The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-07-15
A CHACRINEO REPUBLICAN.
A WASHING TON REPUBLICAN
REVIEWS WAR POLICY.
The Pressure from the Common
People has Given to the War all
it's Good Features in Spite Of the
Money Power.

1opS, az ldIIlllldl dS any no III w ASH
ington with what is transpiring in con-
gress, and with the feelings Of indi-
Vldual members, a few days g used
the following significant language: Il
have been a lifelong republican,, be-
lleVing in its principles, helping to fight
its battles, and looking with intense
disfavor upon everything in American
politics that did not bear the distinc-
tive brand Of republicanism. But l
must confess that upon every point
involved in this trouble with Spain, the
democrats and silver republicans and
populists have conducted themselves
most admirably. Better by far than a
majority of the republicans in either
house. Especially l may say, better
thar the recognized leaders of the re-
publicans either in congress or the eX-
ecutive branch of the government. The
president has done literally nothing
on behalf of Cuban independence, and
nothing which ever squinted in the di-
rection of securing just r~eparation for
the destruction of the Maine and the
cold blooded, brutal murder of more
than tWo-thirds Of her crew. Every
step that he has taken, every word
that he has uttered, which has been
suggestive of indicating the honor OF
the country and establishing a free
government in Cuba. has been actu-
ally forced upon him by the upheaving
tide OF public sentiment. In fact, when
his actions are closely analysed, it is
seen that he has really done nothing
OF his own VOlitiOn on either score. He
practically gave away the Maine case
by throwing himself upon the honor
of SPAIN" while neither in his diplo-
matte correspondence with hat coun-
try, nor in his message to has
he ever even mentioned Cuban inde-
p~endence, except to oppose it. The
war which is now on, is not his policy,
blu one which congress has forced
upon him. There is no denial Of the
fact that when his message asking to
be authorized to intervene was sent to
congress, it fell like a wet blanket upon
many of the republican members. They
had been chatting n threatening for
weeks, and had only been kept from
open revolt through fear of losing
caste with the administration, Reed,
Dingley, etc. coupled with the prom
Use that the president would do the
right thing at the proper time. The
message fell so %palpably short of their
expectations that the disappointment
was intense. A resolution in line with
Mr.. McKinley's recommendation could
never have passed through the house.
The constituents of the members were
clamoring for Cuban independence, and
some of them were even more afraid Of
their constituents than they were Of
Speaker eed. Henc the house reso-
luton had to demand that the people Of
Cuba be given a free and independent
government, but it at the same time
gave the president full power to de-
termine what should be such a gov
eminent, although he had repeatedly
declared that they were not entitled
to an independent government of any
kind. There can be no doubt that a
strong and vigorous policy by the adj
ministration would have been extreme
ly popular with the American people. 1t
would also have been in accordance
with the dictates of both justice and
humanity. That Mr.. Mckinley has not
adopted such a policy can be described
to nothing but the sinister motives or
influences Of those men who for spe-
cial reasons of their own did not want
a war under any circumstances for
any cause, n they were determined
not to have one if it could be avoided
in any way. The opposition in. con-
gress had sense enough to knOw that
if the administration fought a success
full war with Spain it would be greatly
strengthened. Therefore, had the LEM
ocrats, pOpulists and silver republicans
been actuated by a mere desire for
partisan advantage they would nave
at least kept still and allowed Mr.. Nc
Kinley to go on with a policy which was
certain to make a wide breach in the
republican ranks, and probably wreck
it in the next campaign. They could
easily have done this. But instead
they have pursued an honorable, con-
sistent n patriotic course through
out. They have from the first advo-
Gated a genuine American policy, with
out the slightest attempt to play for
party advantage. The same cannot
be fairly said of the republican leaders,
however patriotic the masses may be.
With only two or three notable OK
ceptions in the senate, the republicans
Chose who sympathized with Cuba, I
mean) have been absolutely afraid to
make a move in antagonism to the ad-
ministratiOn, lest some party advan-
tage might be sacrificed. Besides this,
it is notorious that almost the entire
anti-Cuban end pro-Spanish sentiment
in congress has been in the republican
party. OF the 81 votes cast against the
senate resolution recognizing the re-
public Of Cuba, 10 were cast by repuo-
licans. Including in those 10 were all
the recognized leaders Of the repub-
lican party in the senate, and Mr.. Nc
Kinley's closest friends and advisers.
Why was this? 1t was not because
republicans as a body were opposed
to free government n unwilling to
defend our national honor. 1t was
simply because certain classes of mon
eyed men were opposed to the freedom
and independence of Cuba for financial
reasons. These men control the ac-
tons Of the republican leaders, or at
least exert very great influence with
them. Hence the republican party was
held in leash until the pressure from
the ommon people became too strong
to be longer resisted. But these lead
ers yielded unwillingly and went no
farther than they were compelled to.
Their manifest purpose was to pass a
resolution which would sound well and