Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-29

by which the property was acquired. IN
der those conditions his duty was to take
possession of the country and assert the
authority of the United States over it until
congress decides what disposition shall be
made OF it. | talked with the president on
this subject last spring and we discussed
all the phases of it. He admitted that he
was very much perplexed, that he had
spent many sleepless nights pondering over
this question, but this he knew, that he
could not withdraw from the Philippines
with honor; that it was his sworn duty to
maintain the authority Of the United States
until some disposition should be made OF
that country by the only authority that
makes laws and treaties-the congress Of
the United States. So there is where the
republican party and where every loyal citi-
zen OF the United States must stand. The
question now is simply for congress to
settle and for future craftsmanship to de-
eide what shall become Of this acquired
territory.
But the president has no option; he has
no option whatever to recede or to do any
thing less than endeavor. either by force
or by persuasion, to get these people to ac-
cept the conditions Of the treaty and then
to leave 1t to congress to determine what
kind OF government they to have
whether they will be given the same treat
| ment as Cuba, for in Cuba as in the islands
| there are military forces of the United
States. and even now, although the SOW
| ereignty of the United States was not ex-
| tended over Cuba, yet, nevertheless, II there
| was any insurrection in Cuba the president
Of the United States would be appealed to
and expected to maintain order. He GER
| tainly would have to do it in Porto Rico, and
there is not the slightest difference between
! pipn md he not
annexed by the treaty Of Paris. For myself
l hope to see a solution of the Philippine
problem that will enable us to retain what
| Is essential to our commerce and relieve us
from responsibility for the government OF
| the Filipinos. At this stage and under
existing conditions the only course the
president can pursue is to convince these
people that further struggle would be useless
and to submit the question of the gov
ernment of the Philippines to congress.
Bryan's Inconsistency.
Now, then, Colonel Bryan says what? He
ministration. He denounces all those things
which he himself has brought about He
has no remedy to propose except one, and
that is that we should allow these people to
be Independent. But how We should
do 1t, whether by the withdrawal
of the troops, that would be fol
lowed by anarchy, or by remaining
and allowing our troops to be attacked
and shot down, or by an unconditional sur
render OF our troops to Aguinaldo, he ha
not seen At to explain. II he could explain
just how peace can be restored and ordel
maintained without force so long as thes'
people are bound to fight, ] would like Il
have him do so. But Colonel Bryan can
} not escape the responsibility that he as
sumed in this matter He is very much lik
, the doctor who gives his patient medcn
I to produce fts and then comes to cure him
J He helps TO bring on calamity and then h
| tells US how we will overcome calamity. Hi
: campaign in 1896 was nothing but the on
J cry; they seemed to be rejoicing that ther
was distress and discomfort and suffering Il
the land, for which Bryan alone could Civ
the only remedy. He was the only docto
= that could cure us, but now that the coun
try has been cured, now that we knol
that prosperity in this country is universal
e he has only this issue TO fall back on. Their
G must be discomfort about something. TIL
c only general under which he can fight sue
n cessful battles is General Discomfort, Thi
! general did not happen to be down |
= Florida when the colonel struck that coun
try so he fought no battle. Q.aughter)
s State Issues Paramount.
= And now let us get nearer home TIL
e paramount issue In this state is not naiiona
It We are not 10 determine the Philippine ques
y (Continued on Twentieth Page)