Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 June 1902 — POLITICS OF THE DAY [ARTICLE]

POLITICS OF THE DAY

Roosevelt Kvades the laane. Mr. Roosevelt’s address at Arlington cemetery was an elaborate defense of the army, full of assumed indignation and wrath. Its fatal weakness lay in the assumption that the army needed defense—the assumption that anybody whose utterances are deserving of notice has attacked the army as such. Individual soldiers and their conduct have been denounced, and the President admits that they richly deserve denunciation; the army as a whole has not been denounced, nor even the army in the Philippines, as Mr. Roosevelt assumes that It has been. What has been denounced is the policy of the Republican administration which has made war necessary, with all the cruelty and misery which are the inevitable attendants of war. Criticism of Individual officers and men has been merely Incidental to the condemnation of the policy which forced them to wage war. This fact Mr. Roosevelt wholly ignores. He assumes that war was unavoidable, which is not true, as there is the best reason for believing. All the facts set forth in the earlier official reports show that the Filipinos were disposed to receive us with open arms as their deliverers from Spanish tyranny, just as we were the deliverers of the Cubans. Officers of our navy traveled extensively over the island when, outside of Manila, it was under no other control than that of the Filipinos, and everywhere they were received with the greatest hospitality and assisted In the accomplishment of their mission of observation.

There was no sign of hostility until the Filipino leaders found out that it was not the intention of the Republican administration to treat them as it had ehgaged to treat the Cubans, and when after putting forth every effort to that end they utterly failed to secure from the representatives of the administration in the islands any sort of assurance as to the political future of their archipelago. There is not the least reason in the world to doubt that if proper assurances had been given to the auGiorlzed representatives of the people, even though they had been less complete than those which had been given to Cuba, our representatives would have met with no more resistance in Luzon, or in any part of the archipelago under Tagalog influence, than was encountered in Cuba. The policy which made enemies of nil the Christians of the islands and left us only pagans and Mohammedans for friends (as Governor Taft testified before the Senate committee) plunged us into war. But for that we would never have needed a large army In the islands, and not a hostile gun would have been fired. It Is that belligerent and imperial policy, and not the army which has been compelled to carry It Into effect to the best of Its ability, that Is condemned by all the lovers of liberty and peace who understand the situation. The cruelty of which complaint has been made Is only a necessary incident of that wretched and wicked policy. That is the truth of the matter, and It is Idle for Mr. Roosevelt to attempt to dodge or conceal the Issue.—Chicago Chronicle.

Ohio Republicans on Trusts. The Republican politicians of Ohio must suppose that the people never think for themselves or that they have very short memories. The Republican convention of that State adopted the following resolution as a part of its platform; “All combinations that stifle competition, control prices, limit production or unduly Increase profits or values, and especially when they raise the prices of the necessaries of life, are opposed to public policy and should be repressed with a strong hand.” For the last five or six years the Republicans of Ohio hnve exercised almost controlling power In establishing national policies. They have had the President, the most influential member of the Senate, who is also chairman of the Republican National Committee, and the leading delegation In the lower house of Congress. What have they done toward repressing "with a strong hand” the “combinations that stifle competition, control prices, limit production, or unduly increase profits or values?” What have they done to repress combinations which especially “raise the price of tlie necessaries of life?” Absolutely, nothing! It Is all humbug and false pretense.

