Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-10-09
Presidential Campaigns
XIX. Tho Mckinley Bryan Race Of 1920.
BY Frederic j. Haakin.

Washington, d. c., Oct 9---Thc hardest
fought political battle of American his
tory was the campaign Of 1896 in which
William Mckinley of Ohio vanquished
William Jennings Bryan of Nebraska
with ease in his second campaign against
Bryan and that the Republican majorities
IL 1896 look so great on paper, has caused
many men of short memory to believe
that Mckinley won his first election with
out great difficulty.
In that year the Democratic nominee,
MIR. Bryan, made the most remarkable
speaking campaign ever undertaken by
any man. In the same year, the Republican
campaign manager, Mr.. Hanna, spent
five times as much money as had ever been
spent before in a presidential race. The
Republican campaign was conducted
with such consummate skill that the name
Of Mark Hanna will live for years as that
of the best political general the country
has produced. :.
The wear 1896 was a year OF political
revolution. Both of the leading parties
underwent great changes, and the number
of independent voters was increased a
thousand fold. Mr.. Cleveland's second
administration began with the country
on the verge of financial crash. The
blow descended and the panic of 1898 WAS
on. The money question, which both
parties had so carefully side-stepped for
so many years was presented IN such
way that the administration could not
avoid taking a position. Mr.. Cleveland
and his cabinet decided to place the
country souarely on the gold standard,
and to disregard the petty sops which
had been thrown to silver. The treasury
regulations accomplished this purpose
long before the Mckinley administra-
ton came in.
DEMOCRATS In CONTROL.
For the first time since the first part of
Ruehanan's administration the Govern
ment wAs in the control of the Democrat,
that party having the President and
majority In both Houses Of Congress Mr.
Cleveland called Congress together and
urged the repeal of the silver purchasing
clause of the Sherman Act, which would
finally "demonetize" silver. HIS party did
not agree with him on that subject, and 1T
was with the greatest difficulty that his
PURPOSE was accomplished.
President Cleveland had been an e1-
cmplar of civil service reform and WAS
opposed to ''perniclous activity IN poll
tics, but he went To the extreme of the
use of patronage as club TO drive the
repeal bill through Congress. Even then,
it WAS done only by the help of eastern
Republican votes. 1t left his party hope |
lessly divided.
The Democratic landslide which re-
elected Cleveland was the result of popu-
lar disapproval of the Mckinley Tariff |
Bill of 1890. After the terrific fight on
the silver purchasing clause repeal, the |
Democratic Congress endeavored to enact |
a Democratic tariff bill. The party was al |
ready torn asunder and could act with no |
unanimity. The result was the passage
pf the Wilson Bill, which Mr.. Cleveland |
permitted TO become law without his |
signature.
As the people had condemned the Me- |
kinley Bill six months after 1T was passed |
and before its effect could possibly have |
been felt, by the election of the Democratic |
HOUSE In 1890, SO the Wilson Bill, charged |
with responsibility for a panic which was /
on before the bill was written, resulted in /
the overwhelming Republican congress
slonal victory of 1894.
A YEAR OF SPLIT rAKrrEs.
All through the three years of the Cleve-
land Administration leading up to the /
campaign of 1896 there was constant |
strife in both parties. For time il seemed /
that the Republicans would declare for |
free silver and that the Democrats would /
follow their President In advocacy for
the gold standard. Then it seemed that
both parties would declare for the gold
standard and the silver hosts would enroll
under the banner of PopilIsm. The Re
publicans felt certain that they could
win on the prosperity issue, and by de-
nouncing the Cleveland administration
for its issue of S262, ,0O0, 900 of bonds In
''time OF profound peace" But tey didn't
want to split their own forces by taking
sides IN the money fight.
Mr.. Mckinley and Speaker Thomas B
Reed were the leading candidates for the
Republican nomination for President
Mr.. Mckinley had the good fortune to
have Mark Hanna for his political cap
tain Hanna organized thes states and took
even New England away from Reed long
before the convention met. Mr.. Hanna
was afraid OF the money question and Mr..
Mckinley was committed by his record
to ''bimetallism." So the Ohio leaders
attempted to ''straddie" the issue once
more. The Ohio state platform contained
a delphic utterance on the money ques-
ton which said nothing.
But when the national convention met
q, st. Louis, Mr.. Hanna found that the
question was one which was too big to be
straddled. Senator Thomas c. Platt of
New Qrk iOTceC Hanna 10 accept q gold
standard platform. Ii was later modified
by pronouncernent IN favor of inter
national bimetallism, which permitted
Republicans who had been shouting for
silver TO come down gracefully Senator
Platf may not be regarded as a great ,
statesman, but in 1896 and 1900 he did ,
things that left marks on the history of
the country.
wEsTERNERS BoLTTr.
When the gold plank was adopted,
thIrty-four western Republican delegates,
headed by Senator Teller OF Colorado.
Senator Cannon Of Utah and Senator
Dubois of Idaho, walked out of the con-
vention and into the Democratic party
All over the country there were Repub-
licans who loudly proclaimed the fact that {
they had bolted the nomination of Me !
kinley. A national silver Republican con !
yentlon was called. MIR. Hanna, chosen
OF the national committee, knew :
that ne had great job ahead of him and
he set TO work.
The Democratic Convention met ia !.
Ckcago- The Cleveland wing of the party
controlled the national committee, but !,
the recommendations of that body We're
swept aside on the first vote and it was :
clear that the silver men controlled the !
A resolution commencing 1
the then present Democratic Convention
was voted down with vengeful boots. No
man WAS eyer bafad mora than tho Darpo- i