The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-25
The Sound punco Men.


Americans do not like to think that the
last element Of decency has disappeared
from their politics. Honest voters, what
ever may be their affiliations do not de-
rive any. pleasure from seeing partisan
movements which mean nothing politi-
cally, and which are openly and impu-
IDENTIFY designed to muddle and bunco those
who hold the franchise
In every neighborhocd there are Demo-
Gratis and Republicans. Their differences
ars political and the better they are de-
fined in campaigns the better the neigh
bors like it That is one thing where
Democrats hold their meetings and their
candidates, or speakers, advocate the
principles of the party or call attention
to the menaces to the Republic which are
due to the rule Of the trusts under Hanna
and Mckinley; OF trust spellhinders
like Hanna and Roosevelt apologize for
and defend the trusts, and endeavor to
make American freemen think that
slavery with a full dinner pail is better
than the conditions under which, in our
grardfathers' time every American with
brains and industry, and without cent,
might reasonably expect TO win compe-
tercy and ease in his old age.
PERHAPS we should not feel so contempt
uously toward the trust opposition il it,
and its creatures, even down to emascu-
lated Washington, would make a fair
light. But the organization and machine
which Marcus A. Hanna conceived and
operates is as little capable of straight
dealing as an alligator is of altruism.
From its inception. it has ignored what
Benjamin Harrison calls right principles -
In the campaign Of 1896, and in the che
current. the Republican manager who has
MIXED the millions from the trusts has
never failed to impress upon the country
the idea that it is money and jobbery
which must carry the day for them. il it
is to be carried, and nothing else.
Honest political opposition is honorable,
and necessary to the politics of a coun-
try whose system is that Of party gov
eminent; but all decent Americans. what
ever their political affiliations may be.
demand that ii shall be honest, and that
issues between the parties appealing to
them for their votes shall be distinctly
stated advocated and defended.
Nothing could be more obnoxious to our
political system than the hypocritical and
contemplate method. introduced by Mar
Gus A Hanna. of injecting into Presiden-
tial campaign dead or inconsequential
questions for the obvious purpose of con-
fusing vital issues. Thus, we see efforts
to cover the return Of Gold Democrats
to the party fold. in the hiring Of one or
two venal former Gold Democrats 10 join
themselves with a lot Of Republicans, the
two frauds pretending to represent
Gold Democrat" combination. Nobody is
deiuded by such devices. but the devices
themselves are disgraceful.
Recently, there have been such cam
paign developments. Finding that about
ninety-nine per cent of people who were
afraid to support Mr. Bryan in 1886. be-
cause of alleged dangers that might flow
from his adhesion to bimetallism. are
with him in 1900, Hanna and his kind
have evolved a new and spurious cam
paign device. Money buys man who can
make a speech and he is associated with
a coterie of trust Republicans. Together
they advertise sound money" meeting
and appeal to voters. not as Democrats.
not as Republicans. but as persons warn
ing the country against what they allege
to be the dangers involved in the election
Of Mr. Bryan, Oh account. as they declare,
of his determination to place the United
States on silver basis.
Every man Jack OF them knows that the
place the country upon silver basis than
Mr.. Bryan will be. if elected. President
Mckinley, Secretary Gage, and the hired
economists OF the trusts, before he cam
paign opened, congra ;ulatsd the country
and the world of finance uDo.i the GER
tainty that the Currency bill, passed in
the Fifty-sixth Congress, fixed the gold
standard upon the Union forever. Scien-
tihc thinkers, themselves bimetallists.
have agreed that, If the added supply of
gold, due to recent discoveries will produce
q volume CT metallic money sufficient to
maintain values, and the equities between
debtor and creditor remain, the question
the trusts and their political agency, the
Hanna Mckinley Administration, this con-
sideration is CANNON and spinach. 1t is
not an economic or political settlement
of the currency question that they want.
1t Is success at the polls in November
which shall give them unbridled power for
four more years, to control the executive
and legislative branches of the Govern
ment, and to win their chance, and per-
haps their last chance. of subverting the
Constitution by packing the Supreme
Court with their own attorneys
One of the ways in which these objects
are being promoted is to organize pre-
tended non-partisan sound business"
or sound money" clubs. the expenses be-
ing borne by the Republican National
Committee. Within few days we have
seen several instances of this manifesto
tion OF bunc0 politics. Some neglig BILE in
dividual who, in the past. has been con-
nected with Hanna's sound money
league" CT some other of his subsidized
fakes. is employed by a party OF trust Re-
publicans to hold a mess meeting" and
appeal to the people. not against Mr..
Bryan as Democrat; not against any