The Washington times., 1901-10-01
Circulation Statement.
Pnrti.anship Gone Mnd.

1t Is to be regretted that in those
States where elections are to be held
this year some Republicans of promi-
nence seem a little more than willing
to turn the assassination of President
Mckinley to partisan account. This is
done not by charging his death to any
thing advocated by the Democracy, or,
for that matter by any other party, but
rather by innuendo, and by sentimental
appeals. unfairly made, intended to play
upon the peoples regard for the illus
trious dead. and to blind them to OBJ
vious defects in the party's policy.
Iowa, always the home of extreme
Repu5licanism, furnishes two rather
striking examples of the disposition
here referred TO. A Republican confer
ence has just bzen held in Des Moines
At that conference Senator Dolliver
said: We have a duty and an oppor-
tunity in Iowa this fall, and that is to
defend the platform on which President
Mckinley spent his whole life" The
manifest purpose Of this statement was
to give the Republican party the full
benefit of the tender and reverential
feeling which men of all political views
entertain for the memory of the Presi-
dent. SO recently and heartlessly muir
dered Nothing in all the political his
tory of our country is more beautiful
than the manner in which Mr.. McKin-
ley was treated by his political op-
ponents from the moment when he was
stricken down until he was laid to his
final rest The tender tributes paid TO
him personally did not imply an en-
dorsement of his policy in all its length
and breadth or even the major part of
it. The Democratic attitude was the
more admira BILE because it completely
ignored all partisan differences, and
gave full recognition to Mr. McKinleys
worth as man.
But AIR. Delivers statement is un-
fair, even from Republican point of
view. Iowa Republicans are not de-
Tending a platform on which Presi-
dent Mckinley spent his whole life
AS a matter OF fact, he spent but
small fraction Of his life in defending
the gold standard. or in championing
reciprocity as he urged it in his Buff
10 speech
us turn for a moment to Representative
Cousins. Speaking of anarchy, this
gentleman said: NO Republican was
ever an anarchist. and the Republican
party has furnished three of the noblest
martyrs to anarchy" There is no mis-
taking the purpose Of this innuendo. 1t
is to convey the impression that the
true safeguard against anarchy is TO
keep the Republican party in power.
The simple truth is that neither Booth
nor Guiteau was an anarchist, and
that the teachings of the sect had moth
ing whatever to do with the murder OF
either Lincoln or Garfield The killing
of Lincoln resulted from the bitter
feelings engendered by the greatest |
civil war of any age, while if politics /
had anything 10 do with the shooting |
of Garfield il was the outgrOwth of |
a fractional fight within the Republican |
party.
Nobody doubts that the party for
which Mr. Cousins was speaking is op-
posed to anarchy. So is every other |
recognized political organization in the |
United States. A record of three muir
dered Presidents since the surrender at |
Appomattox Is certainly a melancholy |
one But inasmuch as only one Demo-
crat has held the Presidential Office
during the period named, it is not sur
prising tha- he escaped the hand of
the assassin. The circumstance that
the three martyred Presidents were all
Republicans proves nothing either for
or against the policy of the party to
which they belonged. 1t is not improper.
Of course. to speak of them in connec-
ton with political issues, if the logical
connection is one Of Significance But 10
bring them into the discussion merely |
to benefit the Republican party by J
arousing either passion or sympathy, |
is course which cannot be too strong |
ly condemned.