Rock Island Argus., 1899-11-04

of the wisest and safest statesmen of
the country, because on the silver is
sue he had deserted the standard of
democracy and was contributing to
the support of the candidacy of Will
liam Mckinley for the presidency. 1t
was then pointed out by republicans
that MIR. Schurz was a man who
should command influence and con-
fdence because he put country above
party in what was regarded as a vital
issue, the money question Now
Schurz sees danger threatening the
republic greater than any difference
in financial policy could possibly en-
tail. He is working harder against
imperialism than he ever did against
any other matter of theory or doctrine
in the political history of the country.
The nation is face to face with a crisis.
in Mr.. Schurz's estimation, compared
with which the remotest possibility
of peril in consequence of any change
in the present financial system is in
finitesimal. But we do not longer hear
our republican friends endorsing Mr..
Schurz for his patriotic course in
putting country foremost and para
mount He is on the right track this
with the bosses of the republican party
if not with the rank and file of that
party. It would therefore be as much
as the life of one OF the party is
worth to utter SYLLABLE commenda-
tory of the statesman who so re-
Gently was receiving the highest en-
dorsement the party speakers and
press could bestow. Mr.. SchurZ has
1aNt N,.llT
of Davenport, apropos of the pres
ent situation in the Philippines, in
which he encloses letter from him
to DR.. II. A. Patterson, of Cincinnati,
and in which he shows conclusively
that he regards the country as now on
the eve of the gravest peril that has
ever threatened it. He says:
.'Of what do the speakers who have
been called into Ohio really speak?
Did Gov. Roosevelt, fer instance, di-
late upon the silver question? He was
principally occupied in calling us cop
perhe ads in answer to our anti-imPer-
ialistic arguments. And the rest of
the orators do likewise.
"If under these circumstances |
would by the agitation of the silver
question aid the republicans of Ohio
TO victory, / would be convinced that
the administration would cOnstrue
such victory as the endorsement by
the people of its imperialistic policy
and make unlimited capital out of it.
Toward such a result | cannot con-
scientiously contribute.
II am of the honest conviction that
the greatest danger that now threat
ems the republic is Imperialism. | be-
lieve that it is our highest patriotic
duty to set aside all party interests
and do our best to avert this danger.
1t was to this end that last year / OPP
posed the candidacy of Roosevelt for
governor in this state. | did this
although | was a personal friend of
Roc sevelt and worked with him for
civil service reform. | believed then,
and still believe, that his defeat with
his imperialistic program and in spite
of his new earned fame would have
frightened the administration in Wash
ington from the annexation of the
Philippines, and in this manner the
danger would have been greatly mini
miZed.
MANY OF my acquaintances here
who were then of contrary opinion
agree with me now that the result of
the sacrifice would have been well
worth the price. The situation this
year appears to me to be exactly the
same. If the fall elections result in
n manner that the administration and
congress are encouraged to further
progress on the path of imperialism,
then unless unlooked-for events
shou Id intervene, the main question
that Will confront us next year in the
presidential election will be imperial
ism. and to save the republic from her
greatest danger will require unpleas-
ant sacrifices. Such encouragement
to the administration should be with
held at any cost
We are IN the midst of n crisis in
which every good citizen should re-
gard it as his highest duty TO make
the least important subseryient to the
important, according to his knowl-
edge and cons science. and not permit
himself to be governed simply by
party considerations. With friendly
gre sting yours, G. SCHURz."
In his letter TO Mr.. Vollmer, Mr..
Schurz says that his views as to the
Ohio election lit the Iowa election also.
He believes that republican defeat or
reverse this fall is the only way to
compel Mckinley to drop Imperialism.
He therefore urges all anti-imperial-
lists TO drop their dissensions on the
money question, which is not an issue
in this campaign, and vote to avert
what he,says is ''the greatest danger
than now threatens the republic"