Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-02-18


| McKirley's main topic was the Phil
| ippines. His speech was lengthy and
| full of impressive ~phraseology regard
ing u duty" our national con-
science" and our obligations" but
who, after hearing or reading the
Presidents remarks, Knows anything
more about his Philippine policy than
before?
And how gingerly Mr.. Mckinley
handled, or, rather, edged around the
situation as it 10Y exists in those is
lands! One could not but be i'm
pressed with the notion that he feared
to touch it lest he get his fingers in
Filipino blood, which is thick wei it
all and which would have spoiled
the lovely tout ensemble of the
Home Markes affair! Here is a char
acteristic paragraph from Mr.. McKin-
ley's utterances:
If we can benefit these remote peoples,
who will object? If in the years of the flu
ture they are established in government
bAA'AGL law ain lDtllN, MHO Will IGSICI
our perils and sacrifices? Who will not
rejoice in our heroism and humanity?
Always perils and always after them safe
ty; always darkness and clouds, but al
ways shining through them the light and
the sunshine; always cost and sacrifice,
but always after them the ~fruition of lib
erty. education and civilization.
This is almost pretty enough for a
Fifth Reader, but what does it mean
in connection with the administrations
Philippine policy? The nearest Mr..
Mckinley to making a frank
statement OF the subject is the follow
ing:
No imperial designs Turk in the Ameri-
can mind. they are alien TO AMERICAN
sentiment, thought and purpose. Our
priceless principles undergo no change
under a tropical sun.
Yet what are we to take from these
mere words in the light of the definite
action Of the administration majority
in the Senate in voting down the fol-
lowing resolution:
That the United States hereby disclaim
any disposition or intention TO exercise
permanent sovereignty, jurisdiction or
control over said stands, and assert Their
determination, when a stable and indie
pendent government shall have been
erected therein, entitled in the judgment
of the United States 10 recognition as such,
to transfer to said government, upon
terms which shall be reasonable and just,
all rights secured under the cession by
Spain, and TO thereupon leave the govern
ment and control OF the islands to their
people.
When the friends Of Mr.. Mckinley
and the promoters of his administra-
ton in the Senate were thus confront
ed with the necessity of frankly de-
claring whether the administration
party has imperial designs" on the
Philippines or not, they promptly voted
down a declaration hat they had not
although it was simply a declaration to
deal with the Philippines as we have
agreed to deal with Cuba-and they
adopted in its stead a weaker resolu-
ton that meant something or nothing
as the administration might choose to
interpret it!
In the presence of this action, done
with his sanction, if not at his bidding,
what faith can the President expect the
people to place in that sentence of his
Boston speech-the only grain of wheat
in a bushel of chaff?
Imperialism is an elastic term. Mr..
Mckinley undoubtedly does not intend
to rule the Philippines as Caesar ruled,
but will he disavow all intention to
hold sovereignty over them, say, as
colonies or dependencies? If his ad-
ministratiOn has no colonial-we wont
say imperial, since the sensitive Mr..
Mckinley objects to the word-designs
on the Philippines, why does his ad-
ministration as represented in the Sen
ate defeat a proposition guaranteeing
their people ultimate freedom and in
dependence as we have guaranteed it
to the Cubans, who, Dewey assures us,
are less fitted for self-government than
the Filipinos?
AS actions pr%Overbially speak louder
than words, so does the recent Senate
vote or this point outweigh the beauti-
full, but pl%attitudinous and rather
slushy %utterances of Mr.. Mckinley at
the Home Market banquet.
The issue is none the less plain be-
tween the imperial and the American
policy because Mir, Mckinley evades
and would befog it.
TCt1l 49,. g. F,.-s-- ~ .r..--