The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1899-03-04
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
flcKinley's Biuif- : Ills Party after
fiim-- Philippine Policy.

NNA' {, ~Ne'AStaN'4 AAA9hSA y % WIS tnOel
complete ever made by a presi-
dent. The democratic victory is
complete, The new army bill is
practically just what was Offer
ed 70 the administration by Sem
ator Cockrell, on behalf Of those
senator's who opposed a large
standing army-it provides for
continuing the present status Of
the regular army of 90, 600 men
for two years from next July, and
for enlisting 30, 900 volunteers
for the came period. The adj
ministration senators fairly fell
over each other in their anxiety
to accept Senator Cockrell's Of
fer. The next congress, which
will be republican in both branch
es, will probably inflict large
standing army on the country,
but that will not deprive the SEN
ators who killed the bill, to do so
at this time, of deserved credit.
Our Philippine policy is bear
ing fruit quickly. In addition
to having an expensive war with
the Filipinos on our hands, Dew
ey's dispatch to hurry up the
battleship Oregon indicates the
belief on his part that there is
danger Of war with more power
ful opponents. just how great
this danger is, can only be
guessed, because officials are
concealing what information they
have and pretending that the
dispatch from Dewey, which was
made public by mistake, had no
meaning. Little information can
be gained from private Dispatch
es from Manila as they are all
strictly censored, but it is known
that conditions, are critical and
that European consuls there are
making some stiff claims on ac-
count Of the recent partial burn
ing Of the town.
Mr.. Mckinley has been CATCH
ing it again from members OF his
own party in congress. Senator
Sewell, who voted for ratifiea
of the treaty and for everything
else that has been asked for by
the administration, was so stirred
up by the progress Of the war
with the F'ilipinos, that he let out
the fact that he had been sup
porting Mckinley policy against
his own Judgment. He said en-
phatically 81 never was in favor
of the acquisition Of the Philip
pines, = and added that he had |
begged Mr.. Mckinley to order
Dewey away from Manila, after |
he won his victory. Mr.. SeweIl
thinks the F'ilipinos will have to
be practically xterminated be-
fore we can control the Philip
pines. He also thinks that we |
shall soon be at war with Cuba, !
because of the administration
policy.
Representative johnson. ofl
indiana, q republican made a
long speech, nearly every SEN
tence of which contained an at
tack upon Mr. Mckinley. He
said Of those who attacked AIger
and praised Mr.. Mckinley that
they have "lacked the courage
10 lay their ak to the root Of the
evil and censure the gentleman
who, to reward him for his po-
Iitical services and disbursements
in the campaign OF 1896, appoint
ed him tAfger) to his present po-
5ition, and had maintained him
there ever since, notwithstanding
his incompetency and against
the righteous complaints that
have been made acainst him. ,,
He said that Mr.. McKinley's re-
cent Boston address twas moth
ing more nor less than a careful.
ly devised misstatement of the
issue, and of our Philippine
policy: 81 insiststhat the whole |
policy is not simply an error, but
that it is a crime. and that the
chief executive of this nation is
the one who has precipitated upon
US the emDarrassments and diff |
culties by which we are not con-
fronted.' iSpeaking Of the claim
that Mr.. Mckinley acted upon
the advice of Dewey, in demand
ing the Philippines, Mr.. johnson
said: 'The chief executive can
not screen himself behind the
gold lace of the hero OF Manila. "
He expressed the opinion that