Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-14
Watterson on McKinley's Elections.

In reply to The Stars assertion that.
Notwithstanding the belief of some OF
Mr.. Bryan's friends to the contrary. the
two elections of William Mckinley to
the presidency were not bought MIR.
Watterson says:
Nevertheless, there are many intelli-
gent people. nor all of them democrats.
who in view Of recent revelations touch
ing the millions Of money used by the
republicans in 1896 and 1900, have their
doubts about what might have elsewise
come to pass in the elections of those
years. There is every reason to believe
that. If the democrats had been possessed
of. those millions, they, and not the re-
publicans, would have carried the coun-
try, and some reason for believing that
IL they had been able to lay down dollar
for dollar beside them. they might still
have carried it. Partisans are always
cocksure. But, as a general proposition.
the belief that the republicans have been
buying the. people with their own money
is not ill-founded, and may exercise con-
siderable pressure upon the popular mind
in 1908"
Well, let us look into the matter lit
tie. Suppose we take Kentucky for pur-
poses of illustration. For the first time
in it's history the bluegrass common
wealth in 1896 recorded itself in favor of
a republican candidate for President. Mr..
Mckinley secured twelve of its thirteen
electoral votes. By what means? BY
purchase? No one would resent such an
imputation more warmly than Mr.. Wat
terson, for no one knows better the char
acter of that electorate, and particularly
the influences which prevailed in Ken
lucky that year. The result was obtained
by the refusal of the cream of the blue
grass democracy to support Mr.. Bryan
on his free silver platform. Thousands
of the leading men of that party voted
for the republican candidates, while many
others voted for Palmer and Buckaer.
Mr.. watterson's own newspaper. under
his direction from Europe, led the bolt.
and led 1t very ably.
AS in Kentucky, so elsewhere. Hundreds
of thousands of democrats all over the
country and especially In the cenrers of
business, turned from their party and sup
ported the ticket which stood for sound
money. Wherever found. they represented
courage and character and ability, and were
very far above price. The more reckless
of the silver men in the heat of the contest
charged that Mr. Hanna had every gold
democrat in the land on his pay roll. but
not a vote was gained by the circulation Of
such cheap campaign iapdoodle.
In 1900 the country chose between high
ly successful administration and man
/ who was reiterating, against the advice OF
MANY of his best friends the stupidities of
1896 which had since been exploded. And
in 1904 the plight of the democracy was SO
pitiable, with Judge Parker as the candf-
date and Mr.. Taggart as campaign man
ager, that Theodore Roosevelt, with his
robust and picturesque personality, had a
walkover Where was there necessity for
vote-buying in either Of those years?
Mr. Watterson should not give coun-
tenance to charges which reflect SO dam
agngly on the American people. The
Bryanites insist that Mr.. Mckinley was
President twice by purchase Mr.. Waiter
| son believes that Mr. Bryan could have
| been President twice by purchase. In this
| view of matters what is the hope for 1908?
| That a twice purchased. and therefore still
purchasable. electorate will rise in virtuous
| might and give the country better govern
| ment?