The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-09-16
THE PARTY OF AGAINST

Under the regime or MI. Bryan the So
called Democratic party has been aptly
styled the party of against. That is. the
leaders ascertain the Republican position
and place themselves on the other side.
In 1897 the leaders came TO the conclusion
that the Republican administration and the
conservative influence in the party were OPP
posed to going into a war with Spain.
Thereupon the Bryan leaders clamored for
recognition of the Republic of Cuba. 1t did
not matter that there was no tangible Re-
public of Cuba, hat its seat of govern
ment was unknown, and that the insurgents
did not hold the most insignificant seaport;
in season, and particularly out of season,
Democrats in Congress demanded r~ecogni-
tion and accused the President of cowardice
and of trucking to business interests which
desired peace. In this clamor they saw an
occasion to array the people against the
President at a time when he was doing all
he could to induce Spain to abandon Cuba.
When the crisis came and the demand was
to be made upon Spain to quit Cuba the
Democratic party in Congress determined
to hamper the administration by insisting
that a recognition of the phantom republic
should be embraced in the declaration of the
purpose of the United States to interfere.
To nave done so would have been a meas
ureless blunder.
In regard to the Philippines there was no
objection to the occupation until the terms
of the treaty were made known. When the
treaty had been negotiated the control of
the Philippines was denounced as territorial
expansion by those who claimed the name Of
the party Of Jefferson. the greatest expan-
sicnist. After the Filipinos had attacked
our arm and following the ratification of the
wanted to see what the President would do
instead of accepting the advice of several
leading Democratic papers which urged the
party to declare in favor of holding the
islands, thus stealing a march on the ad-
ministration.. When it began to appear that
the Presidents purpose was to subdue the
Filipinos and control the islands the pro-
pensity to opposition led most of the Demo-
cratic leaders to assume a hostile attitude.
Some declared that our troops should be
withdrawn, while others assumed that the
Presidents policy was to annex the islands,
whereat they made war upon annexation.
Mr.. Bryan himself has gradually changed
from hostility to the war to admitting that
we mus. hold the islands until they have
free and stable governments. On the other
hand. the element represented by Lentz,
Altgeld and half the party papers denounces
the war as a brutal outrage and demands
the recall Of our troops. Had not the cooler
headed leaders and the papers represent
ing them discovered that 1t would be a
blunder which would lose them tens OF
thousands of patriotic Democrats. most of
the Bryan leaders would be In full accord
with Atkinson. Garrison and Carnegie.
We have an Illustration at home. When
the last Legislature assembled most of the
Democratic members were In favor Of the
county and township reform bills. If the re-
form measures could have been voted on
during the first three weeks of the session
half of the Democratic members would have
favored them. But the new leaders discov-
cred that the larger part Of the Republicans
were in favor of the bills. and that was
enough. To defeat them by dividing the Re-
publican member was too great a tempta-
ton to be resisted. consequently leaders
In the House who had expressed themselves
in favor OF the measures arrayed their fol-
lowers almost solidly against bills which
are to-day regarded with popular favor.
Simply to be against the Republicans and
IL possible to cause discussions in the ranks
Of the opposition. the Democrats In the