The Columbus Commercial

THE RAPE OF CONSISTENCY.

Consistency is a jewel which neither the republican party nor the man in the white house possesses. The party in power with pretended sympathy for the enslaved, and high moral perception of things, has long since deliberately sold itself to a policy of the enslavement of the inhabitants of the Philippines, and has for the sake of aid, compounded polygamy and set at naught the sacred ties of civilized marriage.

In fact the republican party in all and particular has proved untrue to every promise made, and both abroad and at home has done directly what it promised not to do, in relation to the treatment of the Philippines and the trusts, and no sane man looks any longer to that party for any relief for the shame of the condition in our eastern possessions or the curse of the trusts at home.

Owing to the fact that Mr. Roosevelt, as Police Commissioner and Governor, showed strenuous fairness, many hoped and believed that he would as President continue to vindicate consistency and remain true to the professions he once made, but recent appointments made in the interest of the corrupt machine in Pennsylvania in order to retain the influence and support of Senator Matt Quay and his followers, show a complete surrender upon Mr. Roosevelt's part, and completes by him the rape of consistency.

It is pitiable to see a strong man go down before the corrupting influence of the spoilsmen who care nothing for either the material or moral interests of the people so long as private gains may be enjoyed by bartering the people's rights.

It is not surprising that men like Quay, Hanna and Beveridge should do this, for no more was expected of them, but the inconsistent course of the President has been a source of disappointment and profound regret to the people at large, who had been led to hope for better things from him.

Alas! the power of the dollar seems to be supreme, and the interest of the money barons must be made paramount to principle.