Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-15
MKINLEY's BAD BREAK.


At Minneapolis Thursday Mr.. Mckinley
essayod to justify the Philippines pur-
chase by comparing it with the Louisiana
purchase. Mr. Mckinley could not have
chosen a more unfortunate time for that
performance It IS reasonable to suppose
that il he had known then as much as
he knows now. he would not have come
within many miles Of an ailuson TO our
Louisiana acquisition
on the same day that Mr.. Mckinley
made his Minneapolis speech ex-Con-
gresham Watson, of Ohio, gave out a
letter TO himself from Judge william r.
Day. which affords browning proof-if, In
deed. any further proof were wanted-that
the two purchases only touch at one
point For the rest they are widely di-
vergent. Napoleon wanted the money Mr..
Jefferson paid for the Louisiana annex,
and Spain wanted the money Mr.. McKin-
ley paid for the Philippines, and there
the parallel ends.
Apart from the consideration that
Louisiana was contiguous territory, Mr..
jefferson thought that he was acting I'M
der color at least, of warrant of Con-
gress. That body, in order to prevent in
ternaI turmoil in the West, appropriated
100000 for the purchase of the port Of
New Orleans. The possession of that port
was an admitted necessity. Mr.. Jefferson
foresaw the necessity OF acquiring the
,, - 81. .orritory opohraced in the
Louisiana purchase if we would avoid
compilations with foreign Powers and
the opportunity presenting itself, ne
closed the bargain. He went, in the let
ter of the transaction. considerable
step beyond what had been authorized by
Congress. but he only broadened In ap-
plication the principle Congress had re-
cognized I'm making the appropriation Tor
acquiring New Orleans, and his message
and his correspondence touching upon his
action fully vindicate him. Moreover, Ia
less than ten days after he notified Con-
gress Of the purchase both houses en-
dorsed it. thus admitting the necessity OF
the ACQUISITION as bearing upon the fu-
turc or the country. w ihiDNNi '"N w
position Of that period may have said, the
fact remains that the Louisiana purchase
was I'm harmony with the doctrine OF
peaceful development" as laid down by
the fathers Of the republic, and Mr.. JEFF
ferson believed that he was acting in the
capacity Of the servant of the people.
But what of Mr.. McKinley's Philippines
purchase? Judge Day was appointed As
sistant Secretary of state when John
Sherman was bamboozled into accepting
the secretaryship in order TO make place
in the United States Senate for Mark \.
Hanna. and when just prior to the out
break OF hostilities with Spain, Sherman
retired. Judge Day succeeded him. How
ever. Judge Day had been practically the
head Of the department from the begin
ming sherman being utterly unfit for That
nosition. and was the acknowledged keep
or both in name and fact. of the Presi-
dents conscience, in all the negotiations
connected with the Spanish-American
war. So faithful had Judge Day been In
the DISCHARGE of this trust prior TO the
breaking out of the war, that after the
protocol was signed Mr.. Mckinley APP
pointed him president Of the American
Peace Commission. Subsequently, the
President rewarded his "fidus Achates'
with a life position, that of Federal
judgeship.
In view Of all this. II must be accepted
without question that Judge Day knows
whereof he writes when he treats Of
the Philippines issue, ana his letter which
was given out Thursday cannot but stand
as interchangeable history, especially
since its contents are verified by hints
that have been dropped by other mem
hers of the commission. The letter shows
concluslvely that there was no necessity
for the purchase Of the Philippines; that
no demand of duty and destiny" required
that we should possess the islands; that
we would not have been discredited by
hauling down our flag" as under the
protocol we had the right only TO hoist
II temporarily over Manila and limited
strlp Of contiguous territory; that Mer-
/ rittS operations, dlleI iHt piN'"N"' was
signed. were criminal aggression" in
deed. and that the purchase of the group
was practically a transaction dictated
solely by Mr.. Mckinley. In short. the
letter Shoots daylight through" every
statement Mr.. Mckinley has advanced in
defence of his Philippines policy
Yes. It is exceedingly unfortunate for
the President that he should have com
pared the Philippines and the Louisiana
purchases. What with the Day letter
others will be apt TO indulge in COMPARE
sons And they will find that the differ
ence between Mr.. Jefferson and Mr.. Me-
/ kinney is this: The sage OF Monticello
inspired by unselfish patriotism, and In
obedience 20 the instincts of great states
manship. made for the people an invest
rnent Of $1,000 900. This investment, there
can hardly be a doubt, forestalled serious
complications with an alien neighbor, II
not a long and bloody war, and heavy
taxation for the conduct Of that war. Mr..
Mckinley, prompted by selfish political
ambition arbitrarily expended E0,DOCO
| Of the peoples money. Thereby, he has
put as In position 10 be drawn at any time
into the maelstrom OF foreign jealousies
| ana suuabhles. has Drecipitated the coun-