Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 October 1899 — Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 [ADVERTISEMENT]

We have had nearly a year of humbug and fraitleasneas, not to say imbecility in the Philippines. What we need now is a regime of vigor inspired by military experience ana abiltiy. In other words we want a soldier, a leader and a fighter at the head of our army in Luzon. Gen. Miles is that man, but because of the fear of his making too great a success of it and becoming an opposition candidate for the Presidency, he is kept at home. How long will the American people endure such a policy?

The first resolution of the first platform of the republican party, adopted in its Philadelphia convention, June 17, 1856, declared that "‘The maintenance of the Erinciples promulgated in the leclaration of Independence and embodied in the Federal Constitution, is essential to the preservation of our republican institutions.” But the men who made the Republican party one ©f “moral ideas” have passed away, and now its President acts on the principle that government derives its just power from a Spanish treaty.

It is not too much to say that the reports of Gen. Otis have been refuted so often by conservative correspondents in the Philippines, that it is a fair presumption always that he is stating a falsehood until his statement is corroborated by other evidence. Otis reported that 30,000 troops were more than ample to subdue the Filipinos. Even McKinley forcibly demonstrated that he did not credit his officer by sending 60,000 men. The correspondents in the Philippines unanimously have protested to their papers that they were forced to send out falsehoods by Otis.

The country has endured much ns the result of the incompetency and stubborn blundering of Brooke and Otis. In neither island can we discern the smallest progress in carrying out our solemn promises. In Cuba there is still a military autocracy and a popular discontent which grows in bitterness each succeeding day. In Luzon there is a bloody war, a hatred on the part of the natives such as was never visited upon Spain, and a wanton sacrifice of life. If existing conditions are projected into the coming year, they will put a conclusive end to McKinley’s public life.

In spite of the political embarrassment of such an act, there is little doubt that the Republicans will be compelled this winter to legislate for increased silver coinage to prevent a recurrence of the conditions which have hampered trade this autumn. Republicans fear that this will be quoted as an admission that there is merit in the silver issue, and that to coin more silver before the presidential election will be hailed on all sides as a weakening on the republican dogma of the single gold standard. It is apparent however that steps must be taken, and. under one delusive plea or another, the Republicans will be found this winter, provi ling more silver for the channels of trade.

A bill is being formulated by Ohio people that will provide for placing the county officials of that state under a system of inspection similiar to that in vogue in the internal revenue, postal and other departments of the Federal Government, It is claimed by the advocates of the measure that in every county where the records of the county officials covering a period of 10 years have been thorougly investigated collections of illegal fees ranging from $40,000 to $60,000 have been reported, and that these figures multiplied by the number of counties in the state would show a loss to the taxpayers of Ohio in the past decade of over $5,000,000. It is proposed to empower the Governor or some other state official to appoint a number of regular inspectors.

The Winamac Republican says that one of the township trustees of that county is guilty of extorting money from school teachers before he would consider their applications favorably, and that he has been guilty of this unlawful firactice for years. Two young ady teachers recently rebelled ana insisted on his paying back to them $75 each which they had paid to secure their position, and he “coughed up.” The Republican very properly adds that the man should be sent to the penitentiary. It neglects to give the politics of the trustee, which fact would lead one to infer that he was a republican. But politics should make no difference in such cases, except, if he is a democrat, and guilty, he should be given a little heavier sentence, for democrats have been brought up better than to commit such crimes.