Washington sentinel., 1898-12-31
The Presidents Southern speech es

The speeches made by the Presl-
dent during his recent visit to the
South deserve a closer and more
judicial analysis than appears tc
have been possible while the "tri-
umphal tour" was in progress.
Hospitality and sentimentAlity,
while beautiful in their place, do
not afford the best atmosphere tor
a true estimate OF a Presidents
public utterances.
Mr.. McKinley's first notable
utterance was the suggestion made
at Atlanta that "rhe time has now
come in the evolution Of sentiment
and feeling, under the providence
of God, when, in the spirit OF fra
ternity, we should share with you
in the care OF the graves Of the
Confederate soldiers"
Conceding the generous and
even the gushing nature OF this
suggestion, the question remains:
Was it in good faster Was it wiser
Was it sincereP Does it not imply
either that the Southern people
have been remiss IN caring for the
graves Of their soldiers or that they
are unequal to the task7 The effect
Of the precedent is already seen in
a resolution introduced in the Sen
ate to admit Confederate veterans
to the benefits OF the pension laws
and by another proposition to
extend the care Of the Federal
Government to the homes for the
disabled soldiers who wore the
gray.
Is the President ready to put any
of these recommendations into his
message to his Congress2 Sup
pose that President Cleveland had
made such a proposition as Mr..
Mckinley did, or had consented,
as Mr.. Mckinley did later in his
tour, to wear a Confederate badger
Has the country forgotten the howl
that was raised when Mr.. Cleve-
land proposed simply the return OF
the battleHags captured from our
Southern brethren1
In his message to Congress Pres
ident McKinle!' withheld all ex-
preston oil opinion or formulation
of policy as to what this country
should do with the islands ceded
by Spain. In his speeches at the
South he assumed that Expansion
has expanded" without either the
sanction OF the Senate or the action
OF the popular branch OF Congress.
THAT flag has been placed in two
hemispheres." he exclaimed, "and
there it remainsl Who will haul
it DOWN."
THAT flag" has been "hauled
down" on at least seven occasions
in our history when it was improp-
erly or temporarily raised by our
soldiers, Just as it was lowered the
other day in Cuba by Gen. Lees
order because raised pre- maturely.
Senator Frye. one OF the Peace
Commissioners, admits in an inter-
view that the treaty in no way
affects the future disposition of the
territory acquired by the United
States. THE whole matter" he
saws, sis left in the hands of Con-
gress, which can make any dispo-
sition Of the islands it sees fit"
But putting these precedents
aside, wha. was there in the Presi
dents question except an appeal
to the needless hurrahs OF a crowdr
Did he attempt any justification
OF a policy OF imperialism Did ne
explain the necessity or justify the
wisdom Of the proposed wide de-
parture from all the principles and
precedents of the RepublicS
In another speech he did ask,
"Was it right to order Dewey to
90 to Manila and capture or des-
troy the Spanish Aeet2" Is this
ingenuous2 That act was obvi
ously as necessary as the result
was brilliant. But if after the
Spanish fleet at Mlnila had been
destroyed Dewey had been or
dered to join our Atlantic squad
rons for the capture of Cuba anc
Porto Rico and to menace if neces
- II -r.lU