Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-07-26
THE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN.
How the Fight for the Capture o.
Congress VIII BE Conducted.

How the Fight for the Capture OF
Congress VIII BE Conducted.
Preparations for the campaign nave
now proceeded far enough to make II
possible to see substantially what Will
be the outlines Of the criticism to be Of
fered by the Democrats upon Republi-
can policy. 1t may be definitely stated
that the attack on the Republicans Will
proceed along two we'll marked and dis
tinct lines, one primarily political, the
other economic. These are the Philip
pine issue and the trust question. the
Republicans expectation that their op-
ponents are suffering from plethora
of Issue" is not likely to be realized
for the party managers are showing
great deal Of astuteness in laying out
the lines upon which their contest Is to
be conducted. They will group all OF the
subordinate issues around the two prin-
cipal ones just mentioned and they Will
lay particular stress on one or the other
of these groups according to what they
consider the needs of the locality IN
which the campaign may at any par
ticular time be raging.
AS regards the Philippine issue all the
indications point to probability that
the question will be judiciously handled
and that the discussion will not be al
lowed to wander off upon side issues or
to concern itself primarily with individ-
ual cases of torture or maltreatment OF
the natives. 1t seems tolerabiy clear
that there will be less talk than there
has been about Imperialism, and that
the general effort will be made to con-
centrate criticism upon the way in
which the administration Of the Philip
mines has been conducted rather than
upon the character Of the policy pur-
sued for the islands. Thus, there Will
doubtless be a strong effort to show
that there has been bad and corrupt
management in army affairs. Such
cases as the misuse of the transport Ser
vice between San Francisco and the
Philippines will be harped upon, and
general orders like those for which
General Smith has just been retired Will
be brought especially to the front In the
attempt to show reckless conduct on
the part of our troops. Much will also
be made Of the provisions Of the Philip
pine bill as regards grants Of land to
corporations, etc. In short, the Philip
hn cyix q nllrn
more directly practical and economic
aspect than 1t has hitherto had In the
course Of the discussion. Closely inter-
woven with the general charges of bad
management in the Islands will come
the attack on the administration for Its
treatment Of Miles, and especially FOR
the way in which the affairs of the war
department are carried on. The Demo-
Gratis will, however, be wise enough to
keep all this matter within the bounds
Of prudence, and they will take care to
use material of this kind only In those
sections and under those circumstances
where 1t will be helpful to them. They
will not permit minor matters to be-
come commanding features In the cam
paign as it at one time seemed they
might.
On the trust question the first and
foremost argument to be made Will nat
urally take the form merely of clear
setting forth Of existing conditions
The vast number Of trusts which have
sprung up under Republican rule will
be pointed out and the great increase
in the price of commodities resulting In
q decline in the purchasing power or
wages, Notwithstanding the slight In
crease in money wages, will be used as
an offset to the claims concerning the
prosperous condition of the country.
On this groundwork a general super
structure of trust argument Will bel
raised. The excessive cost of living
within the past few months in the UNI
ted States will be contrasted with con-
ditions in foreign countries, where
there has been no such Increase In
prices, and the Inference will be drawn
that the tariff is responsible for the suf-
ferings of our consumers. This will
pave the way for complaints regard
ing Republican selfshness in refusing
to grant fair drawback legislation and
reciprocity.
In this connection the Cuban question
will be allowed to come up, although 1t
will be largely treated In connection
with the Philippine matter. OF course
it will be necessary for the Democrats
to discredit the Republican promise OF
trust legislation. This they will do by
pointing to several distinct facts. First
they will recall the failure of the Re-
publicans in the house last winter. toI
pass any of the resolutions for inquiry
into the beef trust and other matters,
the apparent suspension Of the presi-
dents attack on the trust against which
he instituted proceedings. and other
circumstances of the same sort point |