Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 April 1900 — PARTY WHIP IS USED [ARTICLE]

PARTY WHIP IS USED

V„ ' . THEY ARE FORCED TO STULTIFY . THEMSELVES, In Defiance of Public Sentiment, Administration Leaders Vote a Tariff Tax on Porto Kico—Failure of Otis in the Philippines, Wasbißgt-.*u correspondence: - The Porto Rican act, as it passed the Senate, is now n law. The Republican leaders of the House would consent to no amendment, but forced It through exactly as it passed the upper body. Eight Republicans refused to stultify themselves by supporting a measure so diametrically opposed to public sentiment and to their own convictions of right and_ justice. The Democrats voted solidly against the measure. The debate was one of the moat lnterestlng and instructive that has taken place in this Congress. The Republican leaders were embarrassed at every turn by the demands of the Democrats that they should explain the remarkable reversal of policy which led to a tariff measure when all the Republican leaders from McKinley down had declared that ‘‘our plain duty” toward the Porto Ricans demanded that they be given free trade. President McKinley, Secretary Root, Gen. Miles and Governor General Davis were quoted on this proposition, to say nothing of the opinions of ex-President Harrison, ex Speaker Heed, ex Senator Edmunds and other Republican statesmen. One of the most telling points was that made by Representative Richardson, the Democratic leader on the floor of the House, who waved in the air the two opinions of law clerk Magoon, of the War Department, one declaring that Porto Rico was a part of the United Stales and therefore under the Constitution, and the other taking exactly the opposite view. “It is not so important," said Mr. Richardson, “to know that this law clerk prepared two opinions diametrically opposite to each other, as it is to know why the administration ordered him to reverse himself and render the second opinion.” In passing this measure Congress takes advantage of the constitutional provision empowering it to determine how the territory shall be governed, and yet deliberately violates the Constitution which provides that imposts and excises shall he uniform throughout the United States, that Congress shall not levy an export tax, nor levy duty on goods passing from one portion of the United States to another. The situation in the Philippines goes from bad to worse. The confidential and secret reports to the War Department have led to the recall of Gen. Otis, although the effort is put forth to make it appear that he is coming home at his own request. But the fact is that lie lias totally failed to grasp the situation. The insurgents are active in every quarter, and the troops are simply worn out by the vain efforts to catch the light-footed Filipinos. The warfare has degenerated into a vindictive and barbarous guerilla conflict. It is humiliating to confess, but there is every reason to believe that the Filipiuos, even when captured with arms in their hauds, are being mercilessly shot down. There are no records of prisoners taken or held, and now no records of Filipino wounded prisoners treated in American hospitals. What becomes of them? There are complaints, too, that the friendly Filipinos, those who would prefer peace and quiet even under American rule, are badly treated by the American officers and soldiers until the situation lias become intolerable* Human nature is the same the world over, and the American soldiers would be different from other mortals if the, barsli treatment to which they themselves are subjected and the fearful climatic conditions did not have their effect. Were the soldiers in the Islands permitted to vote whether to return or stay the government could not furnish transports fast enough to bring them hack to the United States.

It is just coming out Hint Great Britain is very well satisfied with what is known as the Dclngon Bay Railroad award, although an awful howl was put up by the London press. The English bondholders and creditors get every dollar that was due them, while the American claimants whose claim was the liest of all, get practically nothing. It is regarded as significant and suspicious that within a week of the time the award was announced at Berne, Portugal should have agreed to permit British troops to move through Beira Into Rhodesia to attack the northern froutler of the Transvaal. It looks as though Portugal had agreed to this plain violation of her neutrality to secure Great Britain’s acceptance of the unjust nwnrd in the Delagoa Bay case at the expense of the American claimants. Fleeing Republicans. The appraiser of New York, Mr. Wakeman, has sounded an alarm that should bo brought to the attention of four Uncle Mark Hanna. He says that most of the people who are going to the Paris exposition are Republicans, and there Is grave danger that about 16,000 from New York will remain abroad until after election and thus jeopardise the chances of your Uncle William McKinley for re-elect l<m_ The friends of Brother Bryan are not worrying about any of his supporters going abroad for such a stay. They are going to stay right at home and saw ice. I suppose a law could be quickly passed by Congress which would make It treason for a Republican to remain oot of the country on election day, and surely tbePree-

ldent would sign such a bill. The matter could be left to tly government officials at the sailing point, and the tourists could be compelled to give bonds that they would return before November. How lucky Col. Bryan is that he does not have to worry about his rieb supporters getting so attached to the wickedness of Paris that they will forget to come home and vote. If Commissioner Peck, the original McKinley man, knows his business he will order all Americans out of Paris about the Ist of November, and save his country again, as he has done on several occasions.—Peck’s Sun. •

