The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-01-13


soon to bid long farewell to the seat and
scene of his legislative efforts and achieve
ments in the Congress of the nation. 1t
is, perhaps, natural that he should wish
to render memorable the closing days of
his comparative greatness by doing some
thing unique. a cynical Chicagoan once
observed that what a man needed most
for success was fame and it did not matter
much whether he got it through preaching,
like Henry Ward Beecher, or through bur-
Cling, like Billy" Forester.
Perhaps Mr.. Allen had some such
thought in his ample mind when. on We'd
nesday, he entertained the Senate and the
country with the instructive, not to say
humorous, proposition that the Command
er-in-Chief of the military and naval
forces of the United States has not the
legal power to suppress disorder and re-
bellion in our Philippine possessions un-
less given authority so TO act under a
formal declaration of war against the
rioters by Congress.
It is hardly necessary to discuss Mr..
Aliens argument. which is not even
specious. He assumes that we only hold
the Philippine archipelago under the
terms of a truce, and that, until ratifica-
ton of the Peace Treaty our hands arc so
firmly tied that We are without right to
even attempt the enforcement of good
order or TO pretend to protect life and
property in the territory over which the
fortunes OF war have compelled us 10 as
sumo military control. If such position
be correct, then we are usurpers and
tyrants as well in Cuba and Porto Rico
as in Luzon or Panay. 1t is then wrong
and outrageous, for us to impose military
or police regulations upon the city of
which the Cubans and Spaniards in that
locality would have with each other if
left to their own devices. The work of
General Wood at Santiago. instead of being
the creditable thing the American people
have counted ii, becomes sickening ex-
hibition of brutal despotism, and his and
Brooke's collection of customs duties a
matter of cold blooded robbery.
But the game Will go on just the same.
The universal Yankee nation has hoisted
its flag in various places, and while it flaps
in any sort of breeze, whether Atlantic or
Pacific, the people in blue brass and but
| ternut who are on hand to defend and
make it respected will see that there shall
be peace and good government within sight
of its stripes and stars. even if it should
be necessary to assure those desirable con
ditions by killing of few thousand NAL
contents. Mr.. Allen may fancy that The
| President is powerless to transact that
/ kind Of business II is even possible h,
! may imagine that the country would no
support Mr.. Mckinley in an attempt tC
do So Mr. Allen will not have to wal
| long, perhaps, before learning that he i!
wrong as TO both hypothesis.
In simple justice to the senator from
and about TO return to Nebraska, We ar,
bound 10 admit that there are persons o
more or less distinction or notoriety WHIT
are delighted with his attitude relating t.
the matter in question. Kaiser Wilhelm
no doubt will be pleased. il that potentat
ever should hear about it, ana we are quit
sure that the highest praise will be &C
corded by other gentlemen who are equal,
working in foreign interests against thei
own government and fellow cOuntrymen
We refer Of course, to the eleven of tn
Pharisees" of whom Senator Hoar is prou,
to be one or more, and to his co-plotter
Schurz Pulitzer. Godkin, Carnegie. tn
late Grover Cleveland. and very few
others
Yet, nevertheless and notwithstanding
the Star Spangied Banner in triumph
shall wave" wherever it has been hoisted