The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-07-18
A CRIMINAL CENSORSHIP.

It IS a sad exposure of the short-sight-
ed folly and falsehood Of the administra-
ton which is made by the correspondents
statement cabled from Hong Kong which
we publish today. A more comprehensive
statement of the situation created by this
foolish censorship could not be embodied
in so few words. 1t affiXes the stamp of
falsehood to almost every line which the
people of the United States have been
permitted to read for the past nine
in the Philippines. Having been cabled
from Hong Kong, it is a fair presump-
ton that its contents would never have
been made public if our administration
| officials could have prevented it.
No American will rejoice at the pitiful
| exposure for any reason other than that
it enables this people to learn the true
condition of affairs. In no country, how
ever arbitrary its government, could the
channels of public intelligence have been
choked up any more completely than
they have been through the censorship
which is thus exposed. No one could
or would object to a reasonable or in
telligent exercise of the right Of censor
ship. The plan adopted by Gen. Otis, in
conjunction with his superiors at Wash
ington, is now shown, however to have
been that of a military despot rather than
OF a responsible general of an army.
We will not ask why such a course has
been pursued The American people know
why Nothing that may be said in ex-
tenuation or condemnation will affect the
situation. The facts of the case speak
with resounding force, showing that the
people have been deliberately deceived by
those whom they have placed in charge of
their affairs. All the contentious of the
TRAITORS" and "copperheads' are more
than sustained. The stereotyped lie that
the situation lis we'll in hand" Is at last
nailed. The criminal buncombe and defa-
nation of patriotic Americans which en-
sued from the efforts made to secure the
| return of the volunteers are resented
respondents of the administration fiction
that 1.-THE volunteers are willing to engage
in further service"
| Who are these gentlemen who thus take
upon themselves the task of enlighten-
ing this people? They are the staff cor
respondents of the leading daily papers
and Of the leading press agencies Of the
country 1t Is no mere combination among
the representatives of the opposition
/ press. The names include staff represent
atives of such dailies as the New York
no more rabid advocate of imperialism in
| the country today than the New York
| Sun. That its representative and those of
the other papers combine in issuing this
statement merely shows that, important
to the publishers Of these papers as may
| be the task of defending the administra-
| ton, they do not propose that it shall
| continue to be performed at the cost
Of suppressing the news and all the news
of important events.
1t is surely bad cause which cannot be
made popular even with the aid of all
the resources of falsehood, both by state
ment and suppression, which are at the
disposal of a powerful government. How
that cause will be regarded by the peo-
pie now that the truth concerning it is
fairly outlined will. we believe. soon be
made plain.