The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-11-08
A Mess of Pottage Offered.
A Sly Trick of Mckinley to
Buy Support in The South.

ls now bidding for southern support
by holding out inducements. which
it is hoped will catch the cotton
growers and manufacturers. 1t is
now semi officially stated that the
administration. which claims to have
secured verbal promises from Euro.
pean governments which have been
grabbing Chinese territory, that
American commerce should enjoy
equal privileges with their own in all
the Chinese territory controlled by
them, has demanded of those govern.
ments formal written agreements to
accord with the verbal promises, and,
intends. if the demand is not scqui-
esced in. to back it up with force
This is said to have been the real
reason for the recent material
strengthening of the American naval
forces at Manila. The eane state
ment adroitly points out the material
advantages to the south the Chinese
trade will give, because of the in
creased demand. aod, of course, in.
creased prices for sll kinds of cotton
goods The men who are m anipulat.
ing imperialism are very ely in put.
ting out this bid for southern sup
port. They know that the cotton
raisers of the south have had hard
lines of late. and hope that this prom
lse of better times will create an
lmperiaIistic sentiment among them.
The administration has hatched up
scheme to commit the country
lrrevocably to imperialism. 1t has
already begun the work of securing
promises from senators and repre-.
sents.ives to vote for a joint resoIu.
tion, to be offered as soon as con.
gress meets. declaring the intention
of this government to permanently
retain the Philippine islands. Moth
ing could more strongly show the
steady growth of imperialistic ideas
in administration circles Only a
short time ago. Mr.. Mckinley said
that he intended. and had always
intended, that congress should decide
whether we should keep the Philip
pines Now he will say 10 congress,
in effect, 81 have decided to keep
the Philippines. and l demand that
you shall ratify my decision" The
reason for this change is obvious.
Mr.. Mckinley fears that If congress
takes up this question and thorough
" discusses it. so many good reasons
will be presented against our going
'oto the colonization business to the
extent of keeping the Philippines.
that congress might decide against
their retention. Therefore, be will
endeavor to head off anything like
free discussion by saying to congress
that it is necessary to end the war in
the Philippines, that this joint reso
luton should be adopted, knowing
that if he succeeds any future dis.
cussion of the matter in congress
will be without effect in deter mining
the policy of the. government He
will have no serious trouble in get.
ting his scheme through the house,
but the anti imperialists of the senate
will have something to say before it
can be put through that body.
Senator Chauncey Depew has found
out that Boss Platt. who made him
senator, isn't the whole thing in
Washington, and he doesn't rejoice
over the knowledge. Platt compelled
pepew to join him in making a fight
upon the acceptance by the treasury
department of plans for the New
York custom house, chosen in open
competition by q committee of archi
tects. and endorsed by the New York
and Philadelphia branches Of the
American institute of architects. not
becsuse he knew of sny defects in
the plans, but because the successful
competitor was Mr. Csss Gilbert of
Chicago. and not New York ma.
chine politician. Secretary Gage, TO
his credit be it recorded. refused to
be Influenced by political pressure
and decided in favor Of the report of
the committee of architects. This
wac Mr. Depew's first taste of hum
BILE pie. and if he could control bis
own actions it might be his last, but
having agreed before being elected
senator to do everything in q politl.
cal way that Platt asked him to, it
probably will not be.
If prominent men from the eastern
section of the United States, who
come to Washington, know the senti.
ment of their people, the anti.impe
rialist spirit is rapidly growing 10
that section. Said one of them
Mr.. E. S. Beach, Of the Boston bar
"Senator Hosr is voicing the better
sentiment AID | believe thst sooner
or later the country will appreciate