Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1920-09-16
PARKER WRITES
OF BIG SLUSH
FUND

With the aim of enlightening the
new generations of voters who have
grown to manhood since Mckinley
and Bryan contested the presidential
election of 1896, / recall similitudes
indicating that the chairman of the
present national Republican committee
is but reverting to the type of his
predecessor, Mark Hanna.
In those "bloody shirt - days there
was an old Civil war veteran nation
ally known as "Private Dalzell," of
course a Republican, who has embalm-
ed his knowledge of the. crooked cam
align methods of 1896 in cold type
This old soldier said: "'Mark Hanna
was to politics what Grant was to
war; the end was good and the means
no matter; whatever was needed
were lavishly expended without ex
cuse or explanation; and as for the
ethics of the thing-that might wait
until the victory was won,-anyhow
and every how, no matter how.
'''The right or the wrong of the
thing never once disturbed the even
tenor of his way, as Hanna gathered
up and hurled all the ammunition he
had-and he had lots of it in 1896
and 1900 As to 1896, / am not
guessing. | know absolutely if Han
ma had not money by the millions, and
the brains to use it, Bryan was sure
to win.
g. was in sort of headquarters at
Chicago almost every day of both
of Hanna S campaigns, and am not
list of speakers Hanna had Every
language on earth almost was spo-
ken at his dquarters-Swede, Pole, |
Hungarian, German, French, a poly |
glot bureau, to reach every man of |
every race on this continent.
Gin the mills and mines he select
ed wOrkingmen who could talk how
ever ungrammatieally women from
the far west with the gift of CAB;
negroes who had oily tongues; preach
ers, old and young; country lawyers,
men of little note or none, so be they
could talk well and long for McKin-
ley; and he sent them in platoons,
without care for the cost, into every
corner of the country.
"Hanna s quick eve never was de-
ceived-he knew his lieutenants and
whate they could do. He was bound
to reach every voter between the
oceans by the best means at his hands,
and giving these speakers plenty of
money and railroad passes, he dis
patched them to every nook and cor
ner where there was to be found a pos
how to reach the masses by taking
tns- !
known leaders locally, and by this
sign he won!
"The railroads and banks were so !
alarmed at the prospects of Bryan s
election that they gave Hanna all the
passes ana money he asked-and more.
On the cars and boats, everywhere 7
we went, the agents, conductors, and
managers could not do enough for us,
but were profuse in their offers of !
service in all sorts. The banks threw
open their doors and gave us money
Is we continued over the country. Most
If the hotels would not charge a cent?
Wash t that management
Was ever any campaign so com
)letely in control of one shrewd and
powerful mind9 Before the campaign
lad reached October, both in 1896 and
300, Hanna had all the workingmen.
Ill the farmers, all the country
hOuting for Mckinley.
"He knew how to do it, Is there G
my other way? This year will deter
nine that. r
"For more than 100 consecutive days :,
aid delegations made pilgrimages to !;
icKinley S front porch at Canton. q
lie spoke to more than million voter D
rom his doorstep, always opening
n these words: My friends, I am
lad to see you here today p
"The railroads transported all u
hese people for next to nothing, so ~
eeply interested were they in the -
esult. Their employees did all they ~ =,
ould to swell the crowds =. o.
"It is favorite figure of speech d.
say the stars in their courses if
ought with Hanna for Mckinley in ar
9th campaigns-more than stars, dol w
RS and cents, corporations, farm. III
s, railroads and banks, and mer- ca
lants fought with Hanna against fs
ryan. That master magician waved 90
s wand, and the wealth of the world nj
He'd into his Golfers. until all the
ealth of Ornms or of Ind would
I'VE poverty by comparison with the
eming millions of money he wisely e.i'
ed to carry the election, while the lnl
rises of the whole country were mo
Chilly closed against poor Bryan. an tI!
@ Money makes the mare go Money w
ks! And money made the two dn
eat campaigns successful above any Nj
e country ever saw NJ
E.
The present is but a repetition of sal
e financial features of the 1896 cam the
ign Harding is but prototype of ow
;Kinley as a lightning change ar Ian
t. Prior to his nomination for the des
ssideney in 1896, Mckinley was If
? of the strongest advocates of the the
e and unlimited coinage of gold the
silver. However, he Immediately re- pIa
Hated his advocacy of the douhle no