The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-01-20
EDITORIAL COLUMN.
President Mckinley Worthy
the Nations Confidence.


While this is a government by the
people, there are certain things often
times of vast Importance which must
be left, with as little interference as
possible, to the executive officers in
charge. A general of the United States
is but an agent carrying out by force
the will of the people. No one would
however for that reason expect him
to publish his plan Of battle to the
world in order that the people of his
country should decide in advance as to
the correctness OF his ideas. He must
use his own discretion, keep his own
counsel, and act to the best of his
ability. The outcome of the event
must be his justification or condemna-
ton. This is the power and this is the
responsibility which the people place
upon those entrusted with the ex-
ecution of their will.
As IN military, so in civic emergen
cies there are times when the people,
having chosen well their leader, must
be content to await his action, must
have faith in his judgment and ability.
Faith however is one of the most diff
fcult of virtues. Nineteen centuries of
miracles and proofs and exhortations
have not yet imbued all our people with
faith even in the Almighty. But faith
is just as necessary in domestic, BUSH
ness and governmental life as it is in
religion.
At this time it is necessary for our
people to have faith and confidence in
President Mckinley. He has proven
wise and trustworthy in the past, he
has brought the nation through a great
crisis with unsullied honor and aug
mented glory Every person must
know that by publishing to the world
an exact cut and dried plan of proceed
ure in our foreign and diplomatic re-
lations President Mckinley would do
his country and himself a great Unjust
ice. 1t is impossible to play a game
when your opponent knows all your
cards. Every other man has the ad-
vantage in such game. And yet with
childish curiosity and petulance our
people are demanding to ''see the
wheels go round" If President Nc
Kinley could gather all our people in
one assemblage, pledge them to keep
their council and be able to rely on that
pledge, we believe he would gladly
throw the burden from his shoulders,
tell them all about it, and ask their adj
vice. We do not think the president
has anything to conceal that would
hurt the people of the United States to
know, but we do believe it would be
criminally foolish for him to elaborate
a future policy at this time.
The duties of the present are amply
Sufficient to occupy the minds of our
statesmen. Whether we are to keep
the Philippines or not, it is undOubted-
ly our present duty to restore peace
and order to the islands by pacific
measures if possible, by force if neces-
sary. The fact that simply announ-
cling our future policy will not bring
peace is amply illustrated by the exist
ing conditions in Cuba. We have said
that we will not retain that island, but
the Cubans are not satisfied, they want
to know when our control will cease,
they are jealous of every move made by
the United States 10 restore peace and
order. Their armies are not disbanded
and condition of disorder exists which
can be controlled only by force.
What then is to be gained by trying
to force the presidents hand? Nothing
but the qualification of our curiosity.
Will not Aguinaldo be just as anxious
to maintain his show of power in order
to keep his supremacy after the Ameri-
can troops are withdrawn? Will the
peaceful pursuits respond more quickly
to the establishment of order when
it is known that still another change
must come? AS it is we have some
thing in reserve, something in our pos
session that other people want, will We