The Washington weekly post., 1899-10-24
a Word TO Mr. Mckinley.

Nr. Mckinley has returned from a
swing around the -circle, in good health
and excellent spirits. We congratulate
him upon the sincere and profound enthu-
siasm with which he mas been welcomed
everywhere by his fellow-citizens IL.
before leaving Washington, he harbored
any misgiving as to the affection, esteem,
and admiration i'm which he is held by the
whole country, without reference to class,
| locality, or partisan alignment, he must
I surely have left all doubt behind him as
he went from one ovation 10 another. We
recall, in the history of our Presidents. no
more attractive personality than his. Our
Chief Magistrates have been extolled and
glorifed fCr this trait Of character or that
achievement of result. We have had
statesmen and soldiers. sometimes COM
bination OF the two; We have had great
patriots and commanding intellects. But
Mr. Mckinley has touched the popular
imagination at every point. The people
believe in his love Of country. in his wis
dem and his keen provision; and they
have discovered, besides, the qualities of
gentleness and human sympathy which
attach the ruler to the ruled as no other
| force may do. No man to-day stands
higher in the confidence and affection of
l the American people than President Nc
Kinley.
1t is to be hoped, now. that the Presi-
dent will at once attack the problems
I nh nd IiCtr oil Of ne
the miserable tangles in Cuba; the futil-
| ity, the waste, the disasters In Luzon.
These abhorrent difficulties must be
smoothed and cured. The country has
endured much as the result of the incom-
potency and the stubborn blundering of
Brooke and Otis. In neither island can
We discern the smallest progress In the
direction of our solemn promises or our
proclaimed intent. In Cuba there is still a
military autocracy and a popular discon-
tent which grows In bitterness with each
succeeding day. In Luzon, there is bloody
war; hatred on the part of the natives
| such as was never visited upon Spain, and
a wanton and fruitless sacrifice of life.
| Towns are taken and the event is her
aided as a glorious victory. Soon the
to illustrate our prowess but the mar
tyred dead and the swiftly growing list of
victims. We have attacked thirty-nine
times, on each occasion with more or less
loss of life and limb and consequence of
suffering and disease. and we hold to-day
I fI1Ct ely nf hA n.,-
| gallant soldiers are hurried from this
| place to that, fainting under tropic suns,
| i'll, enfeebled, done almost to death, and
] the next act in the tragedy is their recall.
1t is a chronicle of blunder and futility,
| illustrated by the hospital and the cem-
etery.
The President must usher In a new and
| healthier regime. If he cares for polit-
1cal future, he must replace imbecility
with brains and vigor The people are
worn out with failure, bewilderment and
disaster. Humanity demands cessation
of the murderous bungling in Luzon.
Good faith and national honor require the
| pacification of Cuba and the political re-
| habilitation of the Cubans. This tragedy
must end, and end soon. Existing eondi-
tions projected into the coming year viii
put q conclusive end to Mr.. McKinley's s
public life. Deeply as he Is beloved by the
American people, overwhelming as may
be his present claim to reelection, the
fact remains that six months more of
such miserable failure as We now have in
Cuba and the Philippines will condemn
his administration. even in the judgment
of those who love him best, and make its
repetition an impossibility.