The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1899-12-29
THE OWOSSO TIMES.
The pligh. of the Democrat,c Party.
EDMUND o. DEWEY. EDITo

! a.
From tho New York Irde zen iept:
The democrats In congress, as the fruit of
conference of the leaders, have put them
selves on record, with no delay, as to what
they want done with the Philippine Islands.
We are pleased to have them make their
proposition, for it shows that after their be-
lated way they are backing as they car, out
of the uptepable and IN democratic position
INTO which they were forced by the neces-
sity OF opposing the administration. They
had, most OF them, following the lead of Mr..
Bry an, demanded that we withdraw from
the Philippines and grant the islands com
ylete independence. This reverses aIlfthe
presidents of the party, and is now seen to
Ae.impracticabe According to the resola-
i5ons offered and supported by them, we
are TO withdraw from the Philippines and
grant the people independence after peace
has been established. aud after a constitu-
tlonal government shall be established, and
after said government shall have provided
10 pay back to the United States the twenty
million dollars that we have paid to Spain
for the islands. That is v-ry safe prop
,si ion for us, for who sh organize the
government, and how shall the money be
collected, and by whom? The whole prop
ssition is preposterous to the verge of ab
sardity.
Doubtless in their hearts those who made
1t knew it was ridiculous and they did not
mean it TO be practicable. They made 1t,
a. the Chinese say, just to save their face
1t does not quite so confessedly contradict
fhsir late utterances as would a simple
ayowal of change of base. Yet such a
change it really is. The proposal to give
up the Philippines when the people shall
have paid US twenty million dollars is, a
proposal never to give the up. 1t really
accepts the policy of the administration and
NE results OF the war, while seeming to re-
ject them.
Que cannot help feeling grimly amused
pity for the plight of the democratic party
Ut the present time. Every distinctive
plank Of its platform seems to be dropping
But from under 1t. Free silver at sixteen to
one Is hopelessly lost as a rallying cry.
Bryan makes long speeches and forgets to
mention 1t. "Coin" Harvey is dumb or
dead, Congressman who spoke for the dt
Asion in the last session are now confess
ing their sins and asking to be taken back
into the sound money ranks The trusts
do not seem to have squeezed the life ont
D business nor the prosperity out of the
people. Free trade is forgotten, never
mentioned now. And here are the war is.
sue aud opposition to expansion being given
mp as fast as they can do it with any regard
~ plausible consistency. The democratic
party had taken up with ev,ry untenable
position, and all their prophecies have b .en
falsiied, and 1t Is not strange that the SEN
sble people Of the country could do Dotbug
Else but support the Administration in its
mid term, something which our people are
seldom willing to do. Really 1t looks as il
a would be OF no use for the democrats 10
bold convention and nominate a presi
syatiops only, and none that have to do with
principles, stand 10 the way Of the return
nj the era of good feeling when Monroe was
slected president with no opposition. Then
NE Monroe Doctorine; now Expansion. But
what President Garfield In his Cleveland
speech said of the democratic party is true;
: y the graveyard Of dead issues, Of buried
opinions. Of exploded theories, Of disgraced
soctrines;" and the last Of them are popu.
Ism and antie expansion.