A George 111. Bill. The House passed the Senate Porto Rico bill without amendment, thereby establishing the principle which George 111. sought to impose upon the American colonies, that is to say: Taxation without representation. It was in opposition to the same kind of a measure that the American colonies revolted, and establislied a free republic. The indefensible measure, which is not only unjust but a violation of the good faith and trust of the Porto Ricans In American honor, was not passed without the display of some good, old-fashioned American spirit, which protested against the adoption by this Government of a measure which the founders of the nation had condemned, and which was the cause of the Declaration of Independence. All of the Democrats were opposed to it and fought against its adoption to the extent of being denounced by the Republicans as opposed to progress and the advancement of the nation. Certain Republicans proved themselves to he steadfast Americans by joining in the opposition to the bill, hut they were defeated by the small majoritty of eight. Judging from the almost universal sentiment of the people, and the hostile criticism of Republican organs, It appeared at one time as If there would be a Republican revolt of considerable magnitude, hut it was less than expected, in spite of the President's original conviction that it was the plain duty of Congress to give the Porto Ricans free trade. Hence the bill as passed was so passed by a strict Republican partisan vote, and stands now before the people as an exclusively Republican measure, which is a plain violation of the Constitution of the United States. The Porto Ricans are too feeble to revolt, as did the American colonists, and they must therefore submit. But there is a host of American citizens who see in the measure a long step in the direction of an imperialism which the present administration, acted upon .by the trusts, is seeking to force upon the nation. It is looked upon as part of an attempt to wreck the nation and change its form of government against the interests of the people and for the benefit of a special class. It will lie a vital issue of the coming I'ampaign, and appeals to every citizen as one that requires final settlement by the utter defeat of imperialism.

Two Kinds of Fta^s. It appears that the country lias been misled into a wrong notion of tbe moaning of tbe word “flag,” as used by Mr. McKinley on occasion. There are a few now living who will remember his language in various stump speeches, statue unveilings, Sunday school gatherings, banquets, etc., to the effect that “We have hauled up the flag: who will dare haul it down?'* And it has been the general iuipressiou that he referred to the flag of the United States. This impression proves, however, to lie a mistake, and Senator Spooner of Wisconsin deserves the thanks of a bewildered people for having removed It and also removed the stigma of treason from many who have beeu accused of desecrating it. Says the Senator in a speech upholding the Porto Itico tariff, and arguing against the citizenship of the hapless inhabitants of that benevolently assimilated isle: “Does the Constitution follow the flag?” he inquired. “No. it does not. Our army entered Cuba during the war with Spain. Our flag is there now. But is our Constitution there? Certainly not. Can we legislate for Cuba? No, we canuot. -Our soldiers are there, but the-Conatltutiou Is not. The ouly law which follows the flag is the law of war. The flag follows the Constitution, not tlie Constitution the flag.” Bo we have all along been worrying about the wrong flag. It is the McKinley flag we have iieen taking for the genuine, whereas it is a counterfeit. Hereafter, with Senator Spooner's flag in mind, we shall feel at liberty to walk over it, haul it down and express the contempt for it every citizen must feel who loves the grand old genuine banner of tbe nation that Washington honored, and which lias waved over the Constitution since the beginning.

Ia Mr. McKinley Inevitable? During the next six weeks the Republicans will choose that part of their national convention which will decide who shall head the Republican ticket. And although the Republican revolt against Mr. McKinley la at it* height, although signs ominous of disaster if McKinley leads multiply, there is as yet no indication of a movement to throw over the discredited leader and his policies of palter and falter and perfidy and privilege. Until the Porto Rican affair Mr. McKinley was in the position of a man agalnat whom the evidence was convincing to the Impartial mind, but not of that hopelessly conclusive character which silences even the most partisan and prejudiced friendship. In the Porto Riean affair the accused has confessed. How can his friends deny when he hltn- . self admits and presents the proofs that bis confession i* true? Those who a few montha ago de-

