Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-10-31
THE MURDER IS OUT.

NO political party can fight out n
campaign and keep its real views Sc
cret upon any question ut issue. How
ever much it may dodge and shift in
its platform. taking refuge from di-
rect statement in profuse vcrbiage
when 1t comes down to the hard
knocks of actual battle before the peo-
pie the men who know the party's real
attitude are sure TO be driven by their
opponents to divulge it.
Toward both, Imperialism and
trusts, the Republican party attempt
ed, In the platform adopted at Phila-
delphia. to avoid an expression of its
attitude. 1t ignored absolutely it's
statutory recognition of Imperialism
as new and distinct policy by the
passage of the Porto Rican tariff bill
ana the enactment of the law provid-
ing a colonial form of government,
with proconsul and executive council
Tor that island. Similarly. it endeavor-
eo TO conceal it's record of favoritism
10 trusts by pretending To denounce
some. while it praised others as harm
less or beneficial.
In both instances the attempt to
dodge has been worse than futile. The
republican party has been forced to
frankly repudiate the doctrine that
governments derive their just powers
from the consent of the governed, and
to affirm its purpose to ignore that
fundamental principle i'm the admin
istration of affairs in Porto Rico and
the Philippines. Early in the cam
paisn Speaker Henderson in an adj
dress before the Hamilton Club, of
chicago. speaking as the personal rep
resentative of President Mckinney, de-
clared that 1.-THE doctrines of Hamilton
are the text word of the hour" Less
than week ago Secretary Root.
speaking at the home of President Nc
Nin!ey as the Presidents mouthpiece,
rcpudiated the consent of the gov
erned" as principle in government.
save in a very limited and qualified
sense.
Similarly upon trusts. the campaign
began with Republican pretense of
hostility. Weeks ago Chairman Hanna
declared at Chicago that there arc
no trusts and affirmed that the in
dustrial combinations" called trusts
are good things. Last week Senator
Scott. of West Virginia. speaking to
a distinguished gathering of Republi-
cans in New York city. at a dinner
In honor of Roosevelt. made this de-
claration:
Right here 1 want TO say believe
IN trusts. They are good thing. The
Htahaard ON Company put in its pipe
lines to all the small towns where oil
is produced. and if it was not for the
Standard Oil Company this prosperity
that we have wouldn't be there to-
day"
Thus we have Speaker Henderson
and Secretary Root affirming the Re
publican party's adherence to I'm
pcrialsm, while Chairman Hanna and
Senator Scott proclaim it's friendship
for the trusts. The program OF shuttle
has broken down utterly. and every
intelligent voter knows exactly what
inc Republican party stands for-com-
mercial despotism in the United States
and political despotism in Porto Rico
ana the Philippines. If he likes the
one or the other he will vote for Nc
Ninley and Roosevelt If he does not.
he VIII vote for Bryan and Stevenson.
one prophecy we venture to make-if
the Republicans win in this election n
large class of voters who have fancied
themselves secure in business from the
interference of trusts will have reason
to revise their opinions before they are
four years older.