Washington sentinel., 1899-05-27
Shattered Idols.

1 RePN6i1e, have worked &rea
change in American public senti
ment with respect to certain mer
who, Tor a while, ranked as heroe:
and patriots. Take Aguinaldo
Tor instance. When our feet des-
troyed the Spanish ships and forts
in the bay of Manila this young
agitator was our ally. The press
and the pulpit teemed with iulsome
praise of his achievements, his in
telligence and his statesmanlike
views and opinions. He was lik-
ened unto Sam Adams Of our own
revolutionary struggle. The par
sons praised him as the foe oi
ecclesiastIcism. He was a Pro-
testant. they said, and he was des-
tined to become the liberator Of the
people from Spanish brutality and
clerical oppression. The American
people were told that he was an
educated man of broad views and
progressive policy. Even the con-
servaEive Dewey informed the
Government at Washington that
Aguinaldo and his followers were
far better fitted Tor self government
than the Cubans, and he added,
"I have intimate knowledge Of
both people"
But now Aguinaldo is rebel,
mean, sneaking, disreputable
ruffian, tool of the priests and
friars and reckless, irresponsible
agitator. In Jew months he was
transformed from a saint to a
demon. What caused this sudden
changer The fact that he refused
to be sold by Spain for Sac, ,ooo. 900.
He had been assured, he said, by
responsible Americans that when
Spain's power was broken in the
Philippines his people would be
granted sell government. In other
words, they were to be put upon
the same footing as the Cu5ans.
When he found that he had been
duped and deceived, when ne dis
covered that the people Of the ISL
ands had been purchased by the
United States fer cash, he took up
arms and resisted the sale. Then
he tell to the low depths oil a rebel
and an outlaw.
Three years ago Professor J.
Laurence Loughlin OF Chicsgo
was the idol OF the Republican
party and oi all who felt that the
only way to preserve the nations
honor was to elect William Nc
Kinley President. His learned
disquisitions upon the gold stand
ard and upon other features OF the
science OF finance were circulated
by Mark Hanna as campaign doc
uments. He was the most valua-
BILE ally OF the Mckinley crowd,
and he was held in high esteem as
patriotic citizen, as an erudite
economist and as an expert on FIN
ance. Today Professor Loughlin
is traitor, copperhead. a sediti-
Gus citizen who is giving aid and
comfort to the enemies ofhis coun-
try. What has wrought this
changer Professor Loughlin has
ventursd to disapprove the policy
Of the Administration in the Phil
ippines. "It is strange" he said
in a recent public statement, that
thoughtless intolerance can go so
far as not to distinguish between
my Loyalty to the flag and my
loyalty 60 policy which dishon-
ors the flag" Mark Hanna is the
custodian Of the flag and ITS honor,
and those who disagree with Mark
are traitors.
Still another idol has been shat
tered. Edward Atkinson was one
Of the most earnest and jealous
advocates OF the single gold stan
dard in the last national campaign.
He furnished more statistics 10 the
Hanna Syndicate than any other
man in the nation. He was quoted
by the plutocratic press as an e1C-
pert in financial and economic
science, and was recommended to
the people as a broad phiIanthrop-
ist and a very learned aud patri-
otic man. But at present the jaws
OF the military dungeon are yawn-
ing Tor him. He, too, had the
hardihood to express his disap-
proval Of the Hanna policy in the
Philippines. He at once became
a promoter OF sedition and a
traitor 20 hIs country. How speed
lily the point OF view is changed
when self interest and partisan
exigency controll The traitor Of
one day is transformed into q pat
riot and the patriot into a traitor.
The lesson is eloquent and full Of
useful information.