Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-09-25
WATTERsON's IDEA.
Says Democrats Cannot Win on Anti
E.pnnsion-Is rs Bad nv
Free

| Free silver.
LOUISVILLE. KY, Sept. 2i.-Henry
Watterson. again championiEs the cause Of
expansion. says ed.toriaIly:
The Republican newspapers are taking
note and making n point OF the circum-
stances that the current crop of Democrat
| !c file leaders embraces for the most part
| gentlemen whose names are unknown 10
| fame. This is 4 poor subtcrfuge. and no
| argument at all. The most illus;rious per-
| sons must at some period of their lives
unless born in the purpe-have been in a
similar state OF Obscurity. but the young
gentlemen who find themselves booted and
mounted must ride uncommon well if they
expect to keep their saddles
Let no Democrat deceive himself about
the issue of issues in 1900 1t Is already
fixed. There will be bat one issue upper
most III the public mind and heart, and
| that will be the war in the Philippine ISL
! ands and the policy of expansion
Free silver as a vital issue is already as
dead as the issue of African slavery. No
matter what is said OF it. or Is left unsaid,
by the next national Democratic platform,
| IL cannot be made seriously to arrest the
attention of the voters. If We ever attain
free silver at the ratio OF IS TO l. or any
| other ratio. it will be through expansion
ana through expansion alone, our Pacific
ana Asiatic interests furnishing Il silver
outlet for an otherwise barren ideality. The
antitrust game two can play az.
he deadly danger to Democracy is the
misleading cry of 'anti-mperalism II is
Il fgment of the fancy Of Il few old women
IN Boston and the ignorance OF few un-
the West and South. If the Democratic
party should adopt il the party would have
iirst 10 surrender to Agul:IdidO and then to
give itself over to God for even Grandma
Hoar could not be relied on to vote the
ticket.
The South may be lured for a time by
ialse cries. But the South, with its short
cut to the Pacific before il, will never give
up the chance of revivifcation through the
developments OF the Pacific
Inc chief If not the sole hope of the
CUR states is the completion OF the Mica
ragua canal and the Occidental outlet there
created
Both the future of cotton and the So
iIin luton ol the negro problem lie in that
direction; Hawaii and the Philippines con-
stitute the basic principle OF our power in
,he new world opening up in the Pacific.
II the young gentlemen who ride the DEM
ocratic Steeplechase lose but another no
ready FESTIVE and uncertain. will follow
them no further. 1t will turn and rend
Them The North and East will stick to
no leader who In the remotest conjecture
can be suspected and accused of a purpose
to haul down the American flag and TO
limit either the glory and power or the
territorial dimensions of the United States
The Democratic party nlust in 1850. if
1t would win. accept the war as a fact.
1t should. instead of repudiating it, invite
1t as responsibility. II must stand by
the country. and draw the line on Agui-
naiuo: and because next year the war is
likely still TO be on, furnishing 1t a great
opportunity, 1t should welcome it as its
one chance of winning the election.
1t can only win the election by wrestling
the government from Incompetent hands,
TO place II in competent hands. 1t can
only win 1t by meeting the Republicans on
their own alignment and there contesting
the issue with the Mckinley administra-
ton. If on any ground or plea il opposes
expansion. it deliberately puts itself out
of the arena. That would he like man
undertaking TO meet a Gatiing gun with IL
fectively. one must use kindred weapons
"First-The war in the Philippines to 4
successful finish.
"Second-Ths establishment of order
throughout the archipelago.
'Third-The erection of such a govern
ment as shall then seem best for both our
selves ard the Filipinos. we being the
sole. exclusive judges. In the interim. fair
play in the army and navy, for Sch!ey
equally with Sampson, for Miles no less
than for Shafter. No more favoritism. No
more beef scandals No more Eagan scam
dalS. No more Carter scandals. No mora
suppressng reports for fear of hurting the
administration Above all, the flag, the
flag, and always the flag"