Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 August 1899 — POLITICS OF THE DAY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

POLITICS OF THE DAY

HOW TO LET GO. There are those among the Republican leaders who believe that the holding of the Philippines Is bad policy, but has become a necessity through the treaty of Paris., Many of these leaders would be glad to let go if they could only discover how to do It It is quite likely that the President begins to understand that his policy of imperialism Is unpopular, and it is not unlikely that he will cast about for some method by which to cast off the Incubus. Undoubtedly If the Philippines are to be held It must be through conquest and the carrying on of a warfare extending over many years. Perhaps McKinley could not do better than to study the suggestions made In a recent letter to the New York Independent, written by William J. Bryan. Among other things Mr. Bryan says: If the doctrine of self-government is sound, the Filipinos are entitled to govern themselves, and the President can now promise them independence as soon as stable government can be established. If the President is not willing to take the responsibility of enforcing the doctrine set forth in the Declaration of Independence he can call Congress together and let it take the responsibility. A special session would be less expensive than the war, not to speak of the principles involved. Our nation is protecting the republics of South America from outward interference while they work out their destiny. We can lend the same doctrine to the Filipinos and save the inhabitants from a foreign yoke; we can guard them from molestation while they develop a republic in the orient. They will be our friends instead of our enemies: we can send school teachers to Manila instead of soldiers, and the world will know that there Is a reality in the theory of government promulgated at Independence Hall and defended by the blood of the revolutionary fathers. Trusted Republican leaders believe with Mr. Bryan that the holding of the Philippines by the United States is a bad thing, and the President can listen with profit to the advice given by Burrows, Boutwell, Edmunds, Hoar and others. There can be no question that a large majority of the people tn the United States realize that a grievous error has been committed in regard to the administration's Philippine policy. Will McKinley be wise enough to study the question of how to let go?

Gold Democrat*, It is growing more manifest each day that the gold Democrats are disposed to stand by the national organization and will lend valuable assistance to the party opposed to McKinley in the campaign of 1900. There can be no doubt that the disaffection of the gold Democrats in 1893 aided materially in the election of McKinley, but the betrayal of these volunteers by the man who benefited through their votes has embittered them and they will never again allow themselves to be made tools of by a political trickster. McKifiley has evaded every opportunity to show appreciation of the aid given him and his party by the gold Democrats; he has even failed to carry out the currency “reform” notions which attracted the gold Democrats. Added to the sins of omission, the rank ingratitude and the insulting disregard of favors extended, McKinley has pursued a policy of imperialism, militarism and subservience to trust control which has alienated every gold Democrat beyond the hope of reconciliation. Under the circumstances the situation is ripe for a reunion of all the divided Democratic forces, and a wise political leadership will see to it that nothing, which will bring about harmony shall be omitted from the program.—Chicago Democrat.

„ Buyinjx m «■ enatorwbip.—l—* In Montana the purchase of a Sena-torship-entails more unpleasant consequences than it does in the office-hunt-ing State of Ohio. Mark Hanna bought his way Into the United States Senate, and while there was more or less Mg talk about the magnitude of his crime nothing came of it. and Hanna is a Senator by reason of purchase, which is Just as gratifying to him as if he had been the people's choice. But the Supreme Court of Montana has ordered that one John B. Welcome, a lawyer of Butte City, must plead In an action for disbarment for bribery of legislators In the election last January that seated in the United States Senate William A. Clark, the multimillionaire. It is alleged that Clark was elected the lavish use of money; that his agents coolly distributed 9900,000 among the legislators, and this allegation has been strengthened by such startling testimony that the Supreme Court has been moved to act as stated. Now, if Lawyer Welcome is disbarred as a result of proof in the bribery charges, what will the Senate Committee on Elections do concerning Millionaire Senator Clark’s claim to a seat in the upper house? It is about time that some of these bribers should be found out and kicked out. Mu«t Get Together. If the Presidential election of 1900 is to result tn the eviction of William McKinley from the White House the job is going to be done by Democrats, not by a heterogeneous aggregation of Populists, greenbackers And silver Re-

publicans. There are in this country enough Democrats to elect a President It depends upon- themselves whether they get together or not The Democrats of Wisconsin, through their committee, have marked out a line of action which may be followed with profit by Democrats of other commonwealths and by the Democracy of Kentucky in particular.—Chicago Chronicle. Beware of the Enemy. In 1896 the Enquirer was the outspoken champion of free silver and its peerless leader. In that, campaign its efforts Id behalf of the cause were of a character known of all men. It combated with the full force of its energy the enemy—that is, the gold standard leaders, headed by William McKinley, and the more dangerous chairman of the National Republican Committee, Mark Hanna, and it is doing the same thing now and will keep right on doing it. The power of money and the influence of the great trust corporations prevailed, and William J. Bryan met a check. He emerged, however, from defeat, not weaker, but Indeed stronger. The cause he championed and the flag he carried could not be downed by any temporary reverse. The cardinal doctrine of the Chicago platform was and is a living, burning issue. It can not be displaced by any minor topic until the sweep of victory gives emphasis to its teaching and weaves its doctrine into the fundamental law of the land. These observations on the part of the Enquirer are made to give a warning to the Democrats of the designs of the enemy. The Republicans are now trying to create a party division in Ohio under the false cry that there is a faction seeking to make Bryan a follower rather than a leader. This to Democrats should be known as a silly lie. It is a silly He. Bryan still leads, and his Influence has not abated one jot. The cause he advocates Is a living cause. Under his magnificent leadership the Enquirer knows enough to know that if all the Democrats are not beguiled by the efforts of tne enemy to divide them, victory so signal as to be emphatic waits. It is the time for all Democrats to get together. The champion and national candidate is already in the van; flock under his banner and victory is in sight—Cincinnati Enquirer.

Democratic Year in Ohio. It la felt by a great many acute politicians that thia will turn out a Democratic year in the variable Buckeye State, hence there is more interest than there has been for several years In the Democratic State Convention. The Republicans have a heavy load to carry—in the first place in McKinley and Hanna, and then in imperialism, militarism and the trusts. The election involves to some extent the future of Mr. McKinley, for if his party is defeated In Ohio this fall his renomlnatlon next year will become a very doubtful question. Mr. McKinley is not an exceptionally strong man personally in Ohio. He is too well known, and a certain gloss that conceals the real man in other States has worn off in that wideawake commonwealth.— Pittsburg Post.

Not So Fierce a* It Look*.

Uncle Sam—Say, William, why don’t you take that away and hire a live man?—New York Journal. Rolling Up a Republican Majoritv. A model Republican citizen of the “better class” of the Quay reformer type has just been committed to jail in Philadelphia for the light offense of voting thirty-seven times at the election last November. When arrested he admitted the crime and declared that he had voted in thirty-seven districts on names registered in those districts. That was one of the ways Stone’s plurality over George A. Jenks was plied up.—Pittsburg Post Where Treepana la Allowable. Mexico has been granted permission to transport artillery and soldiers through American territory, to put down an uprising of the Yaqul Indians. In fact Mexico will be welcome to the work of putting down as many Indian uprisings as It cares to undertake—Peoria Journal. Not Much of a Gain. ' • If Mr. Root is to be a colonial secreretary simply and the administration of the War Department Is to be left mostly to Adjutant General Corbin it Is pretty hard to see just where we have gained by Alger’s Indianapolis News. Health lies In labor, and there is no royal road to it but through toll—Wendell Phillips.