M'kinley's Growth

No feature of the present campaign has boon more gratifyiug than the uumistakable growth of Maj. McKinley toward the realization of those (jualitieS of comprehensivo statesmanship the American people have a right to domaud in their chief maeistrate. What the rei sponsibilitios of ofBce wühin ur ïmunory hare done for Presidenta Lincoln, (Irant, Haves, Arthur, Clcveiand and Ilan-ison the mere candidaoy for the presideucy has already accomplished for William McKinley. AVben he was nominated last June it was as the representative of a party. His name was then aliuost exclusively identiüed in the popular mind with the tarlffl issue. He stood before the country as the sponsor for the McKinley tariffl act and within the Republican party by the strength of the protection sentiment he bore down all opposition. But the ndoption of the Chicago platform and the nominatiou of William J. Bryau by the Democrats practically eliminated the tariff from the present campaign. The necessity for a revenueproducing- tariff remains, but the supreme issue was changed to sound money versus a debased eurrency, national hónor versus repudiatíotn, constitutional law and govmiiHi'iit versus sectionalism and an attack upon the federal courts. Upon tlie.se questious Mr. Mclvinlcy's record was almost unknown, exeept as his views could be inferred from his general eharacter. Those who knew the man we re conüdent that he would meet thcui. Three months of almost constant speechmaking from the poreh of his modest Cantón lióme has more than justiüed that confidence. Just as Abraham Lincoln rosp to the occasion and became the standard bearer of liberty and uniou in 1800, so William McKinley hns coufronted the situation in 1896 and justifiea his selection as the Champion of sound money, national inoráis and constitutional order in the crisis of today. Thore has been a steady dèvelopment aloug the lines of truc pol il ieal leadership noticeable in each successive speech made by Mr. McKinley since the day of his nomination. From being the candidate of a party he has risen lo the higher plane of national patriotism. Today he assumes more than ever the grave responsiliility of standing for the country against the assaults of financial heresy, sectionalism and disorder. As Lincoln confrontad the power ol' slavery and the spirit of gecession so Mr. McKinley confronta the attacks upon the nation's currency and constitntíoa. Last Saturday, in replyiug to the ad dress oí a delegation of Demócrata i'roni Chicago, Mr. McKinley gave a striking instance of how completely the eandidate of a party was lost in the statesmanship of a patriot in a national crisis. He showed Ihat he had taken to heart the words of Gov. Morris he quoted: "Let vis forget party and think of our country.11 He welcomed li is visitors "as patrlotie citizcus associated in this great contest for the triumph of law and order, tor national honor and private honesty. He brought out with striking clearness the fact that ne roasoa for thp low priee of wheat, which inclines the farmers to run after the silver delusion, was that the consumption of wheat per capita ie 1895 was 25 per cent. less than in. 1892 and sententiously remarked: "It is the decrease of consumption and the increase of competitors - not the suspension of tha ( oinage of silver - that accounts in part for the low price of wheat today." Thereupon he added: "We cannot make pricea but we can provide that all prices shal bo paid in f uil dollars, worth 100 cents.' la all the quulities or dignity, wisdom nnd perspicuity of statement tkat go to justify public cenfidence William JIcKin ley has ghown himself worthy of tho suffrages of the people and they are not likely to make any mistake next