The Forrest City times., 1899-11-03
THE HARD, COLD FACTS.
NckinIey's Statements Are nt tarS- ance with Matters of
 Record.

In his speeches in defense of his Phll- ippine war Mir. Mckinley is giving point to the cynical observation that history is fiction agreed upon" ltis not pleas ant duty to correct misstatements or facts made by the president of the United States, but when a president "takes the stump" he cannot object to that public criticism upon which the people rely to separate truth from CT TOT.
 In his speech at Fargo, \. D., Mir. Me Finley said: I've did not go to war lntil every effort at peace was eX- hausted."
 If true, this statement would justify the war. Unfortunately it is not true. Did the president offer to the Filpinos, our accepted allies at Manila, the terms and conditions which congress imposed upon the United States and held out to the Cubans when it set about freeing Cuba? Did he assure the Filipinos
 That the United States hereby disclaims any disposition or intention to exercise sovereignty. Jurisdiction or control over said island, except for the pacifieatioa thereof and asserts its determination when that is completed to leave the government and control of the island to it's people,"
 Does anybody doubt that if Mir. Me kinley had given this assurance to the Filipinos after the capture of Manila there would have been no war? Was not this an effort for peace" which the president was in duty bound to make ?
 II he should give this assurance now is there any reason to doubt that it would end the war? The president him. self admits that the leader of the in- surgent forces says to the American government: You can have peace if you will give us independence.' Would not such termination of the trouble be more honorable and just, more in accordance with American principles, than to send an army of 65,000 men to subjugate a people who after all are only fighting for their freedom as our forefathers did?
 The cold truth is that, alike in his proclamation of December 27 and in the subsequent proclamation of his com missioners, the president demanded the unconditional surrender and submis- sion of the Filipinos to the sovereign ty" of the United States. Never one ''effort" for peace has he made by offer ing them even autonomy under pro- tectorate.
 But Mr. Mckinley said further at Fargo: The insurgent leader made an attack upon our men, and then our boys let loose."
 If this were true it would justify shooting back" No American worthy the name would uggest-whatever his views of the merits of the main question that our soldiers should not repel at tack. But the official record contra diets the president. His own general -the one and only Ots-in his official report of the opening of hostilities said:
 Feb. 4. 1s99-Firing upon the Filipinos and the killing of one of them by the Amer jeans, leading to return fire. The chief in- surgent leaders did not wish to open hostili- ties a that time.
 MT. Mckinley further says: We never gave a bribe for peace in all our history, and we never will"
 Again, this would be important if true. But the presidents peace com missioner, Mir. Schurman. reports that he made bargain or treaty" with the sultan of Sulu, agreeing for the sake of peace and to secure the privilege of flying our flag at the seaport to pay the sultan $250 month and to nine of his chiefs $510 month in addition to 'recognizing" slavery and polygamy in his domains as established institu- tions." Was not this a ''bribe for peace" and a very reprehensible and nasty bribe?
 Is it not incumbent upon president of the United States, when he heads a band of political stump speakers, to be particularly and scrupulously exact in his StatemeptSo V World