Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-09-05
! PEOPLES PULPIT.


Editor Courier: / want to call at
tention to the language you use edi-
tortally toward those who are opposed
- the administration Philippine pol
Referring to recent meeting of an
tiimperialists, you call them "Ameri-
can MalayS' aad then say: "The
word traitor Written on the forehead
IT each one of these fellows would not
look. pretty, but would stand for a
hAsp OF trvth,''
Referring to Lloyd Garrison, son of
tina Old Mberatoy, who spoke the 9TH
er day on this sTbject, you have to say
Qa him, '.Ehasmuch as most people
Know Garrison and know that his
Whole family is addicted to radical
cfhul4stn, his remarks will have little
Further on and Of them generally,
ySt lnf6fh Us: They prefer, rather,
70 be tfaitoIs safely and comfortably
ct home, afd wish to continue to read
Hetf hhfnes in the papefs by the lights
Of tfpif own' firesides.,'
You treat the platform of Iowa dem
ocrats thus: $50 the Iowa democrats
want to pull down the flag in the Phil
ippines. Well, the democrats wanted
to, pull down the stars and stripes in
1864, and abandon the war for the
preservation of the Union. In fact,
they have been always wanting TO pull
down the flag. But it stayed up in
'64 and it will stay up in '99.'' !.
Does the editor of the Courier think
that such language is calculated either
Ito justify the presidents course or to
win voters to the republican, party?
The war which we are now carrying
on against the Filipino, is largely the
individual enterprise of the president
and his advisers. Congress has not de-
pfafsd way. Nevertheless. the presi-
dent, by Virtue of his office, has as
sllmed to Wage a war of subiugation
at an enormous sacrifice of life and
treasure. Aside from these present
sacrifices there are many weighty, not
/ to say grave, objections to be urged
against the course of territorial acqui-
sltion and conquest on which the adj
ministration has started, saying moth
ing OF the moral wrong involved in
the act of crushing people engaged
{ IN struggle for independence.
IS enough to say that here are
questions about which our ablest and
most patriotic citizens differ, and that,
thus far, neither the people nor con-
gress have passed Judgment upon these
questions.
In despotic Russia the car settles
all issues of war or peace and the citi-
zen who criticises or objects is ban
ished to Siberia. But we have always
understood that in free America the
people are sovereign, the source of
power.
The fuller the discussion, the freer
and bolder the criticism INDUCED on
these questions, the better will they
be understood and, hence, more surely
settled Alright. Whether they be right
or wrong on the main question, are not
the anti-imperialists engaged in a
proper and praiseworthy business?
Many of our ablest public men, repub-
means as we'll as.democrats, have open
ly allied Themselves with this opposi-
ton. BY what right do you brand as
TRAITORS such men as Hoar, Edmonds,
Sherman, Mason, Cleveland. BRYAN and
Bishops Vincent and Spalding? The
republican party is yet TO be heard
from and If appeals to mere party 10y
atty were disregarded, there can be
little doubt as to its verdict.
Has it come to- this: that. without
consulting the people or congress, the
president may reverse our policy of a
century, commit us 10 program
against whitehall our ablest and wis
est men have warned us and stifie OPP
position, nay, even discussion, by
shouting "treason?'
II so. then the hope of freedom has
already persisted from our land.
- John w. Lewis.