Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-02-16
HIS FOES ARE WITHIN.
McExin1ey's victory I'm the Coming
Election Is Not a Forgone
Conclusion.

We quoted not long ago the remark
about the approaching presidential
campaign with which a shrewd repub-
iican politician from state in the cen
trail west surprised an eastern acquaint-
ance. The New Yorker had said. almost
as a matter of course, that he supposed
his visitor thought that Mckinley had
''a sure thing in 1900. Pm not so sure
about that" was the unexpected reply.
Il can foresee contingencies under
which it seems to me that Bryan will
have more than fighting chance of be-
ing elected
Evidence accumulates each week that
this excellent party authority is by 20
meaRs alone in his apprehension of pos
sible republican defeat next Novem Der.
The chairman of the Indiana republic
an state committee is quoted as saying
that the campaign of 1900 lis going to
be the hardest campaign in many
years." and that 'the state can only be
carried by the most thorough organi-
cation" The Washington correspond
ent of that prominent republican or
gan, the Iowa State Register, reports
lone of the oldest and ablest of the re-
publican senator's" as sounding note
Missouri are yet to elect United States
senator's for the term beginning March
4, 1901. Eight Of the men whose terms
expire are republicans. There must
be great care taken in some of these
states,' is the warning of this veteran
politician, cor we will lose strength, and
have either democrats or populists sent
to the senate. If we lose five of those
- 1,n
ate. The republicans, who are now over
confident, may as well look the situa-
ton squarely in the face and prepare to
meet it. While I do not believe in alarm
,st statements, do believe that the re-
publicans of the whole country should
be cognizant of these facts"
But there is still higher authority
than ga shrewd republican politician"
whose name cannot be published, or
'one of the oldest and ablest of the re-
publican senator's" whose identity is
not revealed, even if he seems to be
William B. Allison. The great Hanna
himself openly confesses that the re-
publicans must do the hardest kind of
work from this time on if they expect
to carry the country next fall. On re-
cent trip to Philadelphia he impressed
upon the republican mayor ''the exceed
ing Importance of the immediate fur
nishing" of at least a portion of the
100000 for the republican campaign
fund which was promised from that
city when it made the successful bid for
the national convention. He added that
this fund sis needed at once" and de-
clared that zone dollar of campaign
funds to-day is worth five dollars three
months hence"
Senator Hanna's idea is that the i'm
mediate and energetic opening of work
by the republicans is necessary, because
the coming campaign-which, in his
opinion, will turn upon the two ques-
tions of the prosperity of the working
people and the retention of the Philip
| pines-'will be an exceedingly vigorous
one;" because the democratic party has
already engaged numerous labor agi-
| tators to foment among the working
people of the entire west as much dis
satisfaction with existing conditions as
lies in their power" and has supple
mented their work by the distribution
of great quantities of campaign htera-
ture; and because the republican cam
paign management must meet these
| agitators by the employment of men
and the distribution of republican lit
erature to counteract their influence.
Mr.. Hanna thinks that "our men are
the better in character and of higher
standing and ''our literature" too,
equally superior; but he holds, never
theless, that "only by the utmost in
tenigence and assiduity" can the efforts
of the wicked democrats be thwarted.
The fact must now be accepted that
the Mckinley administration contem-
plates the possibility of defeat for the
republican party next November. Its
recognized spokesman admits that the
utmost efforts must be put forth to
ward off this danger. The amazing fea-
| ture of the situation is that nobody in
the inner circle sees either the real
cause of the danger, or the true policy
to adopt that it may be averted.
| Whence comes the chief ammunition
used by the democratic agitators? The
most effective weapons have been
forged by the familiar friends, the au-
thorized representatives, the special
champions, of the president himself
| n. Y. Post.
H