Hanna In Absolute Control. If outside Republicans have been in doubt as to whether Senator Hanna controls the Republican pnrty iu Ohio tfipy are respectfully referred to the doings of yesterday’s State convention for evidence to dissipate their doubts. The convention was “Hanna’s own." So is tile pnrty In the State. Now, If Ohio In November ratifies the work of the convention In May a good start will have been made for the 1004 race. "Hanna’s own” will go to the national convention with the order, “Teddy, go ’way back and sit down!” The rough rider may-buck and rear, but it is Senator Hanna’s pride that

he “gets what he goes for.” He has not said that he is going for the presidential nomination—yet. Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Our American Democracy. , Senator Bailey’s offered amendment to the army bill was beaten by a vote of 15 to 25. Nevertheless the amendment expressed the Democratic spirit of the people of this republic. Senator Bailey’s amendment provided that no part of the army appropriation should be expended In defraying the expenses of any one attending upon the coronation of a hereditary ruler. If we send a special embassy, military and civil, to the coronation of King Edward of England, Senator Bailey argued, as the American has been arguing ever since the kowtowing expedition to England has been proposed, we shall be bound to send a special embassy to the coronation of every monarch hereafter to be crowned, or else affront the nation from which we withhold the attention. The monarchies of Europe send no special embassies over to us to participate In the Inauguration of our Presidents. The right of Mr. Roosevelt to appoint any ambassador, special or other, without the consent of the Senate, was questioned by a number of Senators. Mr. Bailey, falling to amend the army bill, has offered a resolution declaring It contrary to the policy of the United States to accredit to any foreign government an ambassador specially to represent the United States at the coronation of any hereditary monarch. That is sound American doctrine. It Is good, plain, democratic common sense.

It is evident that we are not to bo spared the inconsistent absurdity of Mr.Whltelaw Reid in white satin kneebreeches making obeisance to the British throne, but at least the American Congress ought to Insist that the spectacle shall not be made a precedent.— Chicago American. Little Pith in the Platform. Any one who looked for light and leading to the Ohio Republican platform is likely to be disappointed. It in pre-eminently a platform that points with pride. It is proud of everything the Republican party has done, including prosperity, which is entirely its doing, or the doing of Ohio men In particular. It Is In favor of everything that everybody wants and Is opposed to all those evil things that nobody approves, but It Is very careful not to commit Itself to any definite opinion upon details. To the disinterested reader the platform appears a highly successful effort to say nothing in particular in a way to give no offense—Philadelphia Times.

Our Doty in the Philippines. What we did in Cuba was to announce formally by act of Congress that we would leave the government and control of the Island to Its people so soon ns a government should have been established under certain specified conditions. We ought to be equally definite and explicit in the case of the Philippines. The Cubans knew just what we wanted of them. The Filipinos do not yet know what we want, because Congress has never told them. Let us give our word to them as we gave It to the Cubans.—New York Evening Post.

Hoar's Plea for Humanity. Senator Hoar’s masterly appeal for humanity in the Philippines debate can only be answered by bis Republican associates with a plea for national selfishness and brutality. His speech rings with real patriotism ns Foraker’s rings with the false. And we believe that the sentiments expressed by the eloquent sage from Massachusetts are tl>7se of the great majority of the Amerienn people. The Republican men on horseback will do well to heed this warning from one who has devoted his life to that party.—Toledo Bee. Petty KKotiam of the President. The strenuous eommnuder-in-chief by bis repeated snubbing of General Miles, as well as by his attempted humiliation of Admiral Dewey and Admiral Schley, will not popularize himself with the country. His offensive and unjustifiable course toward the brave General and the distinguished Admirals is an evidence of a petty spirit of egotism and audacity which is not approved by the American people.—Syracuse Telegram.

A Valuable Public Official, The American people hnve faith and confidence in General Miles. Everything which he has said and done, incurring in the saying ami In the doing the enmity of the Republican administration, has been atnf.ly justified, am] he stnnds before the Auiericnn people to-day as one of the most valuable public men that has ever had the opportunity of serving them In emergen des.—Omaha World-Herald. True tadta Traditions. The majority of the United Statei Senate committee on privileges am: elections hns decided to pigeonhole tin proposed amendment to the constitu tlou providing for the popular elec tlon of United States Senators. In thh Instance the unexpected hns not hap pened. The Senate committee op prlvl leges hns always represented the prlvl iegetl dosses.—Omaha Bee