The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-07-07
A MENT,

The plight in which the administra-
distressing. Soldiers are sorely need
ed to carry out the policy of war and
snbjugation in the Philippines. The
volunteers in the Philippines who IL
LIFTED to fight against Spain and whose
terms expired with the exchange OF
detained and literally rushed into the
jaws of death in an ill-considered cam
paign that has resulted in practically
disabling our army without accom-
plishing any permanent gain. The lib
elal bounty offered to these volunteers
to re-enlist for a further term has
been rejected by all but an inconsider-
able number, and they are about to be
returned to the United States. En-
listments to complete the quota of the
regular army have been so slow as to
cause apprehension regarding the re-
Spouse that would follow a call for fur
Their volunteers if such a call shoulc be
made.
There is to be a state election in
Ohio his year, which. if it should re-
suit ~unfavorably to the Republican
party, would be a severe blow to the
administration, and might have Q
whitening effect upon Mr.. McKisley's
chances for a denomination. A call
for volunteers before the Ohio election,
therefore, might prove to be bad poll
tics. 1t might demonstrate that the
country does not approve of the presi-
dents policy in the Philippines, and
Algerism, E~aganisln. and the contempt
for the testimony Of Our soldiers be-
o the beef court, would be sure to
be made manifest in the disinclination
Of the youth of the country to offer
their services as soldiers.
If it should be demonstrated that the
comparatively small number Of SOL
dlers required could only be obtained
through the means of a draft. the eff
feet would be to eliminate Mr.. Nc
Kinney from the list of presidential
possibilities. Therefore there is no
probability Of a call for volunteers I'M
III after the Ohio elections. if there is
any possible way Of bridging over the
difficulties in the Philippines until that
time.
In his present plight the president is
receiving no sympathy from any class
except those who live on the spoiis Of
01lrp Hic ornIr1t II, vn~orI $~ thu
beef investigation, the retention Of AL
ger in the cabinet, the furloughing Of
Eagan on full pay, his subserviency to
Corbin, and his refusal to call congress
to deal with the Philippines. does no.
meet with the approval of the Ameri-
can people.
There is a way out of the difficulty,
however. which if adopted now will
relieve the situation so far as the Phil
ippines are concerned and 20 q long
way toward restoring to the president
his lost prestige with the people, which
is to proclaim to the Filipinos that
they shall be given their independence
SO far as relates to the domestic gov
eminent OF the archipelago and that
the United States will reserve only a
naval station and maintain a protec-
torate over the islands. or an an
nouncement by the president of the
purpose Of this government to give the
Filipinos their independence, promis-
ing to secure a concert of the powers
and make the archipelago neutral ter
ritory, the same as Belgium is new in
Europe. A proclamation embodying
either of the foregoing will bring the