nouneed the allegations against Mr. McKinley,, as partisan misrepresentation and refused to look or reason or listen are to-day wondering how could have been so blind that thejr did not penetrate the disguise of unction and sacrosanctitude until the man was “caught in the act” before their very eyes. In the strong light of Porto Rican perfidy "they are seeing at last the truth about Algerlsm, Eaganlsm, Sons of Somebodies, embalmed beef, pest camps, the Philippines proclamation, the betrayal o? civil service reform pledges, the appointments of the offscourings of the slums to high Federal offices, the Standard Oil bank scandal, the ship subsidy scandal—all that amazing composite of “conscience without courage and courage without conscience” called McKinleyism. The point of view' is everything. Porto Rico has suddenly put the Republican thinking voters at the proper point of view. Is Mr. McKinley really inevitable?— New York World. Dishonest Dodßinx. The McKinley administration is evidently anxious to avoid a judicial decision as to the status of Porto Rico under the Constitution. After Judge Laeombe had granted writ's of habeas corpus and certiorari in the case of Jorge Cruz, the Porto Rican who came to New York under a labor contract with the Herald, Immigration Commissioner Fitcliie received from the Secretary of the Treasury instructions to allow Cruz to land, the Department reserving the light to deport him at any time within one year, and to bring suit for SI,OOO penalty against the person or corporation assisting, encouraging or soliciting him to come in under contract. As an excuse for this evasive action, Secretary Gage says: “Legislation now pending in Congress may change the present status. The department prefers to test the question by bringing suit to recover the penalty imposed by law upon the person who brought Cruz into the country under contract. The matter will be referred to the Department of Justice, with request to take such action in this direction as the case may justify.” This is a manifest “dodge,” for a suit to recover may hotTreach judgment for a long time, while the habeas corpus proceeding \v9ldd have been summary. The action of Secretary Gage is a confession of weakness.—Al bany Argus.

Eighty-five Per Cent justice. The action of the merchants of Porto Itico ought to move the heart of the Congressmen if they are amenable to any uppeals from our SUBJECTS in Porto Rico. Although they ought to be expected to hail with joy the appropriation of $2,000,000 for their benefit, they have shown no gratitude for the charity voted them, hut are more strenuous in their appeals for a chance to help themselves. They will accept a punishment even of a 25 per cent, tax if only they are given an opportunity to transact business and industrially to recuperate. They are in the condition of workmen, who have gone on a strike for a just cause, but. being starved into submission, are willing to give their assent to pluck-me stores, in order to get an opportunity to return to work. The fact that in their extremity the Porto Ricans are willing to accept 85 per cent, of justice does not absolve Congress from the injustice of treating our new possessions as colonies to lie exploited.—Evansville Courier.

Proclaim Independence Once Attain. On the coming Fourth of July, or on the preceding day, let every true American newspaper in the United States publish in full the Declaration of Independence. It is the charter of our liberties. and it is being sneered at and treated with contumely ns effete, by those who aspire to destroy its undying principles of human freedom by a return to imperialism and the destruction of a people’s government. Thousands are familiar with its spirit, hut have never read it. nnd by proclaiming It once again ou the coining Fourth of July it will surely bring about a revival of patriotism similar to that experienced by our forefathers on July 4, 17715, when they repudiated imperialism and tyrnnuy. There is all the more man! of its proclamation because we shall then,enter a political campaign which means life or death to the republic. Exchange.

Too Constitutional. Leary, pacificator and statesman of Guam, it appears, lias been deposed because be failed to Ignore tlie fact that the Constitution of the United States extended, ex proprlo vigor*, to our new lusular possessions when they became ours quite ns much ns it does to our old coutlnental territories. Leary was right, but not from tlie dollar mark viewpoint of Rockefeller, Havemeyer, Spreckles, Duke and Hanna. What la required of nn Island governor la adherence to the noble saying: “What'a the Constitution betune frlnds?”— Washington Times. The Oalf la Widenins. The extreme* of society are being driven furtber and further apart. Wealth Is being concentrated In tbo hands of a few, and tenancy Is on the increase. At one end of the scale luxury and idleness breed effeminacy; at tbe other end of the scale want and destitution breed desperation.—W. J. Bryan. V Waltlna. The Culmtos want Independence, and tbe Porto lllcnna want an opportunity to make an hpnest living without having to pay ton to the trusts. Tbe Republican party la determined to make both thesfe wants long felt—Kansas City Times