The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1898-10-08
PUSHING WAR ISSUES.
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silver.

| every democratic state convention has
adopted resolutions antagonistic to
The annexation policy of President Nc
Kinley's administration. In New
Hampshire the democratic convention
declared against the acquisition OF
any territory except for coaling and
was made in the Iowa convention. The
Missouri convention declared against
the annexation of the Philippines oil
other territory in the eastern hem
sphere. In Vermont the convention
opposed the "imperialistic policy o
the republican party" In Ohio thu
democrats declared that they did no
want the Philippines annexed under
eny conditions.
On the other hand, the republican
convention in California declared thai
national welfare demanded the reten
tion of the Philippines. The Vermont
convention opposed the surrender 10
Spanish misrule of any territory now
or hereafter acquired, The Colorado
republicans declared unqualiiiedly in
favor of keeping forever in place the
America flag wherever ii has been
unfurled. Ohio approved the presi-
dents policy Illinois declared that
the United States should hold such
possessions in the conquered territory
as would be advantageous to its inter-
ests in time of war and peace. New
Hampshire declared in favor Of such
disposition of the Philippines as would
cxtinguish the sovereignty of Spain
and make good our obligations to the
peoples Of these islands. New Jersey
declared emphatically in favor of the
expansion policy Of the administra-
ton, and the New York convention
spoke as positively.
At first there was disinclination on
the part of the democratic managers
10 grapple with the waF issue. The
campaign on land and sca-was so sue
cessful and the results so great that
they could not, as in 1864 say that the
war was a failure. But within recent
weeks the yellow press campaign, en-
larging on the horrors of war, has in
fluenced democrats to make the con-
duct of the war an issue The demo-
cratic convention in Connecticut made
the astonishing declaration thatwhile
the war had been great success and
had brought new hepors to the Amer
lean people and fresh glory to their
flag, the management of the war "has
chilled our eXultation and brought
home to us a sense of shame" 1t
charged the administration that has
conducted the most successful war in
our history with incompetence and
venality. In Illinois and in New York
the democrats are taking practically
the same position. Everywhere the
word has gone out to dwell on the
horrors of the war in an effort to
make the people forget the glories of
the war.
The democrats are making the same
mistake in 1898 that they made in
1864. Then in the very crisis Of the
war for the union, just before the At
lanta campaign, when the great issues
of the war were hanging in the bal
ance, when the union cause needed
strengthening and the union soldiers
encouragement. the national demo-
cratic convention declared the war n
failure and asked for cessation Of
hostilities. Thousands of war demo-
Gratis in the army and out turned
squarely against the infamous and
reasonable platform of their party
and supported Abraham Lincoln
against George =. Mcclellan. So dis
astrous was the blunder of the demo-
Gratis in 1864 that it required 20 years
for the party to regain the confidence
of the people. Some of the most con-
spicuous democrats of the time open
~ went over to the republican party,
and in many Of the regiments in the
field not a single vote was cast for the
democratic candidate.
1t seems incredible that the demo-
cratic leaders OF this day should re-
peat the blunder Of 1864. but they are
doing it. Certain republicans are Civ
ing them aid in trying to push petty
local issues to the front. This is a
suicidal policy. The issues Of this cam
paign are the expansion policy of Pres
ident Mckinley and the conduct of the
war. Will the people stand by the adj
ministration that brought the three
months campaign to so glorious an
end, or will they turn just when the
Spaniards are watching every indica-
ton of public sentiment and give en-
enlargement to the enemy by repudia-
ton of the war policy and war admin
istration? This is the issue, and il can
not be evaded. The democrats are
against holding the Philippines,
against the annexation of Puerto Rico
and Cuba, and they were against the
annexation of Hawaii. They are In
favor of belittling the results of
the war in the interest of partisan adj
vantage. Republicans should vote this
time for the army and navy, for the
expansion policy and for the approval
Of the war policy. = Chicago Inter
Ocean.
DThe election of house hostile to
the administration would be ma
tional calamity. II would halt and
turn backward a rising tide of agricul-
tural. industrial and commercial pros
perity which under q continuance Of
present conditions seems destined to
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