The times., 1899-05-09
PARTY QUESTION.
Expansion Is Amerfca's cuqucxtiop-
abie Right and Duty

able Right and Duty
Boston. May S.-John ID. Long. Secretary
OF the Navy, has written a letter which
appears in the Christian Register this
week The editor. in his private capacity
as an American citizen. wrote a letter to
Secretary Long in which he tried plainly
to report public opinion. the drift OF parties
and some political consequences which
within the next year were likely to follow
current events and embarrass the Admin
istration. In his reply Mr.. Long says:
Il have no doubt the state of public feel
ing to which you refer exists to some ex-
tent, but the tide always ebbs and flows.
You remember it was so during the Civil
War. and | should say from my memory
and from reading, that there is nothing like
the falling off from President Mckinley
which there was at one time from
President Lincoln. While there is
truth in what you say, there is
great deal in which you have left
unsaid on the other side do not
think the matter ought to be approached
exclusively from the point of welfare of the
Republican party, of which you make so
much account. Neither is it question OF
the personal popularity of the President
or the Administration. Ii is a question of
right II you OF those to whom you re-
fer would only read the papers, dispatches,
messages, and instructions, you would see
at once that he is not weakly leading us to
disaster. but is meeting the situation in ex-
actly the spirit in which you would have
him. AS for any ambition to be the first
great American expanSionist he Is so far
from any ambition OF that sort that the
suggestion seems like Joke
Nor is there the least intention OF sub
jugating the Philippines. All his military
efforts are directed solely to the prezerva-
ton of the law and order there; and II thu
Filipinos would cooperate in this respect
he and the Peace Commission which he has
sent to them would enter at once upon the
work of their political regeneration. with n
view to giving them all the privileges
which the Territories of the United States
between the Pacific and the Atlantic now
enjoy. L wish that you. or some leader of
public opinion like yourself, could come to
Washington and go over. as 1 should be
glad to aid you in doing, all the instruc-
tions to our people at Manila. which en-
body the action of the President. and then.
whether it resulted in your approval o.
criticism. frankly develop your views and
communicate them to the public. C aim
that you would find a record that for
human and helpful direction and dealing
is unparalleled in political history.
Il know you will admit that Judgment
should not be formed upon epithets. There
are some of our leading papers and some
of our leading men who. as you well know
started with an extreme bias against the
Republican party and the President All
the elements that wish to break him down
seize at once upon the epithetic oppor-
tunities; they indulge in such words as
'subjugation,' vassalage.' etc; they draw
comparisons with WeyIer and the Turks:
they hunt up passages in the letters OF
some dissatisfied soldier and print them
in headlines and carefully ignore the hun
dreds OF patriotic instances OF the con-
trary spirit They pick up some rumor
that a prisoner has been shot instead of
being captured and overlook the multi
tude of prisoners that have been taken
and treated with the utmost Kindness. OF
course these attacks are not without their
effect, as, indeed. they are not intended
to be. They arrest attention. and friends
of the Administration. like yourself. begin
to doubt even its honesty of purpose.
| With these Filipinos now on our hands
great trust and responsibility are upon
us for their condition and future. 1 can
hardly believe that you feel that we ought
TO abandon this trust at once | can hard
ly doubt that you feel that we should, FIRST
OF all things-and that is the Presidents
policy. although you suggest that he has
none-restore them to a condition Of law
and order.
That is the first STEP one evidently that
| needs all our energy and the help and
Influence OF all the true men That is
| itself a great labor, and earnestly believe
that if the whole country would unite in
securing this first step. and il these who
are doing all they can to embarrass the
President in his efforts to take il would
help him in that respect, 1t would be The
best and most patriotic thing that can be
done. After that, the step to take should
be considered in the came patriotic spirit
and taken with the same unanimity.
Il believe il should be step toward the
self government OF the islanders as soon
as they show themselves fitted for it, snd
as soon as peace and good order are
guaranteed. probably under some protec-
toTate OF our Government, as our own
territories are under its proteetorate. All
this can be taken up as soon as quiet is
restored and Congress meets. Thanking
you for your letter. and with cordial re-
CARDS, l am, very truly yours,
JOHN D. LONG"