The Coconino sun., 1918-10-25
NO PARALLEL 1. WITH 1898

In the congressional campaign of 1898, Col. Roosevelt, then Republican nominee for governor of New York, and Benjamin Harrison, former Re- publican president, urged upon the voters of the country the necessity of the election of a Republican congress in order that President McKinley's war administration might be upheld. These two Republican leaders, in com mon with scores of others, argued that the election of Democratic con gress, coming at time when the terms of peace between the United States and Spain were being discussed might encourage those European pow CTS that were at heart hostile to this country, to throw their influence with Spain and either prolong hostilities or force peace treaty upon the United States that would not be desirable.
 Just at present, Democratic leaders are trying to draw parallel between the situation then and the one existing However, instead of there being a sim ilarit% between the conditions of 1898 and 1918 there is striking contrast. The Republicans, although in minor ity in both house and senate, have giv- en unstinted support to every war policy asked by President Wilson. In many cases, particularly where the raising of our armies was at stake, the Republicans have been the leaders in support of President Wilson. At no time have they attempted to cripple the administration by refusing to vote revenues asked by the administration leaders to finance the prosecution of the war.
 Democrats Fight War Revenues. In striking contrast to this patriotic support of a national administration in time of foreign war is the record made by the Democratic party during the Spanish-American war came up $500, 100000 war revenue bond bill asked for by the Mckinley administra- tion to supply finances to prosecute the Spanihs-American war came up for passage in June, 1898. Only six Democrats out of a total of 130 in the house of representative were suffi- ciently patriotic to place country above party and vote for this war rev enue measure. The Democratic record in the senate was not far different, as out of 34 Democratic senators only ' cast partisan lines aside and voted for the bill that was necessary to provide war funds. It is of further interest to note that of the six Democrats in the house of representatives who were patriotic enough to place country ok f.x,a f,av,a fhn y,lrfh Representative Young, of Virginia, was the only southern Democrat to support the Spanish-American war revenue bill.
 Not content with opposing the pas sage of the war revenue bill, the Democratic leaders in the house launched a bitter attack upon the six members of their party who had been broad enough and patriotic enough to stand behind their country. The lead CT of the six Democrats who placed country above party at that critical time was Representative Amos J. Cummings of New York. On May 3, 1898, Champ Clark, representing then, as now, the ninth Missouri dis trict, arose and in a speech attacking the Spanish-American war revenue measure, turned toward Representa- tive Cummings and said:
 "lf it were not for my personal
 affection for the gentleman from
 New York, I would inaugurate a
 movement among the Democrats
 in this and the other end of the
 capitol to read out of the Demo-
 cratic party, by name, every man
 on this floor who voted for the
 bond bill the other day:
 Genuine Democrats do not pro-
 pose that such action shall be
 charged to them."
 The Congressional Record shows that this sentiment was greeted by "applause on the Democratic side"
 Lewis Hired of Patriotism"
 On the same day, in very bitter attack upon the Spanish American war revenue bill and other war measures which had passed the Republican con gress, Mir. J. Hamilton Lewis, then a member of the house, said:
 q have listened too often, MT.
 Speaker, to the constant cry of
 patriotism as the reason for leg
 islating measure after measure
 here. On this side of
 the house there arises, now and
 then, as did my friend from New
 York, sthe distinguished and hon.
 orable gentleman, Amos Cum
 mings, who advised this assembly
 that he put his country before
 his party and under that cry cer-
 tain gentlemen on this floor, un-
 der his leadership, calling them
 selves Democrats, found it agree able to support the measure (war bond issue) mortgaging the gen. eration and their children yet un- born. For myself, I am
 tired of this constant prating cry
 of patriotism, which is ever in-, voked on the floor of this house every time there is an attempt to
 commit a constitutional wrong.
 +* When has it come to be a
 familiar truth that in order to be