The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-06-21
Circulation Statement.
The denomination of Mr.. Mckinley

The Hon William MCKINNEY FTeSlueHb
OF the United States, was renominated by
his party at Philadelphia today for
second term Although both he and his
political associates would deny the asser-
ton. ii is a fact Of common notoriety that
he is thus placed before the country as
the candidate Of the trusts; exactly as, in
July the Hon William J. Bryan will be
presented as the antitrust champion
Brushing aside all minor issues. that Of
the trusts is 10 be the main one in the
campaign Of 1900 1t will even overshadow
the issue OF Republican defiance OF the
Constitution OF the United States. because
that has been but an incident of the gen
eral trust policy Of the Administration.
For general purposes. then. we may safely
assume that the popular result Of the No
vember elections will show the strength
Of the great trusts and monopolies in the
country. with their power over labor and
production. and their ability to use mil
lions OF dollars to corrupt the suffrage.
as against the honest voting masses Ct
America
-Four years ago, Mr.. Mckinley was nomi-
mated and elected President upon a D at
form which bound him and his party to
the policy of the free coinage or silver by
international agreement with the lead
ing commercial nations OF the world
which," said that insiEcere document. I'VE
pledge ourselves to promote" Has this
promise been kept or broken? Early in
the Administration. that Silver Republican.
Senator Wolcott was sent on a mission to
Europe. ostensibIy in fulfIlment OF the
pledge. While he was arguing with the
Ministers. fnanciers. and economists OF
England and the Continent, NJ. McKinley's
Secretary of the Treasury was assuring the
same people that the United States would
positively enact legislation fixing the go d
standard upon the country. That GeclarA-
ton has been made good. The one il The
platform has been treated as a bit o. p
litical chicanery. rot to be remembered
after it had performed the service expect
ed of it. Yet We know that. but for that
injection Of hypocrisy into the S.. L2us
platform Of 1886. all the millions in the
party corruption fund would no. have ben
sufficient to compass the election OF Mr..
Mckinley.
The platform pledged the party and it's
candidate TO stand by the merit system in
the civil service. and to extend it
wherever practicable" Ia his inaugural
address, Mr.. Mckinley said; Reforms in
the civil service must go on. But the
changes should be real and genuine, MT
perfunctory. or prompted by a zeal for any
party. simply because it happens to be in
power" Nevertheless, prompted by a
zeal for the party in power. OF which he
was the highest representative, he over
turned the whole fabric, and by a stroke
Of his pen. restored the system Of spoils
and favOritism. which it had taken years
OF effort and legislation to overcome
When Mr. Mckinley took Office re in
herited q legacy of disgrace from the IN
American, un-Democratic. and wholly
reprehensible Administration CT his imme-
date predecessor. For four years the
Executive had been engaged in an effort
to wreck the country IN order that it
might be the mere effectra;Iy ''reorgaD z a.
IN the control and as the property Of the
trusts and monopolies- In furtherance Ct
this purposes. although posing as Demo
cratic" it had promoted the nomination
and election of a Republican to TIE
Presidency. Mr. Mckinley at once took
out letters Of administration and proceed
ed to improve the property. He urged the
Senate to ratify the Ubiquitous Olney-
Pauncefote Arbitration Treaty. which
would have made the United States a dip
lomatic province of Great Britain. and he
continued the Cleveland alliance with
Spain against the people of Cuba, strug-
Cling for liberty. For more than a year
after his accession. while the voice OF the
American people was crying aloud for in
PREVENTION 10 abate the horrible atrocities
OF the Spanish rule in Cuba. Mr.. Mckinley
permitted the naval forces of the United
States 10 be used to aid Spain in the sup
preston of the cubans, in the interests
of trusts and corporations engaged in the
agricultural or financial exploitation Of the
island under European auspices. II was
not until Spanish treachery led to the de-
struction Of the battleship Maine in Ha-
vana Harbor that he was shaken from his
Spanish alliance by the angry protests of
the whole country. and the taunts and de-
nnands Of the Democratic minority in Con-
gress.
Forced. temporarily, TO desert a few
trusts interested in Cuba. he went to war
with Spain, supported by all his country
men. without distinction OF party The
war was holy one for humanity. Its con-
duct was contemplate. and marked with
every possible circumstance OF political IA
voritism, the selfish suppression OF honor
able and distinguished soldiers. corruption
and dire rascality. The Administration
started in with the distinct purpose that
no commander should make a reputation
that might lead 10 his becoming unduly
popular with the nation. General Miles
was prevented from occupying the posi-
ton 10 which his rank and past service en-
tiled him, and was treated as a nonenity
as far as that was possible. General
Wheeler at Santiago gave signs Of achiev-
ing a military success In whatever opera
lions might follow. He was promptly
squelched. F1tzhugh Lee had already de-
monstrated his hold upon the masses. He
was kept hons and Inactive Breckln-
ridge ct Santiago displayed b.aEe AmeTi-
can spirit He was sat down upon Only
the Faistafian Shafter, five miles from the
firing line. in his hammock. with a cake of
Zee on his head, was considered as having