The Washington weekly post., 1900-05-15
Mr.. Carnesie Heard From.

The Brooklyn Eagles London CORE
spondent interviewed Mr.. Carnegie last
Friday on the political situation in the
United States. with a result that is
somewhat surprising in view Of the multi
millionaire, manufacturer, author. and
Thilanthropist attitude on national ex-
pansion. It appears that Mr. Carnegie
intends TO recross the ocean in time TO
vote for William Mckinley next Novem-
Der. He feels sure that Mckinley will be
reelected, and that his second term will
De better than the first. II believe" he
says. that even the Republicans who are
opposed to imperialism will make a great
mistake IL they support Mr.. Bryan"
There was a time last year when Mr..
Carnegie and Mr.. Bryan were represented
10 be In political accord 10 such an extent
as TO insure their harmonious cO-opera-
ton In the Presidential campaign. Re-
ports Of conferences between them were
given out for publication in a manner that
seemed to be more or less Of a guarantee
Of their authenticity. From all OF which
It appears that Mr.. Carnegie was inclined
TO bestow upon the Nebraska statesman
something like that gracious favor which
the kinsman OF Naomi "a mighty man
Of wealth" named Boaz, bestowed upon
that good woman through an alliance with
Ruth, her devoted daughter-in-law. Not
that Mr.. Carnegie had changed his views
on currency and finance; not that he had
come 10 think well of J0-cent dollars; not
that his detestation of 16 10 l had been
mitigated in any degree or manner, but
because he foresaw that imperialism"
was 20 be the great issue of 1900. and be-
l!eved The best way to oppose that alleged
doctrine Of the Mckinley administration
was to support the Presidential candidate
Of the Democratic party.
The Post does not know how much or
how little Of truth there was in those re-
ports and speculations, but tney gained
credence because of Mr.. Carnegie's In
tense and undisguised hostility to ma
tional expansion in the Orient He was
known TO be in active sympathy with the
leading "anti-imperialists." 1t was re-
called, too, that he had publicly ex-
pressed his disbelief in The necessity for
protective tariff schedules fer some Of our
great and highly protected industries.
These facts gave an air of probability 20
the report that the author Of Triumphant
Democracy" had cut loose from the Re
publican party on the new issue and gone
over TO the opposition. But, however far
ha boy in 70 lirarffaD he f-
back again. He may have followed the
example Of Boaz so far as to have per-
mitted Ruth to CLEAN in his harvest fields,
but there was no indissoluble alliance.
Like Senator Hoar, the ablest and most
persistent of all the Republican anti-ex-
pansionists, Mr.. Carnegie stands by Nc
Kinley. They seem TO have adopted the
fundamental idea Of DR.. Hahnemann, the
founder of homeopathy, "Similia similibus
curantur," and believing that like things
are cured by like" they prescribe an
other term of Mckinley as a remedy for
the 'fmperillism" which they charge TO
the account OF his first term.
And ii may be possible that, as the
months have worn on since the reported
conference between Messrs. Bryan and
the distributor of free Libraries and other
good things, it has occurred TO Mr.. Car
negie that 'it is useless to fight against
the consummation of that which is al
ready consummated," and further, during
that period of reflection and Investigation
it may have occurred to him that, even
if it were good policy to make opposition
to a consummated fact, the leader Of
the fight should not be one of the con-
summators. This thought has percolated
through many serious minds.