THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT.

Hastings Standard, Issue 166, 7 November 1896, Page 2

THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT.

Thk great English-speaking Republic has passed through ;i severe political debauch and Major McKinley is the President elect of the United States. The result of this contest has been keenly watched by the whole financial world, for tremendous issues were involved : whether international honesty or dishonesty was to be the dominant creed of the Yankees ; and fortunately for America, and fortunately for the world, the "sound money " party have been victorious. The victory, however, does not and will not settle the currency question of America. It is postponed only, for the short period of four years, to be revived perhaps with more bitterness than has characterised the election of Tuesday last. At this distance, and with only the brief cable messages to guide us, we have been made aware of the tremendous excitement, the highly pitched political rancour of the contending parties, and it is not difficult to imagine that the bitterness of the strife may end in bloodshed. The United States are in a condition which spell civil war, and the defeat of the nominee of the Silverites may plunge the Eastern and "Western States into a bloody war. Such a prediction has been made long ago by those capable of judging of the situation, and the shooting of McKinley's agent at St. Louis is perhaps the first sign of the approaching storm. Let us hope that the great Republic may be spared this awful doom, and that the nation will regain its sober senses. To us in the Colonies the election of Major McKinley should be welcome news, for this arch-priest of Protection has been compelled by the exigencies of his candidature to greatly modify his views on Protection, and if there is any meaning in words then we may be sure that our staple product--wool—-will continue on the free list. The price of wool should ascend under such favorable conditions.