The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-12-10
The Presidents Message.

President Mckinley is a man of large abill
ty and wide experience in public affairs, but
he lacks the one essential necessary to great
ness or even to administer the Office of Presi
dent in Justice to himself or his views upon
matters of state. He lacks courage and firm
ness and has been bullied to action contrary
to his convictions Of duty by jingoes and
others, who seem to control his every action.
Mr. Mckinley we'll knew this government
had no right to intermeddle with the internal
affairs of Spain; he knew affairs in Cuba were
no more concern to us than was the massacre
of Christians by Turks III the island of Crete,
against which this government did not even
enter protest, and he was slow III acting.
Although spurred on by jingoes. he was de-
termined to avoid war and to endeavor to
ameliorate conditions in Cuba by diplomacy
rather than by the sword Finally his courage
failed him and he Succumbed and took the
step that plunged the country into an unne-
cesary and uniustifable war, resulting III much
sacrifice of life by bullets and disease. the
manning of thousands more, and i'll large
addition to the public debts ofboth the United
States and Spain and increased taxation for
both.
In his message to Congress last Monday
the President rectes the incidents leading up
to the war, in which he labors to throw all the
responsibility upon Spain, and closes that
part of his message with a direct assertion
that Spain ''initiated that complete form of
rupture of relations which attends Il state of
war;" The warrant for this assertion is the
refusal of Spain to consider the demand OF
the United States that she rellnqulsh all au-
thorty over the island of Cuba, giving to that
government forty eight hours to answer, and
which demand was accompanied by copy OF
resolutions of Congress authorizing The Pres
ident to use the land and naval forces of
this government to enforce Spanish evacua
ton of Cuba.
In this part of the message it Is quite evl-
dent that the President is not stating his true
belief and conviction but rather, having been
driven to a course contrary to both, he is en-
deavoring to Justify his course by throwing
the responsibility upon Spain.
The President next takes up the conduct
of the war and entertainingly recites chronolo-
gically all the battles on land and sea and the
movements of the army and navy.
The message, while very lengthy, is COM
pact and concise in statement. Nearly all of
it is devoted to the Spanish American war
and with foreign affairs Nothing scarcely is
I ,,,,1, ,ln
ton for the necessary legislation for taking
the census in 1900, for an appropriation to
celebrate the centennial anniversary OF the
founding of Washington for a permanent cap
ital of the government, an appropriation for
building for the Department of Justice and
the substituting of steam ships to run between
United States ports and our anticipated new
possessions.
Finance and taxation are scarcely more than
alluded to-, and no suggestions are made as to
the government of our new possessions. As
to the latter, Congress is merely told that
military government will be continued until
that body prescribes some other form of gov
eminent.
Inc HeSSdSe 10 HoI ohe IhdI VIII SliGiI iH"C"
adverse criticism, except those parts where the
President seeks to make Spain instead of the
United States the aggressor in the late war,
subsidies to steam ship lines, and his concur
renee in the recommendations of the Secreta-
ry of War for large increase in our standing
army and of the Secretary ofthe Navy for large
additions to the navy. The teachings of the
fathers of the republic were that large army
and large navy were menace to liberty, and
these lessons have recently been brought
home to the people by attempts at govern
ment by injunction, supported by federal
bayonets.
Most of the criticism has been for omissions
by the President.