distinguished life
cannot bring himself to break with the
party that has once honored him with the
highest ONCE in the gift OF the nation.
The menace to the ticket contained in
the Harrison statement is that a great
many former Republican voters are likely
10 be affected by its exposure of Ad-
ministration political wickedness, and not
al all by the ex-President's natural dis
inclination to cap his career by voting the
Democratic ticket. 1t marks the advent OF
winter weather to Hanna Mckinley hopes,
which have been growing obviously chilly
for some time. II appears to be something
In the way OF the handwriting on the wall.