The Indianapolis journal., 1899-11-15
THE WAR A GODSIND TO The
DEMOCRACY.

1t is interesting and not altogether un-
instructive to reflect what the present poiit-
ical situation in the United States and the
prospective issues of next year would be
If the war with Spain had not occurred.
That event was entirely unexpected. Mr..
Mckinley was elected on a peace platform
and domestic issues exclusively. the
main ones being sound money, a protective
tariff and currency reform. If Mr.. McKin-
ley thought there was even a possibility
of war with Spain he was determined to
prevent it if he could. In mis- inaugural ad-
dress he said:
1t has been the policy of the United
States since the founda ton of the govern
ment TO cultivate relations of peace and
amity with all the nations of the world /;
and this accOrds with my conception OF our
duty now. We have cherished the policy
OF noninterference with the affairs of for
eign governments, wisely inaugurated by
Washington, keeping ourselves free from
entanglementS, either allies or foes.
. We want no wars of conquest: we
must avoid the temptation of territorial ag-
greSsion. War should never be entered upon
until every agency of peace has failed;
peace is preferable to war in almost every
contingency.
This shows that President Mckinley was
fully determined at that time to do all in
his power to prevent war. and that he had
idea of territorial expansion. He ex-
pected his administration TO be one of un-
interrupted peace, devoted exclusively to
the protection of national interests and the
development of national prosperity. The
questions he had in his mind were tariff
reform and currency reform In his in
augural address he declared his purpose to
call a special session of Congress on March
ID to legislate on the tariff question, and
in his first annual message ne gave cur
rency reform the first place The Cuban
question was dealt with at some length,
but even then the President did not fore
see nor expect war. AT that time and for
several months afterwards he still do
ing all in his power to prevent it. In the
light of history it is clear that the war
with Spain could not have been prevented.
1t was ordained of Providence and inevi-
table. 1t was part of the evolution and prog
ress of events. Equally so, of course, were
it's results and the situation growing out
of it. AS has been said time and again, we
did not expect at the beginning of the war
to become possessed of Porto Rico or the
Philippines but that was the only way to
end the war with honor. The possession of
them was put upon us as national duty
that could not be shrked without national
dishonor. In this view and in this spirit
President Mckinley has dealt and is still
dealing with the situation.
From what has been said it is evident
that but for the war with Spain, which
was wholly unexpected. we should be deal
ing with purely domestic questions. The
tariff question is practically settled, for the
present at least, and the people are satis-
fled with business conditions and the gen.
eral prosperity that prevails. The Bryan
Democracy could not make any headway
fighting the tariff. Neither could they on
the silver question. That issue is practically
dead. The gold standard is established and
the people are satisfied that it should re-
main so. If it were not for the war the
Bryan Democracy would be without an
issue unless they attempted flank move
ment on the currency reform question, and
that would be a hopeless undertaking. The
war has been godsend to them by furnish
ing them an issue for the next campaign
in opposition to the government. But for
this Mr.. Bryan would be a statesman out
of job, politician without an issue and
a candidate without a platform. President
McKinley's conscientious efforts TO main
tain the national honor and prestige have
given the Democracy the only standing
ground they have in opposition TO the ad-
ministration and the Republican party