The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1899-02-17
The Philippine Question.

blunder on the Philippine Question, by
its everlasting opposition to anything the
Republican party attempts. AS Congress
man Johnson said of McKinley's policy,
he always adopted whatever seemed for
the time popular, whether right or wrong.
This has been the stumbling block of the
Democratic party leaders so long that the
momory of the present generation run
meth not to its beginning. The party
failed to lay down distinct policy indie
pendent of what the Republican party
said or did till forced to leave their old
conservative tactics by the pressure of the
Peoples party at Chicago, in 1896.
Again the indications are strong that
the party meditates breaking away from
its Chicago policy OIL the Philippine ques-
ton. The cry of imperialism" which
the leaders are sending up is close para
allel to that Of the coppersmiths of
Ephesus By a series of unfortunate
events the Philippines have fallen into
our hands Nobody wanted them with
the responsibility their presence entails,
but we've got them and against the wish
of the whole nation. None of the "iul-
perialisin" screechers have proposed that
we run away and leave them at the bid
ding of Aguinaldo, an ambitious, half
savage chief, who pays Spanish
Il, ,,tAr To-
to get up state papers for him out
Of the $4oo,ooo bride money the
Spanish paid him to cease his agitation,
and the taxes he has been able to levy OH
the people of Luzon by the armed crowd
he has gathered together and called his
army. The president" Of an ''inde-
pendent republic" whose insignia of office
is gold collar, a gold whistle, gold
headed stick and other similar emblems
of authority, anybody ought to be able to
fix the status of in civilization. This gold
collar barbarian has attacked the United
States army with the purpose of driving
it out of the Philippines. He could not
be induced to wait and see what was pro-
posed by the United States after closing
up business with Spain Who says the
United States should turn tail and flee
before the mobs gathered together by this
chieftan? Nobody.
been done, but what should or shall be
done under existing conditions. Howling
imperialism" as good many leaders of
the Democratic party are doing and pro-
posing nothing is little short of lunacy.
The Republicans profess to be in favor OF
granting local seif-government to the
Filipinos zVhen they are qualified for it.
But when will that be and how is it to be
brought about? These are questions
which should occupy statesmen OF the
Democratic party, if there are any in it,
i'll place of bowling imperialism. The
Republican party is opposed to imperial
ism but makes no promises for the future.
The Republicans were in favor of bimet-
allism until they had fooled the people
with Mckinley, then they were stronger
goldites than old Rothschilds himself.
The Republican party leaders cannot be
trusted to do anything that will not be
agreeable to the wishes of monopolies
and specially favored classes who are
willing to shell out liberal election
contributions.
Those parties, like "br' rabbit" are
lying low and expect to carpet-bag the
Philippines when the time comes for
providing reconstruction" measures for
the archipelago, All the astute Repub-
lican leaders want is for the Democratic
party to get up an opposition battle, their
old stumbling block, and shout "imper-
ialism.' We notice with regret that
Bryan is lending his influence to this
silly cry of imperialism. But Col. Bryan
is not always Solomon and makes some
mistakes. One of his mistakes was ell
listing and raising regiment for the
skirmish with Spain. He placed himself
uiltCi tiG A'iliiihioiiitloH thuuio anu
had lot of trouble to get out, and finally
had to resign his command, or stand a
fair chance of being sent to Manila.
Aguinaldo and his mixed tribes have to
be put down and scattered before any
thing else can be done, and it would be
wisdom on the part of the Democratic
leaders to acknowledge this, and in the
meantime adopt policy which favors free
government in the Philippines to the
fullest extent of the capacity of the in
habitants, and shut out all carpet-bagging.
To continue the cry of imperialism is
playing into the hands of the schemers
who would delight in making Philip
pine empire after the British-lndia meth
cd. and for the Democratic party to keep
up an opposition to everything the Ad-
ministration may do or propose, right or
wrong, is the surest way to help it do just
what the monopolies and franchise franz
ers wish.
There should be no franchise granted
to any company to operate in the Islands
without strict government supervision,
with an officer appointed to make reports
annually to Congress. How best to
manage the Philippine question is the
subject the Democratic party should adj,
10 CT oh