The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-08-12
EVOLUTION OF ISSUES

| Able and Staunch Democrats FAVOR the
doctrine. AS staunch and able Demo-
Gratis oppose it. Mr.. Bailey, Democratic
leader in the house, sought to have his
negative views incorporated in the plat
form of the party in his own state, but
was defeated and middle course pur-
sued On the other hand, Governor
Stone, in the Missouri Democratic state
convention, was unsuccessful in his eff
forts to place the party in that state
on record as favoring expansion, and a
resolution drawn and supported by Con-
gresham Bland, was adopted, declar-
ing against the acquisition of any terri
tory in the eastern hemisphere.
A number of influential Democratic
journals are pronounced in favor of re-
tanning the Philippines, among them the
New York Journal, Cincinnati Enquirer,
Louisville Courier-Journal. Galveston
and Dallas News, Atlanta Constitution,
New Orleans Picayune, Memphis Com
mercial- Appeal, Florida Times Union,
San Francisco Examiner and New York
Times. On the other hand, number of
equally influential Republican newspa-
pers oppose the acquisition Of insular
territory in either the Atlantic or the
Pacific. Prominent among these are the
New York Evening Post in the east and
the Omaha Bee in the west.
There are not lacking indications of
a divergence of opinion among the news
papers and public men of our own state,
Democrats and Republicans being found
on 10th sides of the question. Thus, does
Governor Budd favor and Senator White
oppose the retention and colonization
of the Philippines.
Conspicuous among Republicans of
national prominence who have set their
faces against the temptation to turn a
war for humanity into a war of con-
quest, against the solemn warnings of
| President McKinley's inaugural address,
are the venerable Senator Edmunds and
the thoughtful Justice Brewer. In a
Fourth of July grafton in old Independ-
ence hall, Philadelphia--the cradle of
American liberty-the patriarchal Re
publican leader of Vermont uttered a
most solemn warning against the perils
which the country is inviting. After
exhaustive reasoning against the impe-
realistic doctrine, Senator Edmunds
said
But whether integral equal political
| parts of our republic or not, the posses
| sion of distinct territory continually in
| wolves, as all nations have found, the
maintenance of great standing armies
and navies, with the enormous ex-
| penses and other evils attending their
| existence. The termination of war
must, of course, be followed by indem-
| nifty to the victor. but the victor should
! be very careful to see that the supposed
indemnity does not prove an injury
rather than satisfaction.
David ]. Brewer one of the ablest
members of the supreme court of the
United States, who was appointed to the
position by President Harrison, spoke
earnestly against territorial acquisition
at Burlington yesterday. The evacu-
alton of Cuba, he declared, would bring
| to us as a nation grave responsibility,
and the aftermath may prove much more
troublesome than the war itself. He
| thought the people Of Porto Rico unfit
for self-government, and the COLOMBIA
ton idea a violation of our ideas of self
government Touching the proposed ac-
QUESTION of territory in the far east. he
said:
| So far as the Philippines are con-
| cerned, some men high in authority tell
us we must have at least coaMng sta
ton there. Beyond that, l think we
| should be relieved from responsibility
as soon as we can fairly. l am di-
| rectly opposed to the introduction OF
the colonial system in that portion of
| the world. 1t is not matter of terri
| tory or distance. We took Alaska, but
| it's population was small, and their
| coming in did not affect us. But to
| bring in from one country from six to
ten million savages is, to my mind,
freighted with untold dangers. If we
| can get rid of the responsibility and do
| justice TO the people there, hope to do
| So l believe in following the advice
| of George Washington, to avoid all en-
tangling alliances, and the Monroe doc
trine.
We already have Hawaii, and we shall
soon have Porto Rico. Temporarily, al
least we shall also have Cuba. From
the plea of military necessity in the case
of the one and the logical results of the
war in the other, there is no appeal
| All three are fixed and determined facts
beyond change. The step has been taker
and the responsibility assumed. The
bridges have been burned behind us
We shall have to face the perils that
are menaced, whether we will or no.
Only time will determine the wisdom OF
| the departure But as to the Philippines
only a tentative agreement has been
made. Their final disposition is to be
determined later. A joint commission is
! to decide. subject to ratification by the
national congress of the two powers.
| What form of government shall be es-
| tablished in Hawaii is an open ques-
| ton, and may be made political issue.
What shall be done with Porto Rico is
an open question, and may be made a
political issue. What shall be done with
| Cuba has already been decided, and is
| no longer an open question, and may
not be made a political issue, ex-
| cept in the contingency of an offer by
the people of the island, substantially
unanimous. to make Of it